Before highways and airports crisscrossed the Sunshine State, railroads were the backbone of Florida’s development. These iron pathways carried people, citrus, and commerce through swamplands, across prairies, and into newly emerging cities. Yet, as time marched on, many of these tracks were abandoned, reclaimed by nature, or repurposed for modern uses. Today, traces of these forgotten railroads can still be found, hidden beneath dense forests, buried in small towns, or lingering as eerie relics of Florida’s past.
This article takes you on a journey through Florida’s abandoned railroads—the lines that helped shape the state but have since faded into history. From the legendary Florida East Coast Railway to mysterious ghost tracks deep in the Everglades, these lost railways tell the story of Florida’s past and the communities they once served.
The Florida East Coast Railway: The Tracks That Built the State
Perhaps no railroad had a greater impact on Florida than the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC), the ambitious project of industrialist Henry Flagler. Beginning in the late 1800s, Flagler extended rail lines down the east coast, connecting Jacksonville to St. Augustine and then pushing farther south into Palm Beach, Miami, and eventually Key West. The FEC transformed Florida from a sparsely populated frontier into a booming tourism and agricultural powerhouse.
One of the most remarkable feats of engineering was the Overseas Railroad, a stretch of rail extending 128 miles over the ocean, connecting the Florida Keys to the mainland. Opened in 1912, it was often called the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” However, this engineering marvel met a tragic end when the Great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 destroyed much of the railway, leaving twisted tracks and crumbled bridges in its wake. Rather than rebuild, the remains of the railway were repurposed into what is now U.S. Route 1, the highway that still connects the Keys today.
While much of the FEC still operates as a freight line, abandoned remnants can still be found along the coast. Crumbling trestles, overgrown rail beds, and old depots now serve as reminders of the once-mighty railroad. Some sections, like the Old Seven Mile Bridge near Marathon, have been converted into pedestrian walkways where visitors can stroll along the remnants of this once-great railway.
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