![]() ![]() The Associated Press was there and published this story on Sept. The hurricane killed 408 people and was one of the 10 deadliest storms in U.S. Florida is legitimately an urban explorer's paradise.MIAMI - The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane, which hit the Florida Keys, was the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the United States, based on barometric pressure. You'll find the shells of buildings belonging to what once were resorts, railroads, sports stadiums, and so much more. In Jacksonville, a legendarily haunted and utterly abandoned elementary school seems to draw only the bravest of explorers, though we suggest sticking to photographing the outside from a safe distance only. The park never quite panned out, and the behemoths were allowed to resign to a quiet life of decay in the background of modern-day life. Among the most interesting are probably the Bongoland Ruins, lurking among the Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens, which feature the remains of enormous dinosaur figures that were once a part of a planned adventure park. Lucky for those of us who really enjoy exploring urban decay at its finest, Florida has no shortage whatsoever of mysterious and abandoned places just waiting to be discovered. Where are some interesting abandoned places in Florida? Flagler's Folly is still one of the most talked about bridges in the state. Its remains can be found about two miles west of Marathon, Florida, in the central Florida Keys. The Flagler Railroad to Key West converted to the Overseas Highway instead, which remained until its own replacement came about in the 1980s. Where is the Overseas Highway in Florida?īuilt back in the early 1900s originally as what was supposed to be the Overseas Railroad, the stretch of rail barely survived a devastating hurricane in the 1930s, which put it permanently out of commission. Another must-see place is definitely the Flagler Mansion, built by big-time tycoon Henry Flagler. Augustine, which is the oldest Spanish fort in the country. There's also the awe-inspiring Castillo de San Marcos, in St. The highway was rebuilt once more in the 1980s, and it now runs alongside some of the original railway ruins, which Florida has converted into fishing piers and walking paths called the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail.įlorida is an old state with plenty of fascinating history, outside of the Flagler Railroad, with captivating landmarks, to boot! There are a lot - probably too many to mention off-hand - but some of the more notable ones include such famed spots as the Ponce de Leon Inlet Light, near Daytona, which is a 175-foot-tall historic lighthouse where you can climb the stairs all the way to the top. No one wanted to cover the tremendous cost to repair it, so the land was sold to the state, which, soon afterward, began building the “Overseas Highway” over the salvageable portions of the structures along the rail that remained. More than 400 workers on the rail were killed in the storm. In 1935, however, nature delivered a fatal blow when a Category 5 hurricane took out a large part of the middle section of the railroad and made it unusable. It was completed in 1912, and what had originally been referred to as “Flagler’s Folly” suddenly became “The Eighth Wonder of the World.” Flagler Railroad to Key West is still one of the most talked about bridges in the southeast. ![]() Three hurricanes threatened to derail the project, but Flagler pressed on. The hope was for the Flagler Railroad to Key West to profit from this more than 100-mile extension by having the best available access to Cuba and the proposed Panama Canal.Īs you can imagine, construction was difficult, dangerous, and very expensive. In 1905, the industrialist decided to extend the Florida East Coast Railway beyond Miami, all the way to Key West. These treasured Flagler landmarks remain in good condition, but even Flagler wasn’t infallible. Was this Flagler folly the biggest architectural disaster in the state? Even the abandoned Flagler Railroad seems to be a testament to both man’s ingenuity and arrogance. Augustine, and Whitehall, the impressive mansion that is now the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, both serve as reminders of his influence, as do many monuments across the state. Flagler College (Ponce de León Hotel) in St. Back in the early 1900s, Florida was a popular winter destination for the upper crust, and some of Florida’s most extravagant works of architecture were commissioned by Flagler himself. If you live in Florida, you’re probably familiar with some of the oil tycoon Henry M. Posted in Florida Abandoned, Attractions, Creepy Decemby Victoria W The Story Behind Florida’s Abandoned Overseas Railroad Will Boggle Your Mind ![]()
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