A Native American man has refused to sell his tiny wooden Miami house to developers for $1.8million because he believes it is on sacred ground.
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Ishmael Bermudez, 65, also known as Golden Eagle, has been excavating the backyard of his home for almost 50 years and claims it is a mystical place sacred to the Tequesta tribe.
He says he will not sell his home unless the garden, where he discovered a natural spring, is protected.
The small house, which is decorated with colorful paintings, sits incongruously in the heart of Miami's bustling city center, surrounded by high rise buildings, heavy traffic and ongoing construction projects.
Developers have driven up the value of his property to at least $1.8 million, but Mr Bermudez says he has no intention to sell unless his backyard can be protected.
Mr Bermudez claims he has found evidence of the earliest native inhabitants of the area in his garden, which sits just two blocks from busy Brickell Avenue and is surrounded by skyscrapers, bars and restaurants.
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