The Edge of "Progress" / Al Margen del "Progreso"

In the 1960s, major development plans threatened this ecosystem with tanker ships approaching an oil refinery and a causeway linking the Florida mainland to a new city on the northernmost islands of the Florida Keys, making destruction seem inevitable. A small group of thoughtful, committed, and extremely persistent individuals instead worked to protect the area for future generations, and through their efforts "progress" was halted. Their campaign led to the creation of Biscayne National Monument, the predecessor of the park, in October 1968. Lloyd Miller was a driving force behind the Safe Progress Association's efforts, and others in the fight included Philip Wylie, Carl Karman, Bill Lazarus, Jim and Polly Redford, Dave Davenport, Arthur Marshall, Joe Browder, Dante Fascell, Herbert Hoover, Jr., the Izaak Walton League, and others. In February 1968, determined developers bulldozed a road down the middle of Elliott Key, a route nicknamed "Spite Highway" that reflected the animosity between developers and conservationists at the time.

Florida · United States