Miami to Keys 'over the sea' railroad turns 100

Florida is marking the centennial of Henry Flagler's Over-Sea Railroad, which steamed through the Florida Keys Jan. 22, 1912, carrying residents and tourists from Miami through the once-isolated island chain to Key West for the first time ever

Florida is marking the centennial of Henry Flagler's Over-Sea Railroad. This photo, from the Florida Keys News Bureau shows an aerial view of Pigeon Key, a tiny island just west of Marathon, Fla., used as a base camp more than 100 years ago for workers building Henry Flagler's Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad. The railroad's original Seven Mile Bridge, at left, was transformed into a road for cars in 1938 following the railroad's demise in 1935.

This Jan. 22, 1912 photo provided by the Monroe County Library shows Henry Flagler, right, and his wife Mary Lily, left, after the Key West, Fla., arrival of the first train from the U.S. mainland that officially marked the completion of the Henry Flagler's Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad. The centennial anniversary of the first train's arrival into Key West and the completion of the Over-Sea Railroad project will be marked on Jan. 22, 2012

This Jan. 1, 2012, photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau shows a portion of the original Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys, just west of Marathon, Fla. The bridge was originally built in the early 1900s to carry Henry Flagler's Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad. Following following the railroad's demise in 1935, the bridge was converted to carry automobiles and the track was used to create guardrails. A different and wider bridge for the Florida Keys Overseas Highway was finished in 1982. The centennial anniversary of the completion of the railroad is Jan. 22, 2012

n this undated photograph courtesy of the Monroe County Library, the Henry Flagler's Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad train on the Seven Mile Bridge is shown near Marathon, Fla. The centennial anniversary of the first train's arrival into Key West and the completion of the Over-Sea Railroad project will be marked on Jan. 22, 2012

his Jan. 1, 2012, photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau shows a portion of the original Bahia Honda trestle bridge in the Florida Keys, at Bahia Honda Key, Fla. The bridge was built in the early 1900s to carry Henry Flagler's Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad on the lower deck. Following the railroad's demise in 1935, a top deck on the bridge was created to carry automobiles. A different and wider bridge for the Florida Keys Overseas Highway was constructed in 1972. The centennial anniversary of the completion of the railroad is Jan.

his undated photo provided by the Monroe County Library shows passengers riding in the club car of Henry Flagler's Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad train. The centennial anniversary of the first train's arrival into Key West and the completion of the Over-Sea Railroad project will be marked on Jan. 22, 2012.