Bimini: History
The first inhabitants on the island were the Lucayans, and the name Bimini means "two islands" or "the twins" in the Lucayan language.
Bimini is home to several landmarks said to contain mystical properties of obscure origins. Much of the historical data about these places is speculative in nature, and experts in various fields have opined across the full spectrum of explanation. The most contentious of these sites is Bimini Road.
During the period of Prohibition in the United States, Bimini was a favorite haven and supply point for the rum-running trade. Some claim that the term "the real McCoy" was applied to the rum provided by William McCoy, who used Bimini to transport whiskey to the U.S. during Prohibition, although the phrase pre-dates the Prohibition Era, first recorded in the U.S. in 1908 – and the phrase is the subject of numerous fanciful folk etymologies.
Chalk's International Airlines operated seaplane flights between Miami Harbor and the Bahamas from 1917, so the company was an island institution for generations. As goods on the island were expensive because of shipping costs, many locals used Chalk's flights to buy cheaper goods in Florida and take the goods to Bimini.
A seaplane operated by Miami Airways ditched into the sea off the coast of Bimini on March 22, 1922. All five passengers subsequently drowned. A Grumman Turbo Mallard of Flight 101 was en route to Bimini when it crashed on December 19, 2005, killing all 18 passengers and two crew; at least 11 of the passengers were Bimini residents.
On January 13, 2006, one of the more famous establishments in Bimini, the Compleat Angler Hotel, was destroyed by fire. The bar is remembered for the photographs and memorabilia of Ernest Hemingway that lined its walls and were lost in the fire, which also took the life of owner Julian Brown.
The final scene of the 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs was shot in Alice Town.
Juan Ponce de León and his search for the Fountain of Youth included references to Bimini ("Beniny"). The Lucayans spoke of a land called Beimini where the fountain could be found. Although the location was erroneously associated with the Bahamas, the Natives referred to a location in the Gulf of Honduras. Although de León's expedition brought him to Florida, the fountain was rumored to exist within the shallow pools of South Bimini. Today there is a small freshwater well with a plaque commemorating the Fountain of Youth, on the road leading to the South Bimini Airport.
Found within the brackish mangrove swamp that covers 6 kilometres (3+1⁄2 mi) of the shoreline of North Bimini is The Healing Hole, a pool that lies at the end of a network of winding tunnels. During outgoing tides, these channels pump cool, mineral-laden fresh water into the pool. Because this well was carved out of the limestone rock by ground water thousands of years ago, it is especially high in calcium and magnesium.