Conclusion
As the FEC railway expanded southward, the population of the southern counties grew noticeably, and in some cases, exponentially.
A building boom took place almost immediately after the FEC's completion. It was created
in no small part by the increased access to the area and is depicted in the above graph.
in no small part by the increased access to the area and is depicted in the above graph.
As Flagler continued the development of hotels and railroads along the east coast of Florida, it became increasingly easier for tourists and farmers to move southward. As Flagler developed further south, the population of these counties increased. As depicted by the graphs and charts, the populations of these counties as a percent of total Florida population increased dramatically, and the Florida's population as a percent of total US population grew in the same manner.
Henry Flagler passed away in 1913, and parts of the Key West Extension were destroyed in 1935 by a hurricane, but the Florida East Coast Railway continues to have an impact on Florida today. Many major cities have sprung up in its route, and tourism and agriculture continue to expand. The dramatic growth in the development of Florida and the east coast was the result of Henry M. Flagler's tremendous contributions.
"To this day it [the FEC] is still very, very important, very, very important. And it's still and independent train line." "It was a real challenge to him, to take a railroad to sea. Many people thought he could not do it, but he did accomplish that task . . . he still pushed on with the building. He had excellent engineers to work with him on this task and he did a good job." |
"In summation, the FEC and Flagler drastically altered the growth pattern of Florida by allowing for ease of access into an area of the U.S. that was very much a wild frontier. It is impossible to tell the story of Florida without mentioning Flagler’s contributions." "Well, the FEC is Florida's history. The history of Florida's east coast is the Florida East Coast Railway." |