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Caesar’s Rock

Caesar Rock is a small island north of the Upper Keys in Biscayne National Park. It is in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It is located in southern Biscayne Bay, just north of Old Rhodes Key and Totten Key, just south-east off the southern tip of Elliott Key, and due south of Adams Key (about 5 miles). It is in the middle of Caesar Creek, the creek that separates Elliott and Old Rhodes Keys.

The Island is named after the notorious 18th century African Pirate Black Caesar. According to ‘The Commodore’s Story’ written in 1930, it was reputed to be the dwelling place and shipyard of the Pirate. Black Caesar supposedly also served on Queen Anne’s Revenge, Blackbeard’s (Edward Teach or Edward Thatch) flagship. He was one of the surviving members following Blackbeard’s death during a battle in 1718.

Black Caesar was rumoured to have had a harem on his island, having at least 100 women seized from passing ships, as well as a prison camp which he kept prisoners in stone huts hoping to ransom them.

During the battle on 1718 Teach and several of his crew were killed by a small force of sailors led by Lieutenant Robert Maynard. Maynard’s sailors were able to restrain Black Caesar. Taken prisoner by Virginian colonial authorities, he was convicted of piracy and hanged in Williamsburg, Virginia.

According to historians, his name was either Henri Caesar or Caesar LeGrand and depending on whom you ask; he was originally from Haiti or Dominica.

Whatever the truth may be, it is a matter of the fact that a natural inlet named Black Caesar`s Creek showed up on a British map in the mid-1700s. Located just south of Elliott Key in Biscayne National Park, the inlet is today known as Caesar Creek. In the middle of the creek is a small island called Black Caesar`s Rock. Dozens of pleasure boats motor past it each day, safe now from the pirate craft that once terrorised shipping in nearby waters.

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