Historic Photos

Audley Dean, Sr., photographed over 40 years ago by Dade Thornton. Today, Audley Dean is better known as “Shorty” and for many years has been tending bar at the historic Compleat Angler Hotel.

Taken in 1935 from Weech’s Bimini Dock, this photograph depicts Bimini’s waterfront. The building with the arches was originally rum runner Bruce Bethell’s Fountain of Youth Bar. Neville Stuart later purchased it and he eventually renamed it the Bimini Big Game Fishing Club. It has since been demolished. The peeked roof building is the government building which housed the Commissioner, Police, Immigration and Customs departments. The jail was on the bottom floor. Today, that building is the restored Bimini MUSEUM. The large building in the background to the right is the Compleat Angler Hotel. It was built in 1935.