Who was Henry Flagler and why was he important to the state of Florida?
He became known as the Father of Miami, Florida. In historical perspective, “Flagler built his tourist empire — and modern Florida — by exploiting two brutal labor systems that blanketed the South for 50 years after the Civil War: convict leasing and debt peonage.
What is Henry Flagler known for?
Flagler, in full Henry Morrison Flagler, (born January 2, 1830, Hopewell, New York, U.S.—died May 20, 1913, West Palm Beach, Florida), American financier and partner of John D. Rockefeller, Sr., in establishing the Standard Oil Company. Flagler also pioneered in the development of Florida as a U.S. vacation centre.
What happened to railroad to Key West?
Demise. Much of the Overseas Railroad in the Middle Keys was heavily damaged and partially destroyed in the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, a Category 5 hurricane which is often called “The Storm of the Century”. The storm killed more than 400 people and devastated Long Key and adjacent areas.
How did trains affect Florida’s economy?
Trains helped to establish new towns and cities in Florida, and served the lumber, phosphate, tourist, manufacturing and agricultural industries.
What did Henry Plant do for Florida?
Plant had his port to access the Gulf and Caribbean. 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.
How many people died building the railroad Key West?
200 men
The Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast Railway cost him an estimated $50 million. About 200 men died building the line, most during a 1906 hurricane.
What did Henry Flagler do for the state of Florida?
He was responsible for building the Florida East Coast Railway from Daytona to Key West. Flagler made a significant contribution to Florida’s economy through tourism and agriculture. Flagler had some success in the grain business.
What did Henry Flagler build?
Henry Morrison Flagler is best known for his development of Florida’s east coast. He was responsible for building the Florida East Coast Railway from Daytona to Key West. Flagler made a significant contribution to Florida’s economy through tourism and agriculture. Flagler had some success in the grain business.
When did Henry Flagler start the Florida East Coast Railway?
Julia Tuttle, the Florida East Coast Canal and Transportation Company, and the Boston and Florida Atlantic Coast Land Company, each offered Flagler land to bring his railroad further south, which he set about doing immediately. Flagler’s railroad, renamed the Florida East Coast Railway in 1895, reached Biscayne Bay by 1896.
Where did Henry Flagler and his family live?
In two years, Standard Oil was leading the U.S. oil industry. Flagler, his wife, and children lived in New York but his wife’s health was not good. The doctor suggested they try Florida. The Flagler family tried wintering in Jacksonville, then the only accessible city in the state.