What was the first railroad in Florida?
Railroads first came to Florida in the 1860s with a line running from Fernandina Beach to Cedar Key. However, real development arrived after the Civil War with lines eventually becoming of Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railroad and Henry Plant’s Plant System.
What railroad Company began in 1830?
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the first common carrier and started passenger train service in May 1830, initially using horses to pull train cars.
How did trains change Florida in the 1800s?
Trains helped to establish new towns and cities in Florida, and served the lumber, phosphate, tourist, manufacturing and agricultural industries. This unit provides an introduction to Florida’s railroad history through photographs, lesson plans, and exercises.
What city started as a railroad center in the 1830s?
Charleston, South Carolina, provided the impetus for rail development in Georgia. In 1830 it began building a 136-mile railroad to Hamburg, on the Savannah River opposite Augusta.
Why was the railroad to Key West never finished?
It was completed in 1912 and what had originally been referred to as “Flagler’s Folly” suddenly became “The Eighth Wonder of the World.” In 1935, nature delivered a fatal blow when a Category 5 hurricane took out a large part of the middle section of the railroad and made it unusable.
What was built along railroads for tourists in Florida?
Rockefeller in the Standard Oil Company, conceived and oversaw the construction of the Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad, paving the way for the Keys’ evolution into the destination that is internationally recognized today.
Who built the first railroads?
The railroad was first developed in Great Britain. A man named George Stephenson successfully applied the steam technology of the day and created the world’s first successful locomotive. The first engines used in the United States were purchased from the Stephenson Works in England.
Why did Florida become a tourist destination in the late 1800s?
In the late 1800s, resort areas were developed throughout the state of Florida. It became a haven for those who were in need of a vacation and a place to recuperate from illnesses. Because of the state’s warm weather and mild winters, it began attracting a variety of people, including the rich and famous.
How did Henry Plant Impact Florida?
Plant’s goal was to connect his rail lines to a port terminus in Florida. Plant branded his network of railroads and steamship lines The Plant System. The Plant System was the most profitable transportation network in Florida during the 1880s and 1890s, connecting Florida producers with Eastern seaboard consumers.
What happened to Flagler’s railroad?
The railroad was finally complete in 1912 and was called the 8th wonder of the world. The railroad remained in operation until the Labor Day hurricane in 1935. The hurricane ripped through the Florida Keys with winds estimated at 200 mph. It is considered the most intense hurricane to make landfall in the U.S.