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A Brief History Of Islamorada, FL
William J. Krome, a young engineer graduate, surveyed and cut
through the jungles, swamps and open stretches of water in 1903. In
another decade, this would become the Florida West Coast Railway.
Three routes were surveyed: one through Cape Sable, another over
Soldiers and Elliott Keys, and then one route to Key Largo which is
now Ocean Reef. The route Krome settled on is that of present-day
… U.S. Highway One.
Before the railroad was built, islands were surrounded by flats which
made them impossible to access by boat. Soon the train brought
more people to the Matecumbes to fish and enjoy the tropical breeze
and moonlit nights. Word soon spread to those living in the snow-
covered North to move to the Keys or at least spend the winters in
the sun under palm trees, on the beaches and swimming in the warm
tropical waters. The railway brought tourists who needed places to
stay and eat.
The railway station, packing houses and railway sidings allowed the
shipping of limes, melons and pineapples. Soon the Keys were being
invaded by more and more people due to the train. It was a short ride
to either Key West or Miami from the Matecumbes.
William and his wife, Isabelle, liked the Keys, especially Upper
Matecumbe, and purchased property across from today’s post office.
The two built a home on the water and spent their weekends there.
They developed streets which led to a public park and a path along
the edge of the bay being built.
There are many stories to how Islamorada got its name. Some say
the pirates gave it the name; others say it was the Spanish. Many
believe it was named after the purple snail (jathina) that covered our
beaches years ago. Many of the people agreed on the purple morning
glory, with its vines and flowers covering almost every inch of the land,
but some also believed it was the bougainvillea. All in all, everyone
agreed it meant Purple Isle. Actually, it was none of these and had
nothing to do with purple.
William and Isabelle had been thinking of a name for their new village
so it could be recorded. Johnny “Brush” Pinder, a craftsman from the
Bahamas, had a 24-ton, 60-foot schooner that he built on Plantation
Key. This popular schooner was used to carry pineapples and limes
to Key West and the small town of Miami. Most everyone on the
Keys knew of, saw or rode on this beautiful ship, the Island Home. It
was decided to name the future village Islamorada (Ees la morada)
meaning Island Home in Spanish, because Johnny’s schooner passed
the island so often. The plat was recorded January 3, 1907.
The staff at Lazy Days welcomes you to Islamorada and hopes you
enjoy your visit with us.
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