Long Key Fishing Camp

Long Key Fishing Camp was a historic fishing and tourism destination established on Long Key in the Florida Keys in 1908 by Henry M. Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway Company. The camp was created during the development of the Overseas Railroad, the railway extension that connected the Florida Keys with the mainland and was intended eventually to reach Key West. In its earliest phase, the site served a practical purpose as housing for some of the workers involved in constructing the railroad. It subsequently developed into a resort-oriented fishing camp intended to attract visitors to the Keys and promote the region as a destination for sport fishing and recreation. The facility included a two-story hotel and several cottages. Its appeal was based on access to the surrounding waters and the reputation of the Florida Keys as an exceptional fishing location. Unlike a modern consumer brand, Long Key Fishing Camp was primarily a named historic hospitality and sporting establishment whose identity was closely tied to its place, the railway network, and the growth of tourism in South Florida. The camp helped connect the infrastructure ambitions of the Florida East Coast Railway with a leisure economy built around fishing, boating, and travel. The camp became particularly associated with the author and angler Zane Grey, who stayed there regularly and helped raise its profile among sporting visitors. Grey was also a pioneer of sailfishing and became the first president of the Long Key Fishing Club in 1917. His presence linked the camp with the early development of organized sport fishing and with a broader culture of outdoor recreation in the Florida Keys. Other distinguished guests reportedly included Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Andrew Mellon, and Charles Kettering, reflecting the site's appeal to prominent visitors during the early twentieth century. Long Key Fishing Camp operated during a period when the Overseas Railroad was central to the development and promotion of the Florida Keys. Its history ended with the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, which destroyed the camp as well as the Overseas Railroad. The railway was not rebuilt after the disaster. Instead, the Overseas Highway, now part of U.S. Route 1, was constructed across Long Key and the other affected islands. The camp therefore survives primarily as a historical reference point in the story of Florida Keys tourism, railroad development, sport fishing, and the environmental and hurricane risks of the region.

Long Key Fishing Camp was established in 1908 on Long Key in the Florida Keys by Henry M. Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway Company. Its creation coincided with the construction of the Overseas Railroad, an ambitious railway project designed to extend the Florida East Coast Railway through the Keys toward Key West. Before functioning primarily as a tourist destination, the camp provided housing for some of the workers engaged in building the railroad. The site later developed into a fishing and hospitality facility. It contained a two-story hotel and a collection of cottages, offering visitors accommodation close to the surrounding fishing grounds. The establishment formed part of the wider transformation of the Florida Keys brought about by improved transportation links. The railway made travel to the Keys more accessible and supported the development of tourism based on fishing, boating, and coastal scenery. Long Key Fishing Camp became closely associated with Zane Grey, the novelist and angler. Grey stayed at the camp regularly and was recognized as a pioneer of sailfishing. In 1917, he became the first president of the Long Key Fishing Club, further connecting the camp with the early organization and promotion of sport fishing in the region. The camp also attracted prominent visitors, with reported guests including Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Andrew Mellon, and Charles Kettering. The camp's history was brought to an end by the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. The storm destroyed both the fishing camp and the Overseas Railroad. Following the destruction of the railway, the route was not restored as a railroad. Instead, the Overseas Highway was constructed across Long Key and incorporated into the highway route now identified with U.S. 1. Long Key Fishing Camp is consequently remembered as a historic Florida Keys fishing resort and as part of the region's early railroad-supported tourism infrastructure.

• 1935

  Camp destroyed by the Labor Day Hurricane

  [1]Long Key Fishing Campen.wikipedia.org

  The hurricane destroyed Long Key Fishing Camp and the Overseas Railroad. The railroad was later replaced in the area by the Overseas Highway.

• 1917

  Zane Grey becomes first president of the Long Key Fishing Club

  [1]Long Key Fishing Campen.wikipedia.org

  Regular guest Zane Grey became the first president of the Long Key Fishing Club, reinforcing the camp's association with organized sport fishing and sailfishing.

• 1908

  Long Key Fishing Camp is established

  [1]Long Key Fishing Campen.wikipedia.org

  The Florida East Coast Railway Company established the camp on Long Key. It initially provided housing for some workers constructing the Overseas Railroad before serving tourists and anglers.

A railroad-linked Florida Keys fishing and tourism camp positioned around access to notable sport-fishing waters and coastal recreation.

• Accommodation · 1908

  Two-story hotel

  The camp's principal lodging facility was a two-story hotel serving tourists and fishing visitors on Long Key. It formed the central built element of the camp and supported the site's role as a railroad-accessible Florida Keys destination.

• Accommodation · 1908

  Cottages

  A number of cottages complemented the camp hotel and provided additional accommodation for visitors. Together with the hotel, the cottages supported stays oriented toward fishing, boating, and leisure travel.

• Recreation · 1908

  Sport-fishing destination

  The camp promoted access to the surrounding Florida Keys waters, which were described as offering exceptionally good fishing. Its historical reputation is especially connected with sailfishing and the early development of sport fishing in the Keys.

1. 1Long Key Fishing Campen.wikipedia.org