History of Bay Harbor Islands
The municipality of “BHI” was created in 1947 by lawyer Shepherd Broad who was intrigued by the 625 or so acres of mangrove and mud that emerged from Biscayne Bay. A visionary, he was at the origin of the construction of residential developments, detached houses, golf courses, and countless shops. The city of Bay Harbor was divided into two distinct islands: Bay Harbor’s West Island was dedicated to single-family homes while East Island was dedicated to rental apartments and luxury villas.