Florida East Coast Railway, Model Land Company and the Flagler System

Tycoon Henry Morrison Flagler began developing the Florida East Coast Railway in 1885. He initially bought and merged multiple existing railways, but in 1892 he began building his own rail line down the Atlantic coast. In 1895 his railway was incorporated under the name Florida East Coast Railway Company. In the early 1890s Flagler had been encouraged to extend his railway south to Miami by Julia Tuttle. The Expedition was completed with backing from tycoon Henry Plant, and Henry Flagler or the Florida East Coast Railway is not mentioned in the Expedition record or other accounts. However, it was Henry Flagler who became the leading developer of South Florida and not Plant. After James E. Ingraham reported on the results of the Expedition and the favorable conditions he found on the east coast, he was hired by Flagler and became instrumental in the expansion of Flagler's railroad and hotel system down the east coast. From 1892 until 1897 Ingraham was employed by Flagler in various positions, and from 1897 to 1899 he served as a vice president and land commissioner for the Florida East Coast Railway. After the turn of the century, he served as president of Flagler's Model Land Company and as an officer of several small land companies organized by Flagler. Both Ingraham and Flagler developed much of Florida's Atlantic coast, promoted land sales and spurred the growth of towns in Florida for several years. In 1912 the Florida East Coast Railway ended its southern expansion at Key West via the Over-Sea Railroad.

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For other topics referenced in the Expedition texts, please refer to the Index to Subjects and Names.
1892 Everglades Exploration Expedition : Three Digital Texts, 2015