Henry Flagler is a name that ranks among the highest of American royalty.
A contemporary of Asheville’s own George Vanderbilt and co-founder with John D. Rockefeller of Standard Oil, Henry Flagler was arguably one of the richest men in the world at the end of the nineteenth century. His business savvy was matched only by his sense of privacy.
For that reason, historians cannot quite determine the reason why Flagler chose to spend his many millions in his elder age. Certainly, the region of Southern Florida did not have the same investment appeal as did the lands purchased by Standard Oil over the years. Overgrown, swamp infested, and covered with mosquitoes, the southern end of the state was virtually uninhabited before Flagler arrived.
But perhaps Flagler simply believed that if he built it, they would come. He built resort hotels in the middle of swamp land, and called the areas Palm Beach, and Miami. And come they did. Hotel rooms and suites were quickly rented away to the rich and famous of New York, seeking new and trendy locations for their winter getaways.
Then, after the turn of the century, with talks of a new canal being dug through Panama – and the potential opening up of new and popular waterways in the Gulf Coast – Flagler decided that he would single-handedly turn Key West (already a busy city in its own right) into the most prosperous deep water port in America.
“Last Train to Paradise” follows Flagler – and thousands of hired hands – in their journey to build a railway to the sea. In the process, workers encounter alligators, disease, hurricanes, and swampland, but are also instrumental in creating one of the greatest architectural achievements seen at the time.
An exciting read, and a fascinating history lesson, “Last Train to Paradise” is a refreshing summer adventure that transports readers to (almost literally) the ends of the earth.
