The Road Through the Key's

The Road Through the Key's

Bahia Honda Key State Park, Florida

The railroad bridge in the background was originally built by Henry Flagler ( John D. Rockefeller partner ) as part of the Overseas Railroad which was completed in 1912. Orginally the railroad or boat was the only way to travel through the Keys. It was converted for highway use in 1938 after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935.
After the United States announced in 1905 the construction of the Panama Canal, Flagler became particularly interested in linking Key West to the mainland. Key West, the United States' closest deep-water port to the Canal, could not only take advantage of Cuban and Latin America trade, but the opening of the Canal would allow significant trade possibilities with the west.
Initially called "Flagler's Folly", the construction of the oversea railroad required many engineering innovations as well as vast amounts of labor and monetary resources. At one time during construction, four thousand men were employed. Construction took 7 years