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The richest ZIP code in the US is turning 100. Here's what the ritzy private island off the coast of Miami used to look like and what it looks like now.

Dec 17, 2019, 20:23 IST
Fisher Island Club

In the 1920s, William K. Vanderbilt II casually offered his yacht to Miami real-estate tycoon Carl Fisher in exchange for ownership of Fisher's man-made island.

Today, that island is known as the richest ZIP code in the US, according to Bloomberg, and it's celebrating its 100th birthday this month.

Fisher Island is a members-only enclave off the coast of Miami, where the average income of residents is $2.2 million and the median home value is roughly $2.7 million.

As Business Insider's Katie Warren previously reported, to become a member, you must pay a $250,000 fee and $22,256 in annual dues in addition to purchasing a multimillion-dollar condo in one of 30 luxury condominium towers.

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The 216-acre island can only be accessed by private shuttle boats, features sand imported from the Bahamas, has eight restaurants, a golf course, 18 tennis courts, two marinas, a K-8 school, and more.

Keep reading for a look at what super-exclusive Fisher Island looked like back in the day and what it looks like now.

In 1919, Miami based real-estate tycoon Carl Fisher purchased a man-made island off the coast of Miami, with plans to turn it into a seaport.

Source: Fisher Island Club

Today, that same island is a 216-acre members-only island getaway for the elite — and also the richest ZIP code in the US.

Source: Business Insider, Bloomberg

In the 1920s, a Vanderbilt traded his 250-foot yacht for the island.

Source: Fisher Island Club

He built up an estate and lived on the island during the winter months until his death in 1944.

Source: Business Insider

Business Insider's Katie Warren previously reported that Vanderbilt built a "Mediterranean-style compound" with "lush landscaping, guest homes, tennis courts, and swimming pools."

Source: Business Insider

The mansion includes a 2,250-square-foot ballroom and a 6,800-square-foot terrace ...

Source: Fisher Island Club, Business Insider

... which can now be rented out as a wedding venue.

Source: Fisher Island Club

The Vanderbilt mansion is still the focal point of the island ...

Source: Business Insider

... even though there are 30 luxury condominium buildings now.

Source: Business Insider

Those condominiums are home to 700 families, but only 30% of them remain on-island year-round.

The median home value on Fisher Island is currently $2.7 million. The average income of the island's residents is $2.2 million, making the ZIP code the richest in the country, according to Bloomberg.

To become a member, in addition to purchasing a multimillion-dollar condo, you must pay a $250,000 initial fee and $22,256 in annual dues.

A private shuttle boat or seven-minute private ferry is necessary to get to the island, which includes private beaches with sand imported from the Bahamas, eight restaurants, a golf course, a spa, 18 tennis courts, and two marinas.

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