U.S. 1 North - Islamorada to Key Largo
North
Islamorada is the self-proclaimed Sport Fishing Capital of the World. The incorporated village includes Plantation, Windley, Upper, and Lower Matecumbe Keys. The community began in 1907 when settler William Krome first platted a subdivision.1
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The first Overseas Highway reached Lower Matecumbe Key in 1928 and ended at a ferry crossing. When it was decided to build a bridge westward to Jewfish Bush, veterans from World War I were commissioned to complete the task. However before they could construct much, the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 struck on September 2, all but destroying their work camps and support structure. All that remained from the initial work are crumbling concrete bridge piers near milepost 73.2
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U.S. 1 northbound spans Channel No. 2 ahead of Lower Matecumbe Key at Matecumbe Harbor.
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Lower Matecumbe was surveyed on November 20, 1872 though the name Matecumbe was used to describe the eastern Keys as far as back as 1571.2
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U.S. 1 leaves Lower Matecumbe Key across a series of bridges and causeways to Upper Matecumbe Key. Overseas Highway first travels across Lignumvitae Channel.
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Small Indian Key rises east of Lignumvitae Channel and south of U.S. 1. The island represents the first settlement in the Florida Keys, when ship salvaging businesses set up shop there in the 1830s.3
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Overseas Highway travels across Indian Key Fill east from Lignumvitae Channel to Upper Matecumbe Key.
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Indian Key and Tea Table Channels allow tidal waters to flow between Florida Bay and the Florida Straits.
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Continuing east along the manmade Indian Key Fill toward Upper Matecumbe Key.
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U.S. 1 crosses Tea Table Channel ahead of a causeway spurring south to the privately owned Tea Table Key.
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U.S. 1 crosses Tea Table Relief channel onto Upper Matecumbe Key.
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Located in the heart of Islamorada, the bulk of Upper Matecumbe Key is developed.
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U.S. 1 expands to a three lane boulevard through Upper Matecumbe Key. A reassurance marker stands along northbound at Beach Road.
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The census designated places of Tavernier and Key Largo remain along Overseas Highway north before the U.S. 1 turn toward the Florida mainland.
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U.S. 1 (Overseas Highway) spans Whale Harbor Channel east from Upper Matecumbe Key onto Windley Key.
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Boats congregate in the waters south of Whale Harbor on a regular basis. The daily "boat party" is part of the tradition of Windley Key and Islamorada.
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U.S. 1 stretches 1.6 miles east across Windley Key in the village of Islamorada.
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U.S. 1 passes north of Whale Harbor and south of Wilson Key onto Windley Key.
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The original section of Overseas Highway on Windley Key was formerly a branch of County Road 905.
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CR 905 loops a half mile south from U.S. 1 and Theater of the Sea before returning as frontage road along Overseas Highway to Snake Creek. Traffic lights at the west end of CR 905 were removed by 2006.
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Theater of the Sea includes a lagoon that was originally a quarry used for the railroad; the quarry became part of a park in 1946. Featured at the Theater of the Sea are marine animals set in salt-water lagoons amid tropical gardens. Visitors can interact with dolphins, sea lions, and sting rays as part of the park programs.
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U.S. 1 runs along the south side of Windley Key Geological State Park, a former coral quarry used in the building of the Florida East Coast Railroad. Closed in the 1960s, the quarry features limestone and fossilized and coral.
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U.S. 1 continues one mile beyond Anglers Way and the Angler's Reef resort community one mile to a weigh station.
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U.S. 1 spans Snake Creek across the Snake Creek Bascule Bridge. Built in 1981, the span is the last drawbridge in the Florida Keys.4
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A Feasibility Study for the replacement of the Snake Creek Bascule Bridge with a fixed-span bridge was completed by FDOT. A PD&E Study for improving U.S. 1 between mile markers 84 and 87 is scheduled to begin in 2026.5
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U.S. 1 lowers from Snake Creek Bascule Bridge onto Plantation Key. Built over the original Florida East Coast Railway bed, the original Overseas Highway through Islamorada opened on March 28, 1938.6
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The weigh station on Plantation Key lies just east of Venetian Boulevard on the south side of U.S. 1.
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U.S. 1 expands to a three lane boulevard beyond the weigh station by Venetian Boulevard. This shiekd assembly precedes Founders Park, a 40-acre conventional park including an Olympic-sized swimming pool, beach, ball fields, and walking path.
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Set to flash, traffic signals at Woods Avenue operate along U.S. 1 at Woods Avenue adjacent to Florida Keys Community College and Coral Shores High School. The lone high school in the Upper Keys was originally built in 1951.7
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Native tribes called Plantation Key home as early as 500 and 700 AD. The island later became the grounds for pineapple crops, which gives it its name. The Florida East Coast Railway brought modern settlement to the island with the establishment of coral rock quarries.7
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Advancing to the north end of Plantation Key. U.S. 1 curves east toward Tavernier, Rock Harbor and Key Largo. Bessie Road west, Plantation Avenue east, and Sunshine Boulevard south come together at a five-way intersection with U.S. 1.
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CR 905, the original Overseas Highway, parallels U.S. 1 along the adjacent service road.
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U.S. 1 ascends across Tavernier Creek between Plantation Key and the southern reaches of Key Largo.
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Tavernier Creek represents the eastern end of Islamorada village limits.
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The community of Tavernier spreads across southern reaches of Key Largo.
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Originally named Cayo Tabona, or "Horsefly Key", Tavernier appeared on British maps in print by 1775. Fueled partly by the pineapple trade with Cuba, Tavernier began as the communities of Planter and Lowesport. The arrival of the Florida East Coast Railroad ushered in the growth of Tavernier as a railroad depot in 1908, and the demise of Planter nearby. Tavernier became the post office in 1911.8
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U.S. 1 curves northward by a shopping center to Ocean Boulevard.
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Traffic signals operate at the shopping center entrance and Ocean Boulevard, a residential street east to Lincoln Avenue and Coconut Row.
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The Overseas Highway widens with a grassy median through Tavernier before eventually splitting into a one way couplet further north.
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Burton Drive branches northeast from U.S. 1 toward Harry Harris Park and residences along Dove Sound. Offering conventional park amenities, Harry Harris Park lies along the Atlantic Ocean near Long Point.
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U.S. 1 bee lines northeast from Tavenier to the census designated place of Key Largo. Downtown Miami is 64 miles away via U.S. 1 and Brickell Avenue (old U.S. 1). Miami is 66 miles away. Florida's Turnpike Homestead Extension adds two miles to the drive.
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The origins of Rock Harbor date as far back officially as a railroad depot along Florida East Coast Railway in 1909. The name was applied to the original post office in the area and may relate to the surrounding shallow harbor and its rocky coastline.9
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U.S. 1 transitions into a suburban arterial through Key Largo. Key Largo was named as such because it is the longest island in the Keys.
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The separate roadways for U.S. 1 (Overseas Highway) converge northward at Ocean Bay Drive near Newport on Key Largo.
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U.S. 1 intersects Ocean Bay Drive north and Atlantic Boulevard east at the south Key Largo business district.
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U.S. 1 reassurance marker posted north between Ocean Drive and Sunset Boulevard.
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Tarpon Basin Drive south ties into a signalized intersection joining U.S. 1 with Tradewinds Plaza shopping center.
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Overseas Highway north of Lake Street in Key Largo.
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John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park spreads across 70 nautical miles and entails mangrove swamps, hammocks, and coral reefs. Recreation activities range from glass bottom boat tours aboard the Spirit of Pennekamp, scuba diving, kayaking, fishing, hiking and more. The park also houses a 30,000-gallon saltwater aquarium.
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Marvin D. Adams Waterway is an inlet connecting Blackwater Sound and Largo Sound.
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U.S. 1 separates with CR 905 at the north end of Key Largo. U.S. 1 and CR 905A (Card Sound Road) provide the lone fixed crossings between the Keys and Florida mainland. U.S. 1 provides a direct route to Homestead along Everglades National Park by way of Cross Key. Card Sound Road leads northwest from CR 905 near Ocean Reef Club to U.S. 1 at Florida City.
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Monroe County Road 905 travels northeast 9.3 miles to CR 905A (Card Sound Road) and 10.96 miles to the entrance to Ocean Reef Club. The Card Sound Bridge spanning the Intracoastal Waterway is tolled.
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Curving northwest, U.S. 1 (Overseas Highway) narrows to two lanes as it leaves Key Largo.
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References:
- History of Islamorada. Florida Keys History Museum.
- Lower Matecumbe Key. Florida Keys History Museum.
- History Of Upper Matecumbe Key. Florida Keys History Museum.
- "Snake Creek Bridge Breakdown Brings Traffic Backup." KeysWeekly, November 3, 2022.
- Snake Creek Bridge SR 5/US 1/Overseas Highway MM 84 to MM 87 FIN: 442670-1-22-01. Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) project web page. Accessed August 9, 2024.
- "Islamorada History written by Historian & Resident Irving R. Eyster." http://www.islamorada.fl.us/news/5-history.pdf City of Islamorada website.
- History of Plantation Key. Florida Keys History Museum.
- History of Tavernier. Florida Keys History Museum.
- Rock Harbor. Florida Keys History Museum.
Photo Credits:
- Alex Nitzman: 10/17/20
- Alex Nitzman, Justin Cozart: 05/07/06
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Page Updated Friday August 09, 2024.