U.S. 1 South - Layton to Marathon

U.S. 1 (Overseas Highway) southbound curves northward from Craig Key onto the Channel 5 Bridge.

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Uninhabited mangrove stands rise from the Jewfish Bush Banks west of Channel Number 5.

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U.S. 1 (Overseas Highway) lowers onto Long Key from mile marker 71 on the Channel Number 5 Bridge.

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U.S. 1 initially traverses a causeway extending east from Long Key adjacent to Jewfish Bush Banks. The waters of Long Key Bright spread to the southwest.

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Home to First Key RV Resort and Marina, Fiesta Key lines the north side of the causeway on Long Key. The small island was originally named Jewfish Bush Key, then later Tropical Key and Greyhound Key, which coincided with the location of a Greyhound Bus Terminal on the island. Kampgrounds of America (KOA) bought the island in 1966 and opened a campground in 1967.¹

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Turning southwest from Fiesta Key, U.S. 1 south next enters the incorporated city of Layton. Layton began as a fishing camp founded by Miamans Mary and Del Layton after World War II. Dubbed "Layton's Long Key Fishing Camp", the community was incorporated on September 18, 1963.²

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Established on October 1, 1969, just west of Layton is Long Key State Park. Long Key originally was designated a military reservation by the War Department in 1845 and remained under government jurisdiction until 1879.²

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During the early days of the Florida East coast Railroad construction, a fish camp was set up on Long Key. As fishing grew as a popular attraction, the Long Key Fishing Club resort was created and it prospered until the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 leveled the entire island. The club was reestablished in 1969.²

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Continuing west from Long Key State Park, Overseas Highway reaches the city center of Marathon in 15 miles. 67 miles of U.S. 1 south remain into Key West.

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Overseas Highway spans Long Key Channel between Long Key and Conch Key.

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The Long Key Viaduct was built in 1981. The original Overseas Highway bridge across Long Key parallels the south side of U.S. 1.

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Uninhabited Channel Key appears along the western horizon beyond Conch Keys Banks in Florida Bay.

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Conch Key comes into view at the west end of the Long Key Viaduct. The 16 acre island was used as a construction camp site for the Florida East Coast Railway.³

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Traveler Frank M. Coward settled on Conch Key in 1944 in order to build his dream-boat, the 44-foot long Don Pancho. Coward remained on the island until his death in 1966. His property and boat yard were sold to E.V. Jones.³

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U.S. 1 intersects Conch Avenue, a short road spurring to the north, beyond this reassurance marker on Conch Key.

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Westward from Conch Key, U.S. 1 lines a narrow causeway to Walkers Key. Also known as Little Conch Key, Walkers Key was government owned until 1946 when it was sold to Paul Walker. Walker built a home there and five rental cottages. A short causeway was constructed from the island to Overseas Highway.⁴

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U.S. 1 next spans Toms Harbor Cut, a waterway separating Walkers Key from Duck Key. Duck Key lies south of Overseas Highway at mile marker 61.

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Bryan W. Newkirk, a financier and mining executive, purchased Duck Key in 1954 for $4 million in an effort to convert it into a 400 acre island village. The island was subsequently expanded by several acres with fill, and divided into Indies, Centre, Harbour, Plantation and Yacht Club islands, all separated by canals.⁵

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Newkirk financed construction of a wooden bridge between Duck Key and Overseas Highway in 1952. A more permanent causeway opened on January 2, 1953 at a cost of $1 million. The development prospered as a resort community and Newkirk retained ownership until 1983. Hawk's Cay Village was built on the island in the mid 1990s.⁵

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U.S. 1 continues west across Toms Harbor Channel to the north of Toms Harbor between Duck and Grassy Keys. Including a location of a construction camp, work on the Florida East Coast Railway occurred between 1905 and 1908 on Grassy Key. A post office was established on Grassy Key in 1908.⁶

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The Ocean Beach Hotel was established on Grassy Key in 1908, but it burned in 1913. An 11 mile long section of Overseas Highway opened between Grassy Key and Hog Key in 1930. Ferry launch sites were located at each end of the roadway. After the Hurricane of 1935, a new Overseas Highway (U.S. 1) opened to traffic on Grassy Key in 1938. Settlement of the island followed.⁶

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U.S. 1 advances west into the city of Marathon, the largest settlement along the Overseas Highway between Key Largo and Key West. Marathon began as a railroad depot along the Florida East Coast Railroad. Named for the accelerated "marathon" speed and longevity of the construction to build the railroad west to Key West, Knight's Key was renamed Marathon on October 1, 1908.⁷

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West from Grassy Key, U.S. 1 advances to Crawl Key, Little Crawl Key and the entrance to Curry Hammock State Park. Curry Hammock comprises stands of mangrove trees and palms along a group of small islands east of populated areas in Marathon.

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Reassurance marker posted west of Curry Hammock State Park in Marathon. A post office was established February 23, 1909 as the Marathon area grew as a railroad town connected by a series of boardwalks.⁷

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U.S. 1 (Overseas Highway) expands to a four lane, divided arterial ahead of Coco Plum Drive. An array of strip malls, gas stations and other businesses typical of any other Florida city line the ensuing stretch through Marathon.

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Coco Plum Drive spurs south from the first signalized intersection in Marathon on Fat Deer Key to residences along Cocoa Plum Beach.

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Florida Bay from a public boat ramp area along the north side of U.S. 1 at mile marker 54.

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Sadowski Causeway joins Overseas Highway with the Key Colony Beach area to the south. Developed developed in the 1950s on Shelter Key, Key Colony Beach incorporated in 1957.⁷

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Pedestrian signals along U.S. 1 (Overseas Highway) south precede 120th Street and Vaca Cut in Marathon.

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The Vaca Cut Bridge along Overseas Highway opened to traffic in March of 1983 as a two lane span. Four lane expansion along U.S. 1 through Marathon followed during a five-stage project beginning in 1985.⁸

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U.S. 1 proceeds west to Marathon Shores on Vaca Key. Marathon incorporated in 1999 along a 13 mile stretch of U.S. 1 west from Toms Harbor Bridge to the Seven Mile Bridge. This included Boot, Knight, Hog, Vaca, Stirrup, Crawl, Little Crawl, Deer, Fat Deer, Long Pine, and Grassy Keys in addition to East and West Sister's Islands.⁸

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Traffic lights operate along U.S. 1 (Overseas Highway) at both 109th and 107th Streets in Marathon.

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107th Street stems north from U.S. 1 to an industrial area along the east side of Florida Keys Marathon International Airport (MTH) and Aviation Boulevard west to Stirrup Key.

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U.S. 1 runs along the south side of Florida Keys Marathon International Airport (MTH) along the succeeding 1.6 miles to Aviation Boulevard.

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Outside of Key West, Florida Keys Marathon International Airport (MTH) is the only public airport on the Keys.

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U.S. 1 reassurance shield posted southbound at 63rd Street in Marathon.

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Sombrero Beach Road spurs 2.07 miles south from U.S. 1 to Tingler Island and Sombrero Beach.

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Formerly County Road 931, Sombrero Beach Road is part of the original Overseas Highway that looped southwest across Sister Creek to 20th Street north on Boot Key.

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U.S. 1 (Overseas Highway) intersects Sombrero Beach Road by mile marker 50.

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U.S. 1 continues west along the commercialized boulevard through Marathon. Boot Key Harbor separates Key Vaca from Boot Key to the south.

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The speed limit along Overseas Highway reduces to 35 miles per hour west of 39th Street by Marathon Community Park & City Marina.

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33rd Street spurs north from a signalized intersection with U.S. 1 (Overseas Highway) to a marina and boat ramp on Florida Bay.

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The Pigeon Key National Historic District Visitor Center lies 1.25 miles ahead of Seven Mile Bridge. Located north of the Seven Mile Bridge, Pigeon Key was originally the home of a work camp for Henry Flagler's railroad. The 5.31-acre island was named Cayo Paloma (dove or pigeon) by Spanish explorers, likely for the Keys white-crowned pigeon.⁹

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The original Overseas Highway returned to U.S. 1 via 20th Street from Boot Key. Previously signed as CR 931, 20th Street spurred south and east onto undeveloped Boot Key. Closed in the late 2000s with its bascule removed, a concrete draw bridge built in 1972 spanned Boot Key Harbor nearby.

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U.S. 1 narrows to two lanes ahead of Hog and Knight Keys.

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The distance sign preceding the Seven Mile Bridge along Overseas Highway southbound was removed by 2015. It referenced Big Pine at 16 miles and Boca Chica at 43 miles.

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The Seven Mile Bridge spans Knight Channel, Moser, Money Key and Pacet Channels.

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Construction of the Seven Mile Bridge commenced in 1979 and ended with the opening on May 24, 1982.⁷

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Looking northward at the original Overseas Highway bridge linking Knight and Pigeon Keys.

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Pigeon Key comes into view midway across Knight Key Channel. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Pigeon Key is accessible via shuttle, bicycle and by foot. Maintained by the Pigeon Key Foundation, a handful of cottages reside on the island.⁹

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Pigeon Key was home to a work camp used for the construction of the Florida East Coast Railroad. With the completion of the railroad to Key West in 1912, the work camp transitioned into a bridge maintenance camp with permanent structures.⁹

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Establishment of a post office on Pigeon Key followed between 1923 and 1933. The island was sold as part of the Florida East Coast Railroad right-of-way sale to the state on November 9, 1936.⁹

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The original Overseas Highway Bridge ends at an access ramp to Pigeon Key. Pigeon Key was used as a construction site during the building of the first Overseas Highway. Tolls were collected along the route from its opening in 1938 to 1954.⁹

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The Seven Mile Bridge shifts southward over Pigeon Key Banks.

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Filming of the 1994 movie True Lies included an action scene involving stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis where a section of the original Moseley Channel Bridge to the north was blown up. The old bridge was portrayed to be the current bridge in the movie.

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Rising to pass over Moseley Channel on U.S. 1 south.

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The original Overseas Highway bridge tolls were removed on April 15, 1954, and the Lt. Governor at the time renamed the roadway the "Florida Freeway", a shortly used name.⁹

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Despite narrow shoulders, passing is permitted along the Seven Mile Bridge.

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Molasses Key, a small uninhabited island east of Pacet Channel, rises to the south.

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U.S. 1 travels west along Seven Mile Bridge toward Little Duck, Missouri and Ohio Key.

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A transmission line parallels the Seven Mile Bridge while the original Overseas Highway bridge remains to the north.

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The old bridge transitions into a refurbished concrete structure from near Little Money Key west to Little Duck Key. The renovated bridge is open to fishing.

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Little Money Key rises to the north of U.S. 1 west of Pacet Channel.

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