Isle of Normandy facts for kids

The Isle of Normandy, also known as Normandy Island or Normandy Isles, is a cool neighborhood in Miami Beach, Florida. It's part of the North Beach area. You can find it right next to the beautiful Biscayne Bay.

About Normandy Isle

Where is Normandy Isle?

Normandy Isle is located at specific coordinates: 25.853 degrees north and 80.135 degrees west. This helps people find it on a map. The land here is quite low, only about 3 feet (about 1 meter) above sea level. This is important because it's so close to the water.

How Normandy Isle Was Made

Normandy Isle wasn't always a dry, developed neighborhood. It used to be a swampy area called Warner-Meade Island. In 1922, a man named Henri Levi moved to Miami Beach. He had built many movie theaters before.

In 1926, Henri Levi started a huge project. For two years, 24 hours a day, he used machines to dig up sand and dirt from the bottom of the bay. This process is called dredging. He used this material to build up the swampy land. This is how Normandy Isle was created! Henri Levi also helped build the 79th Street Causeway, which is a road that connects the island to other areas.

Street Names

Many streets on Normandy Isle have names that remind you of France. This is because Henri Levi, who created the island, was from a region in France called Alsace. He named the streets after famous French cities and buildings.

East-West Streets

• Bay Drive
• Biarritz Drive
• Biarritz Court
• 71st Street (This was once called Everglades Concourse)
• Maimonides Street
• Everglades Court (This is a small alley)
• Normandy Drive
• Normandy Court
• Marseille Drive
• Calais Drive

North-South Streets

• Brest Esplanade
• Rue Vendome
• Vendome Court
• Rue Versailles
• Versailles Court
• Vichy Drive
• Rue Notre Dame
• Rue Bordeaux
• Trouville Esplanade
• Rue Granville
• Verdun Drive

Education

Students living on Normandy Isle go to schools run by Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

• Treasure Island Elementary School, located in North Bay Village, serves the younger students.
• Miami Beach Nautilus Middle School is for middle school students.
• Miami Beach Senior High School is where older students attend high school.

Famous People From Normandy Isle

Some interesting people have lived in Normandy Isle:

• Joan Field: A talented concert violinist.
• Roy Firestone: A well-known sportscaster and entertainer.
• David M. Gersten: A judge who worked in the appeals court.
• Bob Mover: A jazz saxophonist.
• Clifford S. Perlman: A person who owned many restaurants.
• Daniel Schechter: A psychiatrist and author.