- By Jerry Wilkinson
- (Slow downloading because of eight photos)
- - Left click on any photo to slightlyenlarge. -
- Craig, Fla.,laterrenamed asCraig Key, was once known as Camp Panama according to theMiamiDailyNews. In the January 28, 1931 edition it featured a shortarticletitled “Camp Panama Offers Excellent Angling. . . . Located 90 milesbelowMiami, about two miles below the ferry landing on the lower Matecumbe,Camp Panama is right in the very best key fishing grounds. . . .” Thenewspaper articleconcluded “. . . For the convenience of visitors to Miami the campmaintainsan office at 409 City National Building in charge of R. W. Craig.”From this article we cannot conclude that R. W. Craig owned CampPanama, but at the least he was associated with it. There was anaccompanying advertisement stating, "Rates $12.50 to$15:00 per day, which includes transportation from Miami and return,meals, lodging, boat, all fishing tackle and guide. By ReservationOnly. Phone Miami 3-1404." Since at that time there was not a highwayto Craig, boat transportation would take too long for daily rates, Iconclude that at a minimum a railroad "flag stop" was established. I donot have copies of all the FEC railway time tables, but in my December1932 time table a regular stop had been established at Craig, andprobably earlier since a post office was established in October 1932.
The original Craig was not the two small islands on the bayside thatare there now at about MM 74. These two islands came along later whenmore space wasneeded. The island to thesouthwest (south) was dredged and filled in about 1955 by localcontractor, AlonzoCothron. The other island to the northeast (north) was made byFloyd Lambert ofMarathon some time later.
The original "Craig Key" was a wide place on therailroad right-of-way which after the 1935 Hurricane became theOverseas Highway; therefore, was like the other two islands, aman-made Key filled by Henry Flagler. Itwas surrounded by water on the east by Channel 2 and theAtlantic Ocean and onthe west by Channel 5 and Florida Bay. Craig's cottages, hotels andrestaurants were on the ocean side and the store-post office, gasstation and dockswere on the bayside. Deep water access was by way of the Channel FiveBridge and a channel through the flats to/from the bay.Therefore, the early history of Craig began in the early 1900s with theconstruction of the railroad and Roland Craig gave it the name when heleased it from the FEC Railway in the early 1930s.
For the reason that this strip offilled right-of-way was wide enough for the community of Craig todevelop, we need toreview a brief part of railroad construction history. This is the partof theKey West Extension construction normally forgotten in most articles.Mostassume once Flagler rode to Key West on December 22, 1912 allconstruction was completed. In fact there were four additional years ofconstruction to be done. To begin with, the open water to be crossedfrom Lower Matecumbe Key to Long Key was 4.83 miles - the secondlongest water expanse to the crossed enroute to Key West. Thedifference between thisexpanse of water and the 7-Mile Bridge area was this expanse was muchshallower,meaning that it could be filled. However, one portion was much too deepto be filled (Channel 5) and the other (Channel 2) was deemed necessaryto be left open to exchange tidal waters between the ocean and thebay. One would think that there would be channels 1, 3 and 4, butI know of no reason for this numbering.
Much of the route that Flagler traveled in December1912 was temporary construction meaning that after the openingceremonies in Key West, William Krome and his constructioncrews had to return to the Upper Keys to build two more concreteviaduct bridges and one drawbridge without interrupting daily operationof the trains at this location. The original wooden trestles were notstrong enough fordaily operation of large locomotives pulling many cars. There were manyother locations to be made permanent.Few realize that for awhile there were two parallel sets of tracks between most of the lowerLower Matecumbe and upper Long Key span area, that the two tracks weremerged and theoriginal wooden trestles removed. Work continued throughout the FECKey West Extension until 1916 before it was totally completed;therefore, it isincorrect to say that the railroad was built in seven years (1905-1912) - 11 years is correct..
To facilitate the construction crews and supportareas, the elbow shaped area now known as Craig Key was at least doublethe width of the typical bridge filled approaches. At the very northernarea of this elbow was also a railroad siding which meant triple landwidth at that site.This was known as"Cook's Siding." For years there was a highway traffic pull off on theoceanside at this area.
Not many details are available for the 1913 to1916 construction period other than a few construction summaries. Itappears that once rail service began in 1912 even though it was overtemporary tracks, the pressure was off, perhaps totally lost, for mediacoverage. A huge problem was that scheduled train traffic could not beinterfered with or dangerous construction efforts undertaken. Theexisting construction equipment wasbuilt to use in open water and not confined areas such as very near theoperational wooden trestles. One advantage was support could be givenfrom either end, the southern Lower Matecumbe site named "Crevasse" orthe northern Long Key site named "Rossmore." The construction reportsindicate that considerable fill was added, but wecan only assume that it was widenedto accommodate the construction facilities as well as the permanent setof bridges/tracks along side of the operational set. It is during thisperiod that I feel a sufficiently wide area was built and buildingsleft for a small fishing operation.
The date is notknown, but some time around 1930 or 1931, Capt. Craig leased theright-of-wayfrom the railroad. After the 1935 hurricane and the remains of therailway system converted to a highway 1937, the State Road Department(SRD) honored the previous lease. Not much is known of this period, butSRD may have repaired some of the facilities to use during the highwaybuilding process. A view of the facilities at Craig Key is shown below.Going back intime, CaptainBuck Starck remarked that in his early days (1920s and 1930s) ofcharteringfishing excursions out of the Royal Palm dock in Miami, Craig was the"Centerof the universe for Miami charter captains." Captain Starck and othersused large 100-foot boats towing their smaller fishing skiffs, andneededsix to eight feet of water to dock for supplies. The only places todock in the Upper Keys were theAngler's Club, Long Key Fishing Camp and Craig. The first two cateredprimarilyto their own members, but Craig had his share of customers from theregular fishermen, celebrities, industrialists and evenpresidents.
TheMiami Herald in an articleabout fish as large as whales on February 20, 1949 stated, " ...Actually, the only camp we know of to boast a regulation whale is R.W.Craig's in the Keys. Poor Ole Craig after years of prevarication', hascome through with a 30-foot finback whale.
"TheDude-F towed the mammal in for pix,then towed it offshore again before the odor exceeded its size. Thisoperation gave Craig an exclusive privilege.
"He is now the only known fishingcamp proprietor in America who can claim - with complete honesty - thatthe fish taken at his place are as big as whales...."
Newspaper columnist, WaterWinchell, paid tribute to Craig in his columns. Craig madeRipley'sBelieve It or Not twice. In 1938 Ripley depicted the small buildingon the left of the highway and telephone/telegraph poles and lines withthe caption "Town Built on a Highway - instead of a Highway Built thruthe Town." In 1947 he pictured a huge wave covering the boat with a manup the mast with and an arrow pointing to "Poor Old Craig."The 1935 census lists Craig with 21 residents. R. W. Craig was listedasmanager/fishery and Mrs. (Dorothy) Craig as postmistress. The Craig'shadtwin daughters, Sally and Suzanne, one and a half years of age on thecensus.Craig was affectionately known as "Poor Old Craig." Stories abound ofhowhe obtained this nickname. His business and his popularity grew and heeven dabbled a little in politics. Craig defeated T. Jenkins Curry, thefirst county commissioner from the Upper Keys, and served in thepositionfrom 1938 to 1942. He was defeated by Harry Harris.
Postal records show the post office at Craig, Florida was establishedon October 19, 1932, discontinued on August 31, 1944 and re-establishedonApril 1, 1946. In August 1954, Postmaster Craig announced that his postoffice would be open 365 days a year, including Sundays and holidays.Local newspapers stated they knew of no other "year around Post Office."Recent rebuilding (2009) of the OverseasHighway by the Florida Department of Transportation removed allremaining traces of Craig, Florida other than the two islands. Forthose who knew, a Florida almond tree was there. The Craig childrentold me how their mother, Dorothy Craig, planted the tree and wateredit daily with the dishwater thrown out with each meal. If there issomething in your life that should be preserved, do it today - at leasttake the first step. Time has no memory.
- The End -
Use BackArrow to return to readingpreviouspage or:
To return to the Specific Locations and Keyshomage,ClickHERE.
