BY SHEAON REID
If Islandia were a jewel, it would be a black pearl: rare, precious and in a class of its own.
Islandia is a group of tropical islands with cool ocean breezes and warm Caribbean temperatures.
Like a string of pearls, Islandia is set on a string of coral islands based mainly on Elliot Key, just eight miles east of Homestead across Biscayne Bay.
There is no city like Islandia. Leading the way in the class of Florida's smallest town, the population according to 2000 census is six.
Many have described Islandia as Dade's missing municipality. Islandia is rare because there are no landfills, no schools and no traffic. That is because there are no roads on or leading to the Islandia – the only way to access the city is by boat.
Boat rides are provided to visitors but mostly during the wintertime since mosquitoes usually swarm the island in the summertime.
Born from a dream, Islandia incorporated on December 6, 1960, and the City Council ruled over 33 islands.
Early inhabitants wanted to create a vacation wonderland stretching from Key Largo to Key Biscayne, interconnected with oceanfront highways and toll roads to the mainland. However, no one could afford to build a causeway across shallow Biscayne Bay.
In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson authorized $25 million to convert Islandia into the Biscayne National Monument. All but five of the 33 islands were purchased by federal government and are now known as Biscayne National Park, the biggest estuary in the federal system.
In the 1500's, the islands were once a refuge for the crews of wrecked ships and a popular fishing spot for Tequesta tribe.
Elliot Key became especially popular in the 1860's when settlers from the Bahamas set up farms on the island. Farming was difficult because the ground was made of mostly coral rocks.
The settlers discovered that the ground could be loosened using dynamite. Before long, the settlers were harvesting key limes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and pineapples to ship north.
Islandia has housed a few famous residents. Among them was Black Caesar. According to folktales, Black Caesar was an escaped slave who lived on the south part of the island, which is known today as Caesar Creek.
Folktales also say that "pirate" Black Caesar attacked passing boats and stole their treasures. It is rumored today that some of the treasures remain hidden on Elliot Key waiting to be rediscovered.
Over the years, Islandia hasn’t changed much. The city remains incorporated but only on paper. Islandia is recognized as a city, but it is not a functioning city.
"Islandia is pretty much no more," said Michelle Oehmichen, Community Affairs and Partnership liaison for Biscayne National Park. "There is no marker to indicate it was once a city. Only well-known map companies still put it on map."
City of Islandia
- Year Incorporated: 1960
- Population in 2000: 6
- Council Meetings: Has not had one in over a year
- Elections : None held in over a decade
