EARLY TRANSPORTATION AND LODGING

BY IRVING R. EYSTER

One of the first hotels of the Keys was the Tropical Hotel on Indian Key, operated by Samuel Spencer in 1835. He advertised throughout the country as a resort for invalids. His ad in the Key West Enquirer of October 10, 1835, states that if a guest tires of the scenic beauty, he could amuse himself at the hotel’s billiard table or bowling alley or drink his favorite beverage at the well stocked bar.

In the early 1900s, the shining rails of Flagler’s railway were snaking toward Key West bringing more people to the Keys and making more accommodations necessary. The railway opened on January 22, 1912, bringing still more tourists. At the south end of Long Key, Flagler had built the Long Key Fishing Club with a hotel and cottages lining the beach. Zane Gray was president of the Lodge from 1917 to 1921.

A few miles to the north, Roland Craig had a small hotel and cabins on the fill between Channel 2 and Channel 5. The entire village of Craig was built on the railway right of way. This consisted of several buildings; besides the hotel and cabins, there was a post office, restaurant, bar, bait and tackle shop, his home, a marina, and swimming pool which he advertised as the only shark and barracuda proof pool in the Keys. The only way to reach Craig was by the railway or boat. Craig was frequently used by Herbert Hoover, and visited by Winston Churchill, and Neville Chamberlain.

In the 1920s, the Matecumbe Club was built next to today’s Cheeca Lodge. This, however, was only for the twelve members who owned it. George and Eunice Merrick who built Coral Gables built the Caribee Colony at mile marker 80.2.  It was of south seas architecture consisting of cottages, cabins, restaurant, marina, and a large dance hall with a thatched roof installed by Seminole Indians. The Colony was washed away in the Labor Day storm, Sept. 2, 1935.

The railway brought still more travelers and by l934, planes were flying to Key West. A plane from Key West to Miami was $7.50 one way or the same for Miami to Key West.

Opening the road in January 1928 brought more cottages, motels, and guest homes to accommodate the influx of tourists. Restaurants, gas stations, fish camps and bait shops were under construction. Carl Fisher built the Caribbean Club on Key Largo. Plantation Yacht Harbor, todays Founder’s Park was in operation. Toppino’s opened the Overseas Lounge in Marathon. In 1935, Ev Fowler built the Caribee Resort (which later became Papa Joes) at the south end of Upper Matecumbe Key. These were followed by the Snake Creek Lodge, Buck Starck’s Whale Harbor and a little later, Leo Samuels opened the Islander. Clara May Downey’s Olney Inn had a restaurant, hotel rooms and houseboat where Harry Truman stayed when in Islamorada. Hurricane Donna in 1960 destroyed the buildings and Cheeca Lodge was built on the property where it stands today.

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