Craig Key facts for kids
 Craig Key
Location in Florida
Craig Key
Location in Caribbean
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| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Gulf of Mexico |
| Coordinates | 24°50′16″N 80°45′34″W / 24.8379°N 80.7595°W |
| Administration | |
| State | Florida |
| County | Monroe |
Craig Key is a small island in the middle of the Florida Keys. It's not far from the Gulf of Mexico.
You can find Craig Key at about mile marker 72 on U.S. 1. This road is also known as the Overseas Highway. It connects Craig Key to Lower Matecumbe Key and Fiesta Key.
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Discover Craig Key's History
Craig Key has an interesting past. It wasn't always a natural island.
From Railroad Stop to Island Town
Originally, this spot was called Camp Panama. It was a wider part of the land used for the Overseas Railroad. This railroad was a special path for trains.
Camp Panama was a popular vacation spot. It was also a flag stop on the railroad. This meant a train would only stop there if someone waved a flag to get on or off.
In the early 1930s, a man named Roland W. Craig leased the island. By 1935, the area was known as Craig, Florida. Even former president Herbert Hoover sometimes sailed his yacht from Craig during the 1930s.
The Great Hurricane of 1935
Craig Key is famous for being where the powerful 1935 Labor Day Hurricane first hit land. This storm was incredibly strong.
A captain named Ivar Olsen was on his boat near the island. He recorded the lowest sea-level atmospheric pressure ever measured on land. It was 26.35 inches of mercury (892 mbar). This shows how intense the hurricane was.
The town of Craig was completely destroyed by the storm. But the people there worked hard to rebuild it. After the hurricane, Craig Key became a popular vacation spot once again.
Growing and Changing
At first, Craig Key was just one island. But over time, two more islands were added next to it. These were man-made islands, built by people. One was added in 1955, and another one later on.
In 1971, the name of the town was officially changed to "Craig Key."
