European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 20, 1969, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A i we Jug Matij Baa of y Friend and confidant banker c. G. Rebozo owns House in Littfe White House compound. Apap Nixon bought this dwelling on key Biscayne and House next door As Haven from the pressures of Washington. By Ben Funk a staff writer key Biscayne is a tight litle sub Tropic Isle where for Many years people could come and get away from it All just 15 minutes by car from the Neon emblazoned heart of Miami. But now suddenly the quiet life is gone for four years at least. Because one of the men who discovered the easygoing Haven from the rat race is Richard m. Nixon. Since 1951, when he first went thereto unwind from the tensions of a Tough . Senate race in California the Island has been his favorite hideaway. And today when he takes the oath of office As the 37th president of the United states the idyllic Retreat where he sought seclusion so often in the Stormy course of an up and Dow political career will become the official Little White House of the nation. The residents of key Biscayne a 2,300-acre Paradise nestled among thousands of towering Coconut pal Trees waving in the tirade winds Are bursting with Pride because Dick Nixon is their neighbor. But they know that the languid life they loved must be sacrificed. V hordes of sightseers undoubtedly will swarm across the Rickenbacker cause Way from Miami trying to see the Nix on Home or to  glimpse of him and. His family. Already there have been complaint about traffic snarls on Crandon Boule Vard the Island s main Road which Narrows from four to two lanes As it approaches the area of the Nixon Home. Minutes after Nixon was declare president elect after a hot race with vice president Hubert h. Humphrey he was on a plane bound for key Bis Cayne. Since then he has been busily preparing the site of the Little White  has purchased the Home of a weal thy cuban exile Manuel area jr., rambling Pale Blue Structure valued at White House $127iooo which sits 200 feet from the Shore of Biscayne Bay. Next door is the Home of retiring . Sen. George Smath ers which Nixon also bought. Just beyond the Smathers Home i that of c. G. Bebe Rebozo a banker who took Nixon fishing on his first trip to the Island and since has become his confidant and Friend. A 10-foot-High hedge of Hibiscus Bush is has been planted around a compound encompassing the three houses As Barrier against sightseers. As vice president in the Eisenhower administration Nixon was a familiar figure on the Island. He went there in1960 to heal the wounds of his defeat by president John f.  took Refuge there when another bitter defeat in a race for governor of his native California appeared to have sounded the Swan song of his political career. It was there too that he mapped out the Campaign that car ried him to the presidency. Legend says Ponce do Leon came ashore in 1518 and named the Island Santa Maria. It was a hideout Forback Caesar and other buccaneers preying on the treasure ships of the Spanish main. A red Brick Lighthouse still standing on Cape Florida at the South end of the Island was erected in1825 to foil wreckers who lured ships onto the off Shore reefs and stripped them Bare. In 1902, William j. Matheson Newyork capitalist and yachtsmen Dis covered the Island bought a Large tract of land cleared a yacht Basin and planted Malayan Coconut Trees bythe thousands. Then the Florida land developers Frank Elliott and Robert Mackle built the key Biscayne hotel and Villas where Nixon stayed on his first visit. In the Island s Interior the Mackle built 1,000 Homes which were quickly snapped up by people such As airline pilots attorneys and Junior executives seeking escape from the daily  the first year they had no Tele phones. Neighbors communicated wit each other via a Community bulletin Board. The new residents built a private each club and Marina formed a Volun Teer fire department and became is Landers living in an entirely different world from that across the  Colony of artists moved in adding a bit of Greenwich Village flavor to the key. Lacking proper drainage facilities. The idyllic Retreat where he sought seclusion so often in the Stormy course of an up and Doivan political career will become the official Little White House.   the streets still Are flooded by Ever Tropic downpour. In 1964, Hurricane Betsy pushed sea water hip deep int Many of the Homes. But the residents took it in stride As a part of Island life. As wealthy visitors began to move to the Island and More hotels and apart ment houses went up the complexion of key Biscayne rapidly changed. More than $100 million Worth of hotels an luxury condominiums Are now under construction or scheduled and the Price of beachfront property has reached $3,000 a front foot and is steadily  on both ends by two of the country s great Ocean Parks Cape Flor Ida and Crandon Park the amount of building that can be done is extremely limited. The largest piece of undeveloped land remaining is a 40-acre tract owned by the Mackles in front of their key Biscayne hotel. Possibly key Biscayne May get to crowded in the future even for Nixon. If so he will be  has found another hideaway the Remote Baham Island of grand Cay inhabited Only by his Friend Industrial is Bob Abplanalp. He has been there several times and Abplanalp says it s a place where he can really let his hair  a 12 already a exons Here leaving Church Are attracting crowds on key Biscayne. The stars and stripes Marina grounds become helicopter Landing up Dawhon Nixon if at Uland Retreat monday january 20, 1969 five thousand islanders share 2,300-acre, Palm dotted hideaway. The stars and stripes pa9e 13