In 1916, Ernest Kouwen-Hoven acquired a square mile of land that stretched from the Indian River to the Atlantic Ocean with a vision to create an upscale seaside resort community. He subdivided the area into various sections that included residential plots, hotels, ferry terminals, a golf course, and a public beachfront, resulting in the birth of Indialantic-by-the-Sea.

A bridge was required to connect the area to Melbourne, and Kouwen-Hoven devised a plan to finance its construction. Between 1917 and 1921, he sold 8% bonds worth $100, with an additional offer of a 50-foot lot for an extra $20. Despite concerns that the wooden drawbridge, known as "Kouwen-Hoven's Folly," would not be completed, it opened on May 26, 1921, even amidst the difficulties of World War I, shortages, and financial difficulties. During the Florida real estate boom of the early 1920s, the bridge enabled the establishment of a stable community of homeowners in Indialantic. Over the years, the land value increased many times over its initial worth.