Figure 13. Sequence of observed subsidence of organic soils in the Florida Everglades after 
initial drainage circa 1912. [Redrawn from Stephens (1984).] 
7.4. Railroad and Overseas Highway 
As early as 1831, Key West was one of the first cities in Florida to express an interest in 
railroads (Albury, 1991; Corliss, 1969). By the turn of the century, Henry Flagler had built a 
railroad, the Florida East Coast Railway, from Jacksonville, close to the Florida - Georgia 
border, to Miami. To promote use of the railroad and trade with Cuba and countries in South 
America, Flagler knew that access to a deep water port was necessary, and the deepest water 
port south of Norfolk, VA, was Key West. Construction of the Panama Canal was another 
incentive since this would place the Florida East Coast Railway within 1000 st. miles of the 
Canal. One of the surveyed routes was through the Everglades to Cape Sable and across Florida 
Bay via a bridge. The chosen route, however, was that of the existing Overseas Highway 
through Homestead to Key Largo and down the Florida Keys. Construction began in 1905 and 
completed in 1912. It was the first major alteration by man of the Florida Keys and Florida 
Bay. Construction of the railroad resulted in the destruction of forests and peats, in part as the 
result of a fire ignited by sparks from the locomotives (Simpson, 1920). During construction, 
three major hurricanes passed over the Florida Keys resulting in deaths and heavy damage to 
the work and equipment. The railroad was destroyed by the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 and 
was not rebuilt. 
The highway which connects the Keys to the mainland was begun in 1928 (Windhorn and 
Langley, 1974). At that time, a combination of bridges and ferries was used to span the 
channels between the Keys. Rather than repair the railroad after the hurricane, it was 
converted into the Overseas Highway, an extension of US Highway 1. Construction began in 
1936 and the highway opened in 1938. During the construction of the highway, dredge and fill 
An excellent account of the surveying activities can be found in Krome (1979). 
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