Henry Morrison Flagler was born in New York on January 2, 1830. In 1867, Flagler partnered with John D. Rockefeller in the Standard Oil Company. By the time he was 50, he was one of the richest men in the world. Due to his wife's poor health, Flagler spent much of his time on Florida, the Keys in particular. After her death, Flagler remarried and went on his honeymoon in St. Augustine. He loved the city, but was disappointed at its level of development. There were no good accommodations and transportation was very difficult. Flagler developed the Florida East Coast Railway and developed hotels and resorts all along the coast. At the age of 75, Flagler undertook the project of building an over-sea route to Key West that would extend 130 miles out to sea. After seven years of battling insects, labor problems and hurricanes, the Key West extension was completed. On January 22, 1912 the first New York to Key West train arrived with Flagler aboard. A Labor Day hurricane in 1935 spelled the end of the railway, but Flagler's legacy is still kept alive in the Flagler Station Over-Sea Railway Historeum. Visitors can walk through one of the F.E.C. Railroad cars that now contains railroad artifacts and memorabilia. Live storytellers share yarns about the railroad, Flagler and the historic day when Key West was connected to the rest of the US by railroad. The highlight is a staging of a ride on the railway at the Maggie Atwell House.
Greater
Miami is comprised of a diverse assortment of distinctive neighborhoods,
each with its own unique collection of attractions and hotels. Miami and the
Beaches offer an immense selection of distinctive lodging that can suit any
personality or budget. From the lavish hotels that line the streets of South
Beach ....more
Swissotel Chicago Hotel compares well with the 209 hotels in the city. An
excellent location. Delight in unrecorded piano Monday - Friday. In Chicago,
Overlooking Lake Michigan Swissotel Chicago can be found at 323 E. Wacker
Dr. Quaint and comfortable guestrooms .... more
