The Florida Keys were originally inhabited by Calusa and Tequesta Indians, and were later charted by Juan Ponce de León in 1513. De León named the islands Los Martires (“The Martyrs”), as they looked like suffering men from a distance. “Key” is derived from the Spanish word “cayo”, meaning small island.

What is so special about the Florida Keys?

Designated a National Marine Sanctuary in 1990, the Keys are surrounded by the continental United States’ only living-coral barrier reef (third largest in the world), encompassing more than 2,900 nautical miles of protected waters.

Who built Florida Keys?

In the early 1900s Flagler, affiliated with John D. 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.

How were Florida Keys built?

The Florida Keys are made of limestone Image courtesy of NASA. During the last ice age (100,000 years ago) sea level dropped, exposing the ancient coral reefs and sand bars which became fossilized over time to form the rock that makes up the island chain today.

Were there Indians in the Keys?

In summary, indigenous natives lived in the Keys until early 1700. They shared the Keys with the Creeks, later to be known as Seminoles, until around 1770. Afterwards the Keys were primarily used by the Seminoles. Note: In 1771 the Florida Creeks and their associates began to be referred to as Seminoles.

Which Florida key is the biggest?

Key Largo
Largest of the keys is Key Largo, about 30 miles (50 km) long and formerly known for its plantations of key limes (used to make key lime pies).

How many inhabited islands are in the Florida Keys?

Today there are 882 charted Key islands, 30 of which are inhabited. The 204-kilometer-long Overseas Highway, a concrete marvel of civil engineering built in the 1930s, connects the island arc from Key Largo in the northeast to Key West in the southwest.

When were the keys inhabited?

1513
The keys were originally inhabited by such Native American peoples as the Calusa and Tequesta. The Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León visited the area in 1513. The first permanent settlers arrived about 1822 and engaged in fishing and salvaging shipwrecks.

Who were the first inhabitants of the Florida Keys?

The original inhabitants were the Guanahatabeyes, a shell culture like the Calusa and Tequesta cultures of South Florida. The other two major cultures, the Ciboneyes and the Tainos, were believed to be part of a South American Arawak culture that island-hoped throughout the West Indies.