- FEBRUARY 2008 NEWSLETTER -

The Historical Society continues its 32nd  year with the program, "History of the F.E.C. Train Car Ferries," on Monday, February 11th at 7:00 p.m. in the Key Largo Library Community Room. More about the program later. This room is the door to the right of the library located in the Tradewinds Shopping Center at MM 101.5, ocean side.   There will NOT be a Board of Trustees meeting.

          There was barely sitting room with 96 attending our January 2008 “Histories of Selected Local Parks” program. Special thanks go to Brenda Altmeier as overall program coordinator, Mary Taglaireni, Education Coordinator of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary; Bob Showler, Florida Bay District Interpreter for Everglades National Park and Elena Muratori, Education Specialist for John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

          Before Henry Flagler died in 1913, he commissioned and funded three 360 foot train ferries with a capacity for 30 refrigerated rail cars each. The first ferryboat was built and launched at the Cramps ship yard at Philadelphia, PA in 1914. Its dimensions were: length 360’, beam 57’, draft 22’ and a speed of 12 knots with a load of 2,300 tons of freight. It had two coal fired, later converted to fuel oil, steam engines that at 100 RPMs developed 3,000 horsepower driving two 13’ propellers.

          All three ships saw service in WW-II by the U.S. Navy which changed their names. After WW-II, one was decommissioned after a typhoon and the other two saw service by the West India Fruit and Steamship Company and then by other steamship companies. The ferryboat Henry Flagler was seen operating out of Miami in 1983 as the “D-FREIGHT TRANSPORTER.”

          I have about 30 images to show the ships, docks and loading ramps to show these little known ocean going train car ferryboats originally built to connect the Keys to Cuba.

          This month we have the extreme pleasure of welcoming and announcing two new family memberships: From Key Largo we welcome Margie and Charlie Brooks and from Tavernier we welcome D.A. Aldridge. The Society thanks all of you for joining our efforts and for your support. We hope to meet your expectations and please share your comments with us.

          There is a new year ahead of us and January is dues time for those of us not recently new members. There will be elections of officers in March and budget preparation in April with the budget approval in May. Now the punch line: If you have not already, please make your tax-deductible dues check payable to “HPSUK.” We suggest that you also complete and enclose the form below (please circle DUES) to assist us with maintaining an accurate mailing list. Most of our material is sent ’bulk rate’ which is not forwarded or returned. If you have an email please add it and we will try to remember to send a follow-up email as a reminder also. We are still waiting for our December newsletter to find our house.

          Response for due payment has been very good according to our records. Mary Lou will bring our records to the Feb. meeting so that Uldine can answer any questions about payment or mailing addresses at the entrance. Please don’t let your subscription to the Historical Society become history. 

          Hope to see you on February 11th at the Key Largo library at 7 p.m. - Jerry