The Florida Keys are beautiful and unique, and that makes them very popular with tourists. There aren’t a lot of little-known places left to discover. One of the most historic places on the island, however, is hiding in plain sight.

Pigeon Key was used to house workers on Henry Flagler’s Overseas Railroad, an over 100-mile extension of the Florida East Coast Railway that connected Miami to Key West.

Today, the 5-acre island nestled under the old Seven Mile Bridge (at the 45-mile marker) is only accessible by ferry or a 2-mile walk on the old highway (though at the time of this writing the ramp is closed for repairs). The island and its historic structures are maintained by a non-profit, the Pigeon Key Foundation, devoted to preserving the history of the Keys. Some of these buildings provided housing for the hundreds of railroad workers living here in the early 1900s.

So what is there to do on this little island? Stop by the Assistant Bridge Tender’s House to see the small museum stocked with photographs and artifacts from the island’s past. Historical tours of the island’s remaining structures are given daily. Visitors also enjoy fishing, snorkeling (bring your own gear), and relaxing with a picnic lunch in this quiet little corner of paradise.

Check out the photos below for a glimpse of Pigeon Key:

Flickr/Florida Keys–Public Libraries Houses on Pigeon Key, circa 1940.

An aerial view of Pigeon Key and the Seven Mile Bridge in 1938.

Flickr/Shiny Things Pigeon Key and the old Seven Mile Bridge.

TripAdvisor/Joseph M The view of the old Seven Mile Bridge taken near the ramp on Pigeon Key.

TripAdvisor/Joseph M One of several historic structures in the Pigeon Key Historic District.

Flickr/Herb Neufeld The old Assistant Bridge Tender’s House, now a small museum.

TripAdvisor/Joseph M The dock is the best place for fishing and snorkeling on Pigeon Key.

TripAdvisor/901adventurechick The Pigeon Key Visitor Center & Gift Shop, housed in an old railroad car.

Planning a trip to the Keys? Check out 10 Things You Can Only Do In The Florida Keys.

Flickr/Florida Keys–Public Libraries

Houses on Pigeon Key, circa 1940.

An aerial view of Pigeon Key and the Seven Mile Bridge in 1938.

Flickr/Shiny Things

Pigeon Key and the old Seven Mile Bridge.

TripAdvisor/Joseph M

The view of the old Seven Mile Bridge taken near the ramp on Pigeon Key.

One of several historic structures in the Pigeon Key Historic District.

Flickr/Herb Neufeld

The old Assistant Bridge Tender’s House, now a small museum.

The dock is the best place for fishing and snorkeling on Pigeon Key.

TripAdvisor/901adventurechick

The Pigeon Key Visitor Center & Gift Shop, housed in an old railroad car.

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