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Sep 29, 2021 · In 1836, Indian Key became the first county seat for Dade County. At the time, the tiny island was the site of a lucrative business that salvaged cargo from shipwrecks in the Florida Keys. Accessible only by boat, the park welcomes visitors who come here to swim, sunbathe and hike.
Indian Key Historic State Park is an island within the Florida State Park system, located just a few hundred yards southeast of U.S. 1 within the Florida Keys. The island was home to the town of Indian Key, Florida in the middle of the 19th century but is now an uninhabited ghost town.
Jul 5, 2024 · It only takes 30 to 45 minutes to kayak to Indian Key Historic State Park, located off shore in Islamorada. You can launch your kayak off the ocean side of the park area along the Overseas Highway between Mile Markers 77 and 79.
Tiny 11-acre Indian Key has an interesting history as it was the first county seat of Dade County (the county where Miami now is) in the 1830s and was also the site of a Seminole Indian attack in 1840. The key is now a Florida State Historic Park, and the state has re-built the small grid of streets that originally existed when the key was ...
ABOUT THE ISLAND. KEYS WRECKING HISTORY. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, this 11-acre island is deserted except for the ruins of a town that existed in the early 1800s, when folks made their living salvaging boats that ran aground on local reefs.
Sep 29, 2021 · Experiences & Amenities. History. Download Park Map. In 1831, Jacob Housman bought Indian Key and set out to build his own wrecking empire to compete with the monopoly in Key West. At this time, wrecking or salvaging cargo from shipwrecks was both legal and extremely lucrative.
This quiet island was once a thriving city, complete with a warehouse, docks, streets, a hotel and about 40 to 50 permanent residents. There’s not much left at the historic site – just the foundation, some cisterns and jungly tangle. Arriving by boat or kayak is the only way to visit.
Indian Key Historic State Park. Indian Key is located only a half-mile offshore but feels a world away. This 11-acre island is accessible only by boat and sits just off Lower Matacumbe at MM 78.5. One of the best ways to reach the island is by paddling over the shallow seagrass flats.
Indian Key sits just offshore from the north tip of Lower Matecumbe Key, and yet it’s up to you to find your way there. By paddle power or boat, the reward is an island with an intriguing history, the first major settlement in the Florida Keys beyond Key West.
87. 2023 PARK FACTS. In 1836, Indian Key became the first county seat for Dade County. At that time, this tiny island was the site of a lucrative business-salvaging cargo from shipwrecks in the Florida Keys. Plan your visit at FloridaStateParks.org.
