Abstract
The human history of the Biscayne National Park area begins with pre-historic Indian hunting parties, who sought small game and marine animals for food. European influence dates from the early 16th century. Following initial Spanish exploration and attempts at settlement, the area's jurisdiction passed to Great Britain, and again to Spain, in 1783. The region lay along Spain's great New World trading routes.Following acquisition in the early nineteenth century, the United States mounted a concerted naval effort to rid these areas of pirates who had utilized the inlets and keys for their activities over many years. The remainder of the nineteenth century saw settlement by Bahamians and others. Primary economic activities included wrecking, turtling, sponging and farming of limes, pineapples, and tomatoes.Following a period of decline in the twentieth century, the city of Islandia was created and a number of proposals for urban development put forward in the 1960's. In 1968, however, Congress preserved the area as Biscayne National Monument, upgrading it to National Park status in 1980.Maps and appendices include: park boundaries, routes of proposed causeways, underwater shipwrecks, pertinent legislation and transcript, and image reproductions from the audiovisual production designed for the author for visitors' use at the Biscayne National Park Visitor Centers on Elliott and Adams Keys. Elliott and Adams Keys are accessible only by boat from the mainland.