Mavericks, Self-Made Millionaires and Speed Junkies

Behind every great place is one hell of a story — if you know where to look.

Here at Watson, we recently uncovered the unexpected history of the world’s most private island, an idyllic playground for generations of thrill-seekers.

Our team of archivists and historians unearthed vintage photographs, original newspaper clippings and blueprints. Together, they reveal a magical history captured in “Fisher Island,” a 242-page coffee table book published with our friends at Six Fisher Island. 

As soon as this storied swampland was lobbed off the tip of Miami by federal officials at the start of the 20th Century, a series of extraordinary Americans recognized its potential. Ownership changed not infrequently — once even traded, on a lark, for a 265-foot yacht. 

A spirited character to its residents always remained, a testament to the lives they lived before they found themselves under the spell of Fisher Island’s natural majesty. 

All of which confirmed something we at Watson know all too well — that revealing the stories behind our favorite places is just the beginning of the adventure.