 The Stonehenge of Miami, known as Miami Circle, is a strange, significant archaeological find of tremendous age, measuring 38 feet and cut into the limestone bedrock on a coastal spit of land surrounded by a large number of other minor holes. It is the only known evidence of a prehistoric permanent structure in the eastern United States, and considerably predates other known permanent settlements on the east coast. The developer Bauman, keen to continue construction of his condominium, offered to pay to relocate the circle to another site for preservation, an idea that Mayor Joe Corollo supported, but public opposition grew, with groups ranging from archaeologists and Native Americans to newagers and schoolchildren protesting that the removal could potentially destroy one of the most archaeological significant finds in North America. The Elizabeth Orway Dunn Foundation made a donation of $25,000 to fund further exploration of the site, which continued until February 1999. Following issuance of building permits by the City of Miami during the last week of January 1999, the Dade Heritage Trust, Miami Dade County's largest historical preservation organization, filed a lawsuit on January 31, 1999, seeking an injunction against further construction on the site. Trust pro bono attorney Gary Held, who filed the suit, arranged for an emergency hearing at the home of circuit court judge Thomas Wilson. The basis for the lawsuit was that the developer had not obtained required approval in the form of a certificate of appropriateness from the City of Miami's Historic and Environmental Preservation Board. At the hearing, the developer and the city were represented by counsel. Following arguments and Dade Heritage Trust's admission that it was not prepared to post a bond to support the injunction request, the judge denied the motion for temporary injunction. But Bauman agreed to postpone construction on the site for 30 days while the archaeologists finished their work. Meanwhile, a plan to move the circle was proposed. Joshua Billig, stone mason of rocker stone and supply, was to carry out the relocation. He quit on February 14, 1999, having become convinced the circle should not be moved. Following the 30-day delay in construction, which Bauman agreed to, County Mayor for Miami Dade Alex Pinellis and others interested in saving the circle asked the county commission to file a lawsuit to take ownership of the property. The commission approved such action on the 18th of February, and Judge Richard Fedder ordered a temporary injunction against building on the site. Bauman agreed to sell, but asked for $50 million, a price which he eventually lowered to $26.7 million. Bauman made a profit of $18.2 million minus the costs. In an unprecedented move, the state of Florida Preservation 2000 land acquisition program purchased the site from Bauman for that sum in November 1999. The Brickle Point site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 5, 2002. It is a site, and indeed controversy, which we found highly compelling.