Pigeon Key, Florida

Pigeon Key is a small island and ghost town [ [http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/fl/pigeonkey.html Pigeon Key - Ghost Town] ] in the lower Florida Keys. It is named "Cayo Paloma" on many old Spanish charts. It is located off the old Seven Mile Bridge, at approximately mile marker 45, west of Knight's Key, (city of Marathon in the middle Florida Keys) and just east of Moser Channel, which is the deepest section of the 7 mile span.

Said to be named for large flocks of White-crowned pigeons ("Columba leucocephala" Linnaeus) which once roosted there. During the building of Henry Flagler's Overseas Railroad Key West Extension, a major construction depot was located there, the jumping off point for construction of the Seven Mile Bridge. A number of buildings from the Flagler era remain on the island. They are now part of the Pigeon Key Historic District.

Pigeon Key Historic District

Infobox nrhp2
name = Pigeon Key Historic District
nhd = yes


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location = Monroe County, Florida
nearest_city = Islamorada
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lat_direction = N
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long_direction = W
area = 50 acres (20 ha)
added = March 16, 1990
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The Pigeon Key Historic District is a U.S. historic district (designated as such on March 16, 1990) located on Pigeon Key in Florida. The district is off U.S. 1 at mile marker 45. It contains 11 historic buildings and 3 structures. The old Seven Mile Bridge crosses over the island and has an exit ramp going to the island.

References

External links

* [http://www.pigeonkey.net/ Pigeon Key Foundation]
* [http://www.keyshistory.org/pigeonkey.html History of Pigeon Key]
* [http://www.fla-keys.com/marathon/pigeon.htm Pigeon Key - Marathon Key Florida Keys Official Tourism Site Heart of the Florida Keys]
* [http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/FL/Monroe/districts.html Monroe County listings] at [http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com National Register of Historic Places]