Montauk Pioneer - July 4, 2008

Columbus bravely sailing to a new land. George Washington leading an army to defeat the British. Abraham Lincoln uniting our country and abolishing slavery. We all remember the greatest of our forefathers and the impact they have had on what our country is today. Without their ability to see hope amid the impossible or envision freedom in oppression, we would not enjoy the choices and opportunities we have today. But, do we remember the lesser known forefathers, those individuals whose vision and determination helped create towns and cities across America? Do we here in Montauk recall the man who made our little village the place we love today?

On Jan. 12, 1874, in Greensburg, Indiana, a pioneer was born. Carl Fisher came from a home filled with poverty and alcoholism. He himself suffered from severe , making it very difficult for him to function effectively in school, giving him terrible headaches and blurry vision. After his father left the family, at age 12 Fisher quit school to help provide for his family. His genius became evident early on when he used downhill sled races as a way to advertise for the dry goods store where he was employed. Carl held many jobs over the next few years but bicycles became his passion. He began racing bicycles competitively and made quite a name for himself when he apparently decided more money was to be made selling than racing. At the young age of 17, Fisher opened his own bike shop. After a few years, his shop did well enough he was able to turn his bike shop into an automobile showroom and began selling cars instead.

Among many of the difficulties faced in the early days of automobile production, was the problem of poorly functioning headlights. A gentleman named Percy Avery believed he had the solution to this dilemma. Using a compressed gas cylinder containing acetylene gas and an arc lamp, Percy created a headlight that produced a brighter, more effective beam than previously existed at that time. There was one major drawback; it was highly flammable, causing other manufacturers to shy away from it. Carl Fisher, always the risk taker, put up the money to manufacture Percy's invention and the Prest-O-Light was born. Soon this type of headlamp became standard issue on cars across the nation; leaving Fisher with the tidy sum of $6,000,000.

In 1906, Fisher developed a plan for the largest problem automobile manufacturers were facing in the development of new cars. Due to the state of public roads, cars were unable to reach their potential speeds. Fisher proposed building a facility of long straightways and sweeping curves to be used for testing and occasional pit races between car manufacturers. On Aug. 19, 1909, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway held its first race, a five mile event that ended in disaster. The loose rock surface of the track fell apart and led to several crashes, fires, and injuries ending in the deaths of two drivers, two mechanics, and two spectators. The race was halted before it was half over. Ever the problem solver, Fisher did not give up and instead convinced his partners to use paving bricks to resurface the track, leading to the famous nickname "the brickyard," which persists even today. After the disastrous end of the initial race; Carl knew that it would take something BIG to revive his newest dream. On May 30, 1911, with 80,000 spectators in attendance, the first 500 mile race was held and the Indianapolis 500 was born!

Always the visionary, Fisher could see the impact cars were having on Americans. He dreamed of a highway that stretched across America and he became instrumental in the planning, development, and construction of the Lincoln Highway which ran from New York to San Francisco. He was also involved in the development of the Dixie Highway; leading from Michigan to Southern Florida. Carl Fisher was not a man who could sit still for very long however and once he saw the fruition of his highway system, he was dreaming again. This time his ambition led him to the state of Florida.

Vacationing in Florida, Fisher noticed the unpopulated island parallel to Miami. It was connected to the mainland with a barely functioning wooden bridge and consisted of mangrove swamp and beach. Fisher singlehandedly created one of the most stylish resorts in America, naming it Miami Beach. He drained the swamps, pumped in more sand from the ocean, built roads, hotels, magnificent homes, shops, golf courses; creating a playground for the rich! Scarcely 8 years after selling Prest-O-Light, Fisher was worth over $50,000,000.

Again, Fisher was not a man to rest and his ambition turned him toward the north; to Montauk. As an avid sportsman and athlete, he saw in Montauk the "Miami beach of the north." He is known for saying, "Miami in the winter, Montauk in the summer." Montauk was nearly 3 times the size of Miami Beach and almost completely undeveloped at the time. He purchased 10,000 acres of gorgeous Long Island and immediately started work turning it into a recreational paradise. Fisher figured his resort needed yachting, fishing, golfing, shooting, tennis, polo and swimming to occupy the entertainment obsessed wealthy. It is rumored he planned the entire development in a single day while sitting on his personal yacht resting in Fort Pond Bay. Within weeks of purchase, Fisher had crews working round the clock installing power, clearing roads, and creating the infrastructure for a large scale modern village.

On June 1, 1927, Montauk Manor (the most luxurious hotel on Long Island at the time) opened and it's 178 guest rooms began filling with summer vacationers. Tourists were given many options to choose from and could be found enjoying the oceanfront bathing pavilion, complete with outdoor pool and 1600 ft of beachfront boardwalk located on today's Surf Club. He constructed the Montauk Downs golf course and polo playing fields with paddocks, stables, and herds of ponies where Deep Hollow Ranch now resides. Everyone loves tennis, right? Well, Fisher made sure a person could play rain or shine with 12 outdoor tennis courts and 6 indoor courts with seating for 6,000 spectators at the current Montauk Playhouse location. Fisher established his headquarters in a suite atop his six story Montauk Improvement Building, the tallest building on Long Island at the time.

Possibly Fisher's greatest achievement in Montauk came when he turned his attention to Lake Montauk. Originally a land locked, freshwater lake it was useless to Fisher as it was. He needed deep water, capable of docking the large yachts of his patrons. The only available anchorage at the time was Fort Pond Bay but it was too shallow and unprotected from the often violent storms and high tides. So, he did the only logical thing - he blasted Montauk Lake open, connecting it to the open sea and dredged about half of the lake to a depth suitable for his Montauk Yacht Club. Montauk was on its way to becoming a world renowned resort area.

Fisher had planned for everything, everything except weather and The Great Depression. In September of 1927 a hurricane hit Miami Beach, crippling the tourist season for the year. The next month the stock market crashed and Fisher's empire began to crumble. By 1932 he had lost almost everything and was forced to declare bankruptcy. Three years later he declared personal bankruptcy and when he died in 1939 he was worth a little over 50,000. He died thinking he was failure, a sad way to leave this life. Those of us who enjoy the beauty and wonders of Montauk know he was not a failure but one of the heroes of this quaint community. Without the vision of a remarkable man, Montauk would not be the place we love today. Although most of his buildings fell into disrepair, over the years these landmarks were rescued and renovated. Montauk Manor and his improvement building are now striking condominiums. The Yacht Club has been restored and brought back to life. His indoor tennis courts are now Montauk Playhouse. Across the furthest tip of Long Island, Fisher's dream is still apparent today. May we always remember the man, his dream, and the accomplishments that created our modern Montauk!