Islamorada history

Timeline

1. 1831 — Indian Key. Wrecker Jacob Housman moves to Indian Key, off mile marker 78.5. Once the Keys' second-largest community, it is burned in an 1840 attack.
2. 1873 — Alligator Reef Lighthouse. The offshore lighthouse is built, named for the USS Alligator that ran aground in 1822; it operated until 2014.
3. 1911–1926 — Zane Grey's fishing seasons. The Western novelist fishes from Flagler's Long Key Fishing Camp and co-founds the Long Key Fishing Club.
4. 1912 — The railroad arrives. Henry Flagler's Over-Sea Railroad is completed; the first train reaches Key West on Jan. 22, linking the Keys to the mainland until the 1935 hurricane.
5. 1935 — Labor Day Hurricane. The first Category 5 storm on record to hit the U.S. slams the middle Keys; at least 485 die, including about 260 WWI veterans on Lower Matecumbe Key.
6. 1950s — The rum runner. The cocktail is created at Holiday Isle, a tiki bar in Islamorada.
7. 2005 — History of Diving Museum. The museum opens part-time in 2005 and full-time in 2006.

Sources: Florida Keys: 200 Years of Paradise timeline (Florida Keys & Key West tourism council, with historian Brad Bertelli) · Library of Congress: 1935 Labor Day Hurricane. Checked Oct 9, 2026.

Museums & historic sites

• History of Diving Museum · 82990 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada

  One of the world's largest collections of diving artifacts; check hours before going.

  Hours & admissionDirections