History & Culture

Human history in the Biscayne region dates back thousands of years. Indigenous peoples, including the Tequesta, lived along the shoreline and islands, relying on fishing, shellfish, and canoe travel through shallow coastal waters. Shell middens and archaeological sites throughout the area point to long-standing relationships between people and the sea.

European exploration and settlement followed Florida’s colonization, and Biscayne Bay became an important maritime corridor. Over the centuries, storms, reefs, and shifting shoals caused dozens of shipwrecks—many of which remain preserved underwater today. As South Florida rapidly developed in the mid-20th century, concerns grew about protecting Biscayne Bay’s reefs, mangroves, and islands. In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson established Biscayne National Monument, which was later expanded and redesignated as Biscayne National Park in 1980 under President Jimmy Carter.