The Florida Keys are famous for their celebrations. This month, the Keys are going all out to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the "railroad that went to sea."
On Jan. 22, 1912, the first train on the Florida East Coast Railroad Key West Extension chugged into Key West. On board was Henry Flagler, the man whose vision, fortune (he was co-founder of Standard Oil with John D. Rockefeller) and fortitude combined to accomplish an amazing undertaking. Building the railroad over 100 miles of open ocean from the Florida mainland to Key West on a route connecting 42 islands with bridges was an engineering feat.
The railroad operated only 23 years, until a sizable portion of tracks was obliterated by the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane, but its short life had an enormous influence on Key West and the Florida Keys. The railroad opened up new trade, increased population, brought visitors and made travel more accessible, faster and less expensive. One could ride the train all the way from Key West to New York City for only $70.
Many events lead up to the 100th anniversary of Flagler's arrival in the Southernmost City.
WPBT2 will premier a PBS documentary: "Flagler's Train: The Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad" at 8 p.m. Thursday.
The Custom House Museum in Key West opened its Flagler exhibit a year ago, featuring among its memorabilia and relics a replica of a railroad car with a window revealing sights captured by film in the early years.
The Key Largo Chamber of Commerce has an exhibit of objects on loan from the Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Miami. On Sunday, a free ferry will carry celebrants to Pigeon Key, the small island that was a staging area for the original Seven Mile Bridge, for tours of the railroad buildings, historic re-enactments, games and 1912 food. An antique car show will be the same day on Knights Key by the Pigeon Key Visitor Center.
Also on Sunday, admission is free to Crane Point Hammock, a 64-acre tropical hammock in Marathon, with walking trails, tours by trolley and Flagler-era entertainment.
On Jan. 18, the History of Diving Museum in Islamorada will present a program on Flagler's contribution to making South Florida a desirable place to live and visit.
On Jan. 21, the Keys Community Concert Band will play Flagler era and railroad music at Founders Park in Islamorada.
On the eve of the 100th Anniversary, there also will be a gala costume ball at the Casa Marina, the Flagler hotel built after his death so visitors would have a nice place to stay.
This sold-out event is sponsored by Friends of Old Seven.
On the anniversary day, Jan. 22, many events will include a grand celebration parade starting at Higgs Beach and ending at the Custom House Museum, with "Henry Flagler" and welcoming dignitaries addressing the crowd from the porch. The museum will be open with its expanded exhibit on Flagler.
Bicyclists will circle the island that morning before joining in the parade. Kayakers will leave Key Largo a few days before to arrive in Key West in time to join in the procession, and Marathon Community Theater will present a one-man show on the life of Flagler.
More events are scheduled for later in the month. On Jan. 26 at Bahia Honda State Park, railroad passengers will tell what the trip was like from a caboose stage. On Jan. 23, Friends of the Key West Library will present Seth Bramson, company historian for the Florida East Coast Railroad, reviewing his latest book on the railroad. And on March 13, a 100-mile kayak trip from Key Largo to Key West will commemorate the anniversary.
The Flagler 100th Anniversary Celebration is a wonderful time to learn more about Keys history and to have a good time. Find more on the anniversary at www.FlaglerKeys100.com.
-- The Citizen
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