Carl G. Fisher
(1874-1939)
Died aged c. 65
Wikidata WikipediaCarl Graham Fisher (January 12, 1874 – July 15, 1939) was an American entrepreneur. He was an important figure in the automotive industry, in highway construction, and in real estate development. In his early life in Indiana, despite family financial strains and a disability, he became a bicycle enthusiast and opened a modest bicycle shop with a brother. He became involved in bicycle racing, as well as many activities related to the emerging American auto industry. In 1904, Carl Fisher and his friend James A. Allison bought an interest in the U.S. patent to manufacture acetylene headlights, a precursor to electric models which became common about ten years later. Soon Fisher's firm supplied nearly every headlamp used on automobiles in the United States as manufacturing plants were built all over the country to supply the demand. The headlight patent made him rich as an automotive parts supplier when he and Allison sold their company, Prest-O-Lite, to Union Carbide in 1913 for $9 million (equivalent of approximately $250 million in 2021). Fisher operated in Indianapolis what is believed to be the first automobile dealership in the United States, and also worked at developing an automobile racetrack locally. After being injured in stunts himself, and following a safety debacle at the new Indianapolis Motor Speedway, of which he was a principal, he helped develop paved racetracks and public roadways. Improvements he implemented at the speedway led to its nickname, "The Brickyard." In 1912, Fisher conceived and helped develop the Lincoln Highway, the first road for the automobile across the entire United States of America. A convoy trip a few years later by the U.S. Army along Fisher's Lincoln Highway was a major influence upon then Lt. Col. Dwight D. Eisenhower years later in championing the Interstate Highway System during his presidency in the 1950s. Following on the success of his east-west Lincoln Highway, Fisher initiated efforts on the north-south Dixie Highway in 1914, which led from Michigan to Miami. Under his leadership, the initial portion was completed within a single year, and he led an automobile caravan to Florida from Indiana. At the south end of the Dixie Highway in Miami, Florida, Fisher saw another opportunity. Fisher, with the assistance of his partners John Graham McKay and Thomas Walkling, became involved in the real estate development of a largely unpopulated barrier island near Miami. They invested in land and dredging, promoted deed restriction, and provided much needed working capital to the earlier Lummus and Collins family pioneers to develop Miami Beach. For example, Fisher funded completion on the first bridge to link Miami to Miami Beach. The new Collins Bridge crossed Biscayne Bay directly at the terminus of the Dixie Highway. Cars were charged a toll to cross. Fisher knew a good opportunity when he saw it. Fisher is one of the best known promoters of the Florida land boom of the 1920s, which inculcated racial deed restrictions into Florida culture for decades. Prior to the hurricane in September 1926, he was worth an estimated $50-100 million depending on the source. This unforeseen storm reduced Miami Beach to rubble. Fisher's financial endeavors never fully recovered. His next major project, Montauk, was envisioned as the "Miami Beach of the north." It was to be located at on the eastern tip of Long Island, New York. It was cut short by Fisher's losses in the Florida land boom bust, the Great Depression of 1929, his divorce and alcoholism. When his fortune was lost, he found himself living in a small cottage in Miami Beach, doing minor work for old friends. He took on one more project, the Caribbean Club on Key Largo, intended as a "poor man's retreat.". He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 1971. Just south of Miami Beach, Fisher Island is named for him and is one of the wealthiest and most exclusive residential areas in the United States. It is built on a parcel that is a combination of "the old Vanderbilt estate" bought from Fisher and a municipal trash dump.
DbPedia
Commemorated on 3 plaques
Carl Graham Fisher [full inscription unknown]
Van Dyke Building, 1641 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL, United States where they was
ALFREDO GONZALEZ, SR. (1935-2016) Since the onset, Hispanics have contributed to the rich cultural fabric that makes Miami Beach a great community and destination. It was in this tropical paradise that Alfredo Gonzalez, Sr. set roots in the city of Miami Beach opening and operating a family run Cuban restaurant which became a staple for locals and popular amongst tourists. This was the beginning of the success story of this family man, business owner, and caring citizen that exemplifies the experiences of the Hispanics who have made Miami Beach their home. In 1961, Alfredo exiled to the United States from Cuba, similar to his father before him who emigrated from Spain to Cuba a half century earlier. With a great desire to be part of the American Dream, Alfredo assimilated to American culture, learned a new language, and worked several jobs to provide for his wife Maria, his mother-in-law, and three sons, Alfredo, Alejandro and Adrian. With modest savings and with the support of his family, Alfredo realized his dream in Miami Beach of serving the cuisine of his native Cuba, with his first Cuban restaurant, Three Boys Luncheonette, located in North Beach. A couple of years later, the dream continued with David's Café which Alfredo operated for over 37 years on Collins Avenue, in the heart of South Beach. With much dedication, Alfredo expanded his business presence to Washington Avenue and almost 20 years at David's Café II on Lincoln Road. In keeping with the values inherited from his family, Alfredo's business success afforded him the opportunity to give back to the community and actively supported all three Catholic churches in Miami Beach. Alfredo became known as a champion of Miami Beach's aging elderly population seeking opportunities to improve their quality of life. Through their example of entrepreneurship, faith, and service, Alfredo and Maria instilled in their children and the community around them the importance of charity. The challenges and heartache endured by Alfredo while escaping the political chaos in Cuba allowed him to appreciate responsible civic participation. Indeed, Alfredo developed a passion for Miami Beach's politics, diversity, natural beauty, and historic character and endeavored to restore several historic properties, including the buildings located at 1058 Collins Avenue, a 1926 gas station, and a bungalow built by Carl Fisher in 1914. In appreciation for the contributions and legacy of this great citizen be it resolved that on September 12, 2018 the City of Miami Beach Mayor and Commission, by recommendation of the Hispanic Affairs Committee, dedicate this marker in honor of Alfredo Gonzalez, Sr.
1058 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL, United States where they was
Lincoln Road Mall Carl Fisher conceived of Lincoln Road as a Main Street for Miami Beach, and its construction began in 1914. It was promoted as the "Fifth Avenue of the South," and flourished as a prominent shopping destination. By the late 1950s, however, Lincoln Road suffered from traffic congestion and increased competition. In a bold move to save their businesses, property owners contacted Morris Lapidus, architect of the Fontainebleau and Eden Roc hotels, to develop a new plan for the road. In an article published in 1960, Lapidus described his vision for Lincoln Road: "It will not just be a place of shopping. It will be a promenade where people can walk and see beautiful flowers and foliage, in addition to what they see in the store windows." Completed and opened to the public in December 1960, the project was organized around a black and white "piano key-like" paved central spine interspersed with architectural follies, planting beds, and water features. The Lincoln Road Mall is regarded as one of the first instances in the United States where a major thoroughfare was closed to traffic and pedestrianized. It is the oldest pedestrian mall in Florida, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. F-1097 A FLORIDA HERITAGE SITE SPONSORED BY THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE 2020
410 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL, United States where they was