Star Island (Florida)

Star Island is a oval-shaped artificial island in Biscayne Bay, USA, between Miami and the island of Miami Beach, Florida and south of the Venetian Islands. It lies within the city limits of Miami Beach just east of Palm and Hibiscus islands. It was created by Carl Fisher, co-founder of Miami Beach, and completed in 1922 by the Army Corps of Engineers by dredging sand. It is connected to the MacArthur Causeway and the rest of Miami Beach by Bridge Road. There are 35 home sites on the island. [cite web|url=http://www.ingmiamimarathon.com/Upload/documents/Mile%20by%20Mile%20Tour%20Compressd%20w%20photos.pdf|title=Miami Marathon Mile by Mile Tour (Star Island is on Mile 2)]

Though it is a public neighborhood, like many of the wealthier neighborhoods in the greater Miami area Star Island has a guard house at its entrance, giving it the illusion of being an exclusive, private area. However, anyone can enter after stopping at the gate. The island has been the home of many celebrities since its creation, including Shaquille O'Neal, Will Smith, Gloria Estefan [cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/2005/10/06/cx_sc_1007homeslide_9.html|title=Forbes - The Ten Most Expensive Homes in the U.S. - 2005] , Rosie O'Donnell, Madonna, and Sylvester Stallone. In a 1979 trial, prosecutors alleged that members of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church based a marijuana smuggling ring on the island, in the house now owned by O'Donnell. [cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/News/9905/04/showbuzz/|title=CNN - Showbuzz - May 4, 1999] Some scenes in the 1994 movie The Specialist were filmed here.

Education

Students from Star Island are served by the following schools of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools:
* [http://southpointe.schoolwires.com/southpointe/site/default.asp South Pointe Elementary School]
* Nautilus Middle School
* Miami Beach High School

References

External links

* [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=star+island+miami+fl&ie=UTF8&z=16&ll=25.777305,-80.150156&spn=0.009371,0.017295&t=k&om=1 Google Map of Star Island]