Today we stopped at the visitor center for Pigeon Key located at the east end of the 7 mile bridge as you are leaving Marathon. We had no idea what it was but it turned out that Pigeon Key is a 5.2 acre key located 2.2 miles west along the 7 mile bridge. It was a workers camp during construction of the overseas railroad during it's construction about 1905. Henry Flagler built the rail way down the east coast of Florida from St. Augustine to Palm Beach in the late 1800's when there was nothing but swamp & wilderness. In 1900 he decided to go from Palm Beach to Key West with it. After the railroad ceased operations from lack of profitability it was converted to a two lane hi way from Miami to Key West.
We also learned that there being no fresh water in the keys the bridge spans also supported the water lines that bring water all the way to Key West. The middle picture shows the old bridge on the right and the new bridge on the left with Pigeon Key in the distance. The top picture is looking under the old bridge at Pigeon Key.
Today we stopped at the visitor center for Pigeon Key located at the east end of the 7 mile bridge as you are leaving Marathon. We had no idea what it was but it turned out that Pigeon Key is a 5.2 acre key located 2.2 miles west along the 7 mile bridge. It was a workers camp during construction of the overseas railroad during it's construction about 1905. Henry Flagler built the rail way down the east coast of Florida from St. Augustine to Palm Beach in the late 1800's when there was nothing but swamp & wilderness. In 1900 he decided to go from Palm Beach to Key West with it. After the railroad ceased operations from lack of profitability it was converted to a two lane hi way from Miami to Key West.
We also learned that there being no fresh water in the keys the bridge spans also supported the water lines that bring water all the way to Key West. The middle picture shows the old bridge on the right and the new bridge on the left with Pigeon Key in the distance. The top picture is looking under the old bridge at Pigeon Key.
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