Pigeon Key

 We rode our bikes over to Pigeon Key with our neighbor Robert.  We always make it a point to visit since there is so much history there and we always learn something new about the Overseas Railway, the Overseas Highway and the people who made it all possible.  It was considered the 8th Wonder of the World due to the massive engineers effort required to design the bridges and the massive manpower required to make the engineer's vision a reality.  A non-profit group runs and maintains the island and the roadway (bike, pedestrian or mini-train only) to the island.  The fees to enter the island are used to help defray costs.  The guide is always knowledgeable about the different eras of the island's history. re The island has been used a construction of the 7 mile bridge staging, a rest-stop for the Overseas Highway, a resort for fishing and a research lab.  It is currently used for education and historical preservation.

here are several buildings on the island.  They house a museum, classrooms

places for summer camp kids and instructors to stay and storage/maintenance.

In one of it's eras, folks were there on vacation and tended to be swept away in the

currents so a saltwater pool was built.  During the research phase various aquatic animals 

were kept in it for study.

One of the buildings on Main Street.

The buildings are almost all over 100 years old but are built of old growth pine

and thus resistant to rot and termites.

Another house.  Notice the wide eaves and porches to keep the sun out.

At the time that the island was a work camp, there was almost no vegetation.

Everything was brought in to make it more attractive to tourists.

The concrete used to build the bridges is expected to last another 700 years.

The formula used is no longer available to current builders.

The largest building on the island is the remaining worker domitory.

It now houses summer camps.  They leave their bits of themselves in each class.

Another mural.

                     Each class leaves behind a signed fishing buoy and each rafter is a decade of classes.
                        There were four of these buildings at the height of construction with 60 men in each.

                        

Some of the signed balls.

The ramp down from the original Overseas railroad/Highway.

 

                                           The roadway was built on top of the old railroad.  It was only
                                       22 feet wide with two lanes.  The locals called it the bridge of mirrors
                                       since cars tended to know their mirrors off on the guardrails.

                           

                                                    An old diving suit from back in the day.

Only the section leading to Pigeon Key of the former highway is maintained.

They made a split to keep wanderers from going further.

The break shows the old railbed with the concrete poured on top. 

A view from the road.

The guardrails for the Overseas Highway were old railroad rails.

You can still see the holes where rail spikes would have gone.

Our last view before heading back to the boat.