A boat was the only mode of travel from miami to key west until oil tycoon henry flagler completed his railroad line in 1912. The name flagler has become part of the florida landscape from st. Despite the hardships, the final link of the oversea railroad was completed in 1912 and the first official train to reach key west included henry flagler s private railcar no. He could have been as rich and as famous as john d. Blades, executive director of the henry morrison flagler museum. Arguably its greatest legacy was the development of florida s atlantic coastline. Last train to paradise is a nonfiction account of the construction of the railroad connecting key west to the florida mainland, a project headed by henry flagler. Henry flagler and the spectacular rise and fall of the railroad that crossed. Building a railroad over 150 miles of water under the harshest of. Before the railroad came, there were two ways to get to st. Flaglers railroad, a brief history 1904 flagler decides to build the oversea railroad, but no official announcement is made. Henry flagler was a native new yorker and he was born in 1830. He met all the great challenges he set for himself. Henry flagler and the spectacular rise and fall of the r.
Watch overseas highway full episode modern marvels history. Flagler has a rich history dating back to 1892, when real estate and rail pioneer henry flagler first established our predecessor company. It is a wellresearched and documented history of an exciting time in the exploration and development of florida that reads like a novel. Over a hundred years ago, the first train to cross the overseas railroad, technically known as the key west extension of henry flagler s florida east coast railway, chugged into key west. The flagler museum store offers a variety of specialty products, many developed exclusively for the flagler museum, all designed to evoke the romance and grandeur of the gilded age, as epitomized by whitehall, a national historic landmark. It is home to six miles of uncrowded beaches, many great fishing spots including the flagler beach municipal pier. He was also a key figure in the development of the atlantic coast of florida and founder of what became the florida east coast railway.
Henry flagler and the spectacular rise and fall of the railroad that crossed an ocean. Conners highway rivals impact of flagler s railway. Instead, henry flagler chose to spend the last 30 years of his life building a railroad line in florida and establishing floridas tourist industry. A good ideato have a novelist tell the story of henry morrison flagler, the 19th century mogul credited with developing florida as a vacation. The book contains great detail about flagler s impact on st augustine and florida s east coast, including the building of his great hotels and the florida east coast railroad. How slave labor built the state of florida decades after.
An engaging illustrated narrative, accompanied by rich historic photographs, recounts florida s railway past from inception to modern times. It was then that he decided to expand his railroad from miami through the florida keys. Bramson reveals how the key west extension of the flagler owned fec became the greatest railroad engineering and construction feat in u. Key west history jan 18, 1912 the filming of flaglers. And, henry flagler, builder of florida provides a wonderful account of just how he did it. Instead, henry flagler chose to spend the last 30 years of his life building a railroad line in florida and establishing florida s tourist industry. The last train to paradise is a really good history book about henry flagler, who played a huge role in the development of modern day florida. Palm beach, maralago, and the rise of americas xanadu.
The rise and fall of real estate in south florida florida time archive. The story behind florida s abandoned overseas railroad will boggle your mind if you live in florida, youre probably familiar with some of oil tycoon henry m. Back in the early 1900s, florida was a popular winter destination for the upper crust, and some of the florida s most extravagant works of architecture were. Work on the line started in 1905 and it operated from 1912 to 1935, when it was partially destroyed by the labor day hurricane. On december 1885, flagler bought controlling stock in the jacksonville, st. Flagler and a party of 7 men inspecting the work on the railroad on stock island on february 8, 1906.
Last train to paradise by les standiford is the true story of henry flagler and his great railroad adventure. An exciting biography about the man who changed florida s east coast with his hotels and his florida east coast railway. Get caught up on the stories youve missed while tuttles land was free to flagler. Augustine so i knew some of the history about henry flagler but found this to be very interesting and learned so much more. The story behind the abandoned florida overseas railroad. Augustine, and, as one traveller observed, whichever way you chose you would be sorry you hadnt taken the other. The book goes on to document the hurricane of 1935, that destroyed the florida keys part of that railroad. Henry flagler page one florida keys history museum. He developed dozens of resorts along florida s east coast and his florida east coast railway system to transport visitors. Flagler made a significant contribution to florida s economy through tourism and agriculture. The history of american oil refining begins with henry morrison flagler, and. The greatest railroad story ever told flaglers legacy. The author provides vivid descriptions of the people who populated flagler s world. Explore the history of the transfer of the panama canal from the united states to panama.
Last train to paradise is novelist les standifords fastpaced and gripping true account of the extraordinary construction and spectacular demise of the key west railroad one of the greatest engineering feats ever undertaken, destroyed in one fell swoop by the strongest storm ever to hit u. Journal of the historical association of southern florida 1995. The flagler museum in palm beach, housed in flagler s gilded age mansion, whitehall, prominently displays in its gift shop a popular history about the construction of the florida east coast. During that time, surveyors and engineers work to provide flagler with data and information. There have been many books written over the years which cover, in some aspect, the florida east coast. They shook their heads no, and their no proved to be a turning point in flagler s life and florida s history flagler needed appropriate transportation facilities. Flagler beach is a city in flagler and volusia counties in the u. With the completion of the oversea railroad the entire east coast of florida, from jacksonville to key west, was linked by a single railroad system. Les can write about history and make it readable, said john blades, the flagler. A onehour documentary that tells the story of how standard oil magnate henry flagler came to florida in the late 1800s, built a railroad and hotel empire on the last american frontier, and. The corridor was never used as a road, however, and the railroad was eventually abandoned in the fifties. In 1912 henry flagler arrived aboard the first train into key west, marking the completion of the florida east coast fec railway s oversea railroad to key west.
The history came alive as i was transported back to a time when there was no disney world, miami night life or even a railroad that could take you past jacksonville. In 1902, henry flagler made the decision to extend the florida east coast railway to the nearest deepwater american port. The dream of one man changed the isolation of the florida keys for all time. Its full of interesting facts about florida history that go far beyond the railroad. He is americas single mostpublished florida history book author, with sixteen of his twentytwo books dealing.
Henry morrison flagler was already a millionaire when he first visited florida in 1878. Henry morrison flagler january 2, 1830 may 20, 19 was an american industrialist and a founder of standard oil, first based in ohio. He came back and built railroads along the east coast so that others could more easily come. He is known as the father of miami and palm beach, florida.
Believing that one day the canal would be built, he worked through the florida legislature as early as 1891 to keep his options open for building a railroad to key west. The florida keys would not be the vacation destination they are today if it werent for the vision of henry flagler. The flagler trail is located along an abandoned railroad known as the okeechobee branch of the florida east coast railway that later came to be known as state road. The overseas railroad also known as florida overseas railroad, the overseas extension, and flagler s folly was an extension of the florida east coast railway to key west, a city located 128 miles 206 km beyond the end of the florida peninsula. Many may not realize that it was flagler who was the driving force behind standard. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the greatest railroad story ever told. You could go by sea, but it was an eight hour voyage from jacksonville, sometimes pretty rough, and there was a dangerous bar to negotiate at the entrance to the harbor.
Henry flagler saw the benefit of connecting key west with the rest of the country after construction of the panama canal began. Henry flagler and the spectacular rise and fall of the railroad that crossed an ocean by les stan. Les standifords new book palm beach, maralago and the rise of. Flickrflorida keyspublic libraries flagler is second from the right on his left is william d. The struggle of traveling before the railroad came to st. From 1905 to 1912 flagler built a rail line linking jacksonville to miami 366 miles and from miami to key west.
Welcome to the flagler museum store we are pleased that you have chosen to shop with us. He is americas single most published florida history book author, with sixteen of his twentytwo books dealing. Oversea railroad for as long as henry flagler could remember, there had been talk of one day building a canal across the isthmus of panama. Title summary field provided by blackwell north america, inc. Henry morrison flagler is best known for his development of florida s east coast. If you have any interest in key west history and the flagler railroad it is very informative. Flagler system the florida east coast railway, like many classic american railroads, carries a rich history filled with both achievement and disappointment. He was responsible for building the florida east coast railway from daytona to key west. Henry flagler and the overseas railroad the iron road. Julia tuttle, the florida east coast canal and transportation company, and the boston and florida atlantic coast land company, each offered flagler land to bring his railroad further south, which he set about doing immediately. In last train to paradise author les standiford offers a compelling look at the actual building. Since its incorporation in april 1925, flagler beach has developed as a unique seaside community. There are several wonderful physicaltactile exhibits that help you appreciate the information being shared like a. Augustine and his rise to the top tier of railroad barons, les standiford deepened my understanding greatly with last train.
New book describes how palm beach became one of the worlds. Very informative tour of the history of key west and of henry flagers railroad running along the east coastline of florida to the keys. The book combines a very good biography of mister flagler and his building of a railroad, primarily down the east coast of florida, and then through the florida keys. Flagler s railroad, renamed the florida east coast railway in 1895, reached biscayne bay by 1896. The mission of the henry morrison flagler museum is to preserve, research, and interpret whitehall, its associated collections, and materials related to the life of henry morrison flagler, as unique and important elements of florida s history and americas gilded age.
775 1417 125 969 1514 1479 649 437 1453 986 1354 181 229 1347 496 5 1464 1392 130 1531 263 69 561 1435 1071 1375 29 1153 1022 754 353 1166 501 339 697 206 998