Exploring the Keys, Pigeon Key

The Keys have just one long road from one end to the other, so it is reasonably easy to find your way around.  There are buses (really cheap) and taxis (pretty cheap) so getting to see places should not be a problem.

All about the Railroad

Today we took the Keyhopper taxi to Pigeon Key and had a tour of that tiny island.

Pigeon Key is near the middle of the 7 Mile Bridge and it was the construction camp and maintenance location for the original railroad line that came down to Key West.  Henry Flagler is the patron saint of the Keys as he funded the rail line, along with many other places and companies here.  Flagler was a contemporary and partner of John D. Rockefeller in the Standard Oil Company.  He brought people and wealth from the upper east coast all the way to the southernmost tip of the east coast.  He established the original upper class vacation colonies in the Palm Beach/Miami area. Then he built the railroad at the same time the Panama Canal was being built, so that ships from the Pacific could discharge cargo in the keys and ship directly to the United States.  He was known as a great philanthropist – but since he owned railroads and oil companies, it didn’t do his business any harm to have this new route for commerce.

Eric our tour guide

Pigeon Key has never been privately owned or commercialized.  It is run by the Pigeon Key Foundation and holds student “sea camp” excursions all year round. Schools from all over the country send 8^th-12^th graders to learn about the sea here in the Keys.  The island has some dormitory buildings, original to the railroad workers of 1908 as well as a dining hall and cook house and a couple of homes that were originally built for the bridge tenders.  Those original houses are now occupied by the Foundation directors.  

7 mile bridge, ties were set atop the vertical deck plates

There is a short ferry ride to Pigeon Key and a tour that was very interesting. After the tour, we walked to the Sunset Grille for a cold beverage and a view of the beautiful pool there.

The Pool at the Sunset Grill

This evening we will share a potluck supper with people in the marina – everyone is invited.  We have met at least six other couples from Wisconsin here.  For a well -kept secret destination, at least Wisconsinites have been finding the Coral Lagoon Resort and Boathouse Marina.