Park Key facts for kids
Tiny uninhabited Park Key acts as a natural causeway for US-1
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 Park Key
Location in Florida
Park Key
Location in Caribbean
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Gulf of Mexico |
| Coordinates | 24°39′11″N 81°32′56″W / 24.653°N 81.549°W |
| Archipelago | Florida Keys |
| Adjacent bodies of water | Florida Straits |
| Administration | |
| State | Florida |
| County | Monroe |
Park Key is a small, empty island located in the beautiful Florida Keys. It's about 14 miles (22.5 km) east of Key West. This narrow island is about 1500 meters long and around 190 meters wide on average. It covers an area of about 70 acres (28 hectares).
Contents
What is Park Key?
Park Key is a tiny island that you won't find any people living on. It's part of the Florida Keys, a chain of islands off the coast of Florida. Even though it's small, it plays an important role in connecting the other islands.
How Park Key Was Made
Unlike many natural islands, Park Key was actually built by people. It was created using "fill," which means adding lots of dirt, rock, and other materials to the shallow water. This was done a long time ago to create a solid base.
Building the Railroad
The main reason Park Key was built was to lay down tracks for a railroad. This railroad, called the Overseas Railroad, connected the Florida Keys to the mainland. It was a huge engineering project!
Creating the Overseas Highway
Later, after the railroad was damaged, a road was built on top of the old railroad bed. This road became part of U.S. 1, also known as the Overseas Highway.
Park Key Today
Today, Park Key serves as a vital part of the Overseas Highway. U.S. 1 crosses right over the island. You can find it near mile marker 18, between Lower Sugarloaf Key and Sugarloaf Key. The island acts like a natural bridge, helping cars travel smoothly across the water.
Even though it's an important link in the highway, no one lives on Park Key. It's just a narrow strip of land that helps connect the amazing islands of the Florida Keys.
