January 22: The first F.E.C. The exhbition is open through January 8, 2011. As you can imagine, the construction was difficult, dangerous, and very expensive. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. There is no question that if the line was still active it would be an incredible tourist attraction drawing thousands annually to Florida's popular southern beaches. The road also had a connection with the little Jacksonville & Atlantic Railway which ran due east to Pablo Beach. Some malicious[], This is an excerpt from my new book, Level Up[], Over the last couple of years Ive used LinkedIn a[]. When you visit, be sure to stop at the historic bridges that were instrumental in creating the Florida Keys you now enjoy. Henry Flagler saw the benefit of connecting Key West with the rest of the country after construction of the Panama Canal began. In turn the state rebuilt the right-of-way into a major highway, And, neither did the hope that Key West would become an important refueling stop for ships. Financial hard times curb travel on the famous Havana Special route resulting in only one daily arrival in and departure from Key West. To the author the first major step in modernizing land transportation in the Keys as we know it was the railroad. Be sure to take in the incredible sunsets while treating yourself to island . Replica of an elaborate Tiffany & Co. box, which holds a gold copy of the telegram sent to Henry Flagler to announce the completion of the Over-Sea Railroad, presented to him by railroad employees on January 22, 1912. Just type in a town or city and click on the timeline of maps at the bottom of the page! This series that I have entitled Who Built the Railroads? focuses on the laborers who built the transcontinental railroad in the United States and the Trans-Siberian Railway in Russia. Eight years, three hurricanes, thirty million dollars, and hundreds of lives lost, Flagler proved them wrong. Such an action could only be accomplished through the President by an Executive Order. The highway was rebuilt in the 1980s, and it now runs alongside some of the railway ruins,which Florida has converted into fishing piers and walking paths called the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail. Historical postcard depicting a Florida East Coast Railway train crossing Moser Channel. Despite Flagler's belief that Key West would become a major port for trade with Cuba, Latin, and South America this never materialized. "Flagler was a great man, and through the Keys everybody loved him," said Minnie Dameron, 87, of Key West, who took several trips on the Over-Sea Railroad as a young girl. The "railroad that went to sea" traveled over a large number of bridges in the 127 miles from Florida City to Key West, the longest one spanning 7 miles. The Last Train to Key West. The results were soon profound: economically, culturally, and politically. The Key West Extension was the dream and brainchild of Henry Flagler. The burgeoning population of California was growing impatient at having to wait months for mail and provisions. Begun in 1905, the Key West Extension took seven years to build, at a cost of 50 million dollars. Over the next two decades, the Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad carried thousands of passengers between Miami and Key West. The Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway remains in service and is today part of CSX's A Line. Some people even say that if you listen very closely over the sound of the waves and wind, you can hear the ghost of the Havana Special whistle as she blows for the Moser Channel swing bridge. You may want to try Googling his name. The hottest freight train on the line could be easily distinguished by the number of yellow refrigerated cars in its consist. Florida East Coast Railway - Flagler Museum the former rail bridges no longer carry vehicle traffic. Henry Morrison Flagler Museum. March: The F.E.C. April 29: The Florida state legislature grants a charter to Flaglers Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Indian River Railway Company to extend its lines on and across the Florida Keys to Key West,. The "railroad that went to sea" traveled over a large number of bridges in the 127 miles from Florida City to Key West, the longest one spanning 7 miles. Today, motorists can travel the highway in less than four hours from Miami. Some laughed, some scoffed, and most agreed that it could not . Copyright 2007-2023 American-Rails.com. If you are researching anything EMD related please visit this page first. Stepping out, he was greeted by dignitaries, citizens, schoolchildren and Key West Mayor J.N. I think that rebuilding the Railroad would be a boon to Floridas Economy. Over the next 23 years the railroad would be considered the 8th Wonder of the World. The railroad remained in operation until the Labor Day hurricane in 1935. The road, that follows a trail originally blazed in 1912 by Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railroad, stretches from Miami to Key West . However, it was built as a freight corridor and, unfortunately, Key West never materialized into the deep water port Henry Flagler had envisioned. Taken from Seven Mile Bridge this view looks southwest towards Bahia Honda Key and Key West. Railway Overseas Extension. It was then that he decided to expand his railroad from Miami through the Florida Keys. That the Jacksonville, Tampa & Key West Railway Company was incorporated in March 1878, under the general corporation act of the state, of February 1874, by the name of the Tampa, Peace Creek & St. John's River Railroad Company. However, the decision to build the railroad was made in 1905, the same year the United States began work on the Panama Canal. In December 1888, the Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway established the Indian River Steamboat Company to operate the steamboats, with Mason Young, vice-president of the railway company, servicing as president of the steamboat company. After struggling for two decades,one of the railroad In 1861, President Lincoln and Congress agreed to finance a transcontinental railroad via government bonds despite the recently commenced Civil War. In 1912, a proud Henry Flagler rode the first train into Key West This proved financially prosperous for the farmers, and allowed them to flourish. This article first appeared in the Vulcan Historical Review (2010) under the title: Transcontinental: A Comparison of Labor Sources Used in the Construction of the First Transcontinental Railroads in the United States and Russia. Railway reaches Miami, and the first passenger train arrives at the new end station at Biscayne Bay. The Sanford and Lake Eustis Railway was organized in 1886 and merged into the JT&KW on May 1, 1890. It is an excellent resource with thousands of historic maps on file throughout the country. Tense, tight, and atmospheric, Chanel Cleeton's best yet!" Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Huntress " The Last Train to Key West takes you on an incredible and emotion-charged journey . In 1861, President Lincoln and Congress agreed to finance a transcontinental railroad via government bonds despite the recently commenced Civil War. The Train That Changed the Keys Forever - Florida Keys & Key West Visitors touring "First Train to Paradise: The Railway That Went To Sea." Also that year, the rest of the system was reincorporated as the Jacksonville and St. Johns River Railway and sold to the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway (the Plant System). ", Flagler Centennial Celebration information: www.FlaglerKeys100.com Florida Keys visitor information: www.fla-keys.com or 1-800-FLA-KEYS (1-800-352-5397). Many non-Mormon laborers spent the majority of their pay on alcohol, women, and gambling, and proved unsteady workers because of their habits. August: A Havana newspaper reports service between Havana and New York City: Leave Havana, 10:30 A.M. Flagler believed having a railroad to Key West would become very profitable in the long run. All rights reserved. Many were pulled up in the 1970's and 1980's although others were removed long before that. But just over 10 years l. The Orange Ridge, DeLand and Atlantic Railroad was incorporated by Laws of Florida Chapter 3332, No. Stunning waterfront venues with the famed Florida Keys sunset as a backdrop, gorgeous garden and historic sites, professional wedding planners and vendors, and the areas famed easygoing lifestyle all combine to make the Keys a favored wedding location for countless couples. Alas, in 2013 the site closed. In August of 2004, the remaining 20 historic Railroad Bridges and the Overseas Highway were listed in the National Register of Historic Places. More about the history of the Florida East Coast, its growth, and impact on its home state can be found in the link at the top of the page. Under the direction of Flagler and his team, a series of bridges and viaducts took shape that ultimately stretched more than 100 miles out into open water. Famed as a dive paradise, Key Largo is home to the first undersea park in the U.S., noted artificial reefs, pioneering coral restoration centers and lively waterfront hotspots. A hint of a highway to the mainland was uttered in a political address by George W. Allen in 1895. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. You can help Keys Treasures keep these pages providing your favorite information. One of the great photos of the Key West Extension as what appears to be a 4-8-2 Mountain is ready to leave from the FEC's main terminal at Trumbo Island in Key West during a late afternoon in 1933. Published January 21, 2022 at 4:50 PM EST Listen 31:33 Monroe County Public Library / Originally built by Henry Flagler's railroad company, the bridges were converted to highway use after the. The Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway operated the Enterprise to Titusville line as its Indian River Branch.[1]. January 26: The first excursion train leaves Key West for Long Key carrying 123 passengers who, after a short stay there, return to Key West. All fields are required. Construction of the railroad was very high in both dollars (50 million) but, more importantly, in lives; scores died building it. right-of-way and remaining bridges to the state of Florida for $640,000. The question going around the docks was, why are so many people dying in Cuba? Three years later the Overseas Highway debuted, built on a foundation that incorporated some of the original railway spans. April 1896: The F.E.C. CSX still runs local freight on the line but all through freight trains have since been shifted to the S Line due to SunRail service. All written content, photos, and videos copyright American-Rails.com (unless otherwise noted). Part 3 picked up discussing the laborers who build Russias transcontinental railway, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Part 1 was an introduction to the immigrant workers who comprised the majority of the labor force, Part 2 addressed the forces that gave rise to the need for a Trans-Siberian Railway, How My Website Getting Hacked Helped Me Relate to Clients, Business Relationships and Courting Potential Clients, Lessons for Lawyers from The Lost Art of Closing, Quitting One Thing to Make Room for Another (Lawyerpreneurs Finale), From High-Rise Buildings to High-Stakes Thrillers with Bonnie Kistler, Mental Health among Lawyers with Suzan Hixon, Coaching Lawyers in Career Crisis with Annie Little, Let me help you get there with my new book "Level Up Your Law Practice". Florida Keys Railroad History | VISIT FLORIDA Florida Railroad History | Study.com The city declares bankruptcy and requests the state take over its responsibilities. The information presented here covers the entire fleet of diesel locomotives operated by the Milwaukee Road (Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific). The legend of the Florida East Coast was cemented when its leader, Henry Flagler, took his railroad to sea in 1905. FLORIDA KEYS Henry Morrison Flagler never lived in the Florida Keys, but he left a more lasting and valuable mark on the island chain than many lifelong residents. Digital marketing by Two Oceans Digital. In 1905, theindustrialist decided to extend the Florida East Coast Railway beyond Miami, all the way to Key West. Florida East Coast 4-8-2 #431, manufactured by American Locomotive in 1924, steams into Long Key during the Extension's final years of service. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Desktop Layout - A High End Corporate Gift. History & Background: The Overseas Railroad. These treasured landmarksremain in good condition, but even Flagler wasnt infallible. In 1883, after the death of his first wife, Flagler married again and honeymooned in St. Augustine, Fla. The 'Key West Enquirer,' the newspaper which began publication in 1834, advocates the construction of a railroad linking the Keys and the mainland and further north to Washington D.C. and New York City. The Central Pacific began its work in Sacramento, California, working its way eastward. Flatcars fitted with open cedar tanks would be filled near Florida City then brought south. Indigenous Florida Keys cuisine incorporates diverse and delicious influences with an abundant array of fish and seafood harvested from local waters. The extension was already in decline when the Labor Day Hurricane struck in 1935 and would almost certainly have been abandoned at a later date. Overall the project had cost $49 million. The round-trip fare is $2.60. The Florida Keys would not be the vacation destination they are today if it werent for the vision of Henry Flagler. The first three years of construction for the Union Pacific produced few results. Quilligrapher. There was also a local freight that covered the route when needed. With the end of prohibition, even the very popular Havana Special was running with lower numbers. The company would enter into Receivership under Mason Young, and later under Joseph H. Durkee, who executed a series of "receivers notes/certificate" which would become paramount lien on said 1.5 million acres, each certificate holder owning an undivided interest in said 1.5 million acres. Another interesting feature of these bridges was that anemometers were placed out on the bridges in open water and tied into the block signals. Atlantic Coast Lines branch to Everglades City, the Seaboards speedway between Auburndale and Coleman, as well as the Seaboard branch to Rosewood and Cedar Key. The Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail is now a multi-use trail with a rich history. Railway begins construction of the Extension from the mainland to Key West and completes the first rail section connecting Homestead to Jewfish Creek. Part 3 picked up discussing the laborers who build Russias transcontinental railway. When Henry Flagler, whose dream and money had built the railroad, rode into the city of Key West on his private car, he could not see what his endeavor had built, for he was nearly blind. The mogul, who made his millions in oil alongside John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil, had high hopes for what became known as the Key West Extension. Henry Flagler saw the benefit of connecting Key West with the rest of the country after construction of the Panama Canal began. The question became, how much longer could the railroad afford the financial drain of the Key West Extension. December 29, 1829: Former commander of the anti-pirate squadron based in Key West, Commodore David Porter, writes to the Secretary of the Navy noting Key West is to the Gulf of Mexico, etc., what Gibraltar is to the Mediterranean.. Copyright 2023 Copyright 2018 Florida Department of Environmental Protection. When the United States announced in 1905 its intention to build the Panama Canal, Flagler embarked on perhaps his greatest challenge: the extension of the Florida East Coast Railway to Key West, a city of almost 20,000 inhabitants located 128 miles beyond the end of the Florida peninsula. Built between 1905 and 1912, the Over-Sea Railroad was the most ambitious engineering feat ever undertaken by a private citizen and the final link connecting Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railroad from Jacksonville to Key West. Henry Morrison Flagler Museum. At one point a seven mile bridge needed to be constructed with a swing bridge nearly in the middle, just south of Pigeon Key at Moser Channel. It is always fun to daydream over what could have been with the Key West Extension.
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