By 1894, Flagler's railroad system reached what is today known as West Palm Beach. Flagler constructed the Royal Poinciana Hotel and The Breakers Hotel, both in Palm Beach, along with Whitehall, his private 55-room, 60,000 square foot winter home. But recurrent freezes convinced him to extend the railroad further south.
By 1896, his railroad reached Biscayne Bay, the largest and most accessible harbor on Florida's east coast. Flagler dredged a channel, built streets, instituted the first water and power systems, and financed the town's first newspaper. When the town incorporated in 1896, its citizens wanted to honor the man responsible for the city's development by naming it, "Flagler." He declined the honor, persuading them to keep the city's old Indian name, "Miami."
Flagler decided to extend the railway to Key West, a city of almost 20,000 inhabitants located 128 miles beyond the end of the Florida peninsula to take advantage of Cuban and Latin America trade and also because the opening of the Panama Canal would allow significant trade possibilities with the west.
The construction of the overseas railway required many engineering innovations as well as vast amounts of labor and monetary resources. At one time during construction, four thousand men were employed. During the seven year construction, five hurricanes threatened to halt the project. Despite the hardships, the final link of the Florida East Cost Railway was completed in 1912, the year before Flagler's death.
In 1935 a hurricane with 17 foot storm surge destroyed most of the railway and killed over 420 people, mostly war veterans and their families who were hired to build the railroad.
In 1938. the railroad bridge and overland railroad was widened to accommodate automobile traffic. In 1982 a new wider bridge carried the traffic load while the old historic bridge became a hike and bike trail and fishing bridge.
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment