History and Snorkeling on Pigeon Key [April 19, 2022]

 

Pigeon Key viewed from the bridge

If you've been following our blog for awhile you know how much we love history, bicycling and snorkeling.  Pigeon Key gave us an opportunity to enjoy all of them in one adventure!

New 7-mile bridge (right) and old 7-mile bridge (left)

The only road in (or out) of the Keys is US Route 1.  It is built on the bed of the old Florida East Coast Railway built in the early 1900’s by Henry Flagler.  After the demise of the railway, the railbed was converted and paved for use by automobiles in the 1930's.  Until the 1980’s the road continued to use the narrow railway bridges as well; paved over and just wide enough for cars to pass in each direction with no shoulder.  In fact, the side rails of the roadway were the old train tracks themselves.  The new, wider bridge, used by automobiles today runs next to it. (Here is a blog post from Windley Key, one of the quarries used for this railroad construction.)

 

The rusty railing in the foreground is an old railroad track

One of the biggest engineering feats of the railway was constructing the 7-mile bridge that connects present day Marathon with the Lower Keys.  The 400+ workers who built this bridge were housed on a tiny island called Pigeon Key that sits under the bridge.  Later, after the rail had been turned into a toll road for automobiles, it became a rest stop for travelers and home to the bridge tenders and tollkeepers and their families.  It is now on the National Register of Historic Places and open for tours.  You can also snorkel off the shoreline of the island.

 

Newly restored "old 7-mile bridge"

Pigeon Key can be reached by ferry, or by walking or biking a 2-mile segment of the old (original) 7-mile bridge.  This section of the bridge has recently been restored and opened to the public just a few months ago.  We opted to ride our bikes, bringing them by car to the parking lot at the base of the bridge.  It was a very windy morning when we headed out, carrying backpacks loaded with our snorkel gear, towels and lunch.

Ramp down to the key

The view from the bridge is glorious.  Beautiful water as far as the eye can see.  You descend to the island using a reproduction of the original wooden ramp.

Section Gang building

 The island has 8 historic buildings.  A large Section Gang building was one of many that housed the workers in 1908.  In later years, other of these old dormitory buildings were dismantled and the lumber used to build homes for the bridge tenders and their families.  One of these is used today as a museum about the colorful island history.

 

Bridge Tenders homes

In addition to preserving this unique history, Pigeon Key is also the location of a marine sciences education center for school students.  Students live on the island in some of the historic buildings and do hands-on learning activities in and around the water.  There was a group of students there while we were there.

 

Each group of marine science students signs a buoy and hangs it in the Section Gang building

After our fabulous tour, we went for a lovely snorkel by the island dock.  The winds had diminished, but the water was still a bit cloudy affecting visibility.  We saw large schools of very little fish, some of them being picked off by what we think were yellow tailed snappers.  We saw two trumpet fish lazing along side by side.

 

Snorkel anyone?

After our swim, we packed everything up and rode back to the car.  The ride was very pleasant without the winds.

Saltwater swimming pool used when the island was a highway rest stop, and solar cells providing electricity today

We walked the old 7-mile bridge to Pigeon Key with our kids and Dana's parents back in 1999 (we think).  The Key was not a museum then, but we wandered around looking at the old buildings.  We remember it as a fun walk, and seeing scorch marks on the tarmac from when they filmed a chase scene from the Arnold Schwarzenegger/ Jamie Lee Curtis movie True Lies there.  We also remember the abundance of pelicans that are still present today.

 

View of Marathon from the car park

If you are interested in touring Pigeon Key, the price is $15 for adults.  You can reserve your tickets online or purchase them at the Pigeon Key Visitors Center in Marathon.  We were told that the Ferry would soon be replaced by a 60-person tram that will transport visitors using the bridge.  You can walk or ride the bridge for free.