• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Florida Hikes logo

Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

  • Trails
  • Maps
  • Guidebooks
  • Search
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
Indian Key

Indian Key: An unusual ghost town

John takes a trip back in time with Florida Keys historian Brad Bertelli to discover the layers of history found on Indian Key, once the county seat of Dade County

August 9, 2015    John Keatley

825 shares

Every time I make my way south along US 1 in the Florida Keys, I find myself dreaming about sitting at anchor in the beautiful blue water behind one of the many islands.

At the same time, I wonder how many of those islands have been home to someone.

Perhaps an ancient Indian tribe, or some hardy pioneer, putting down roots long before Henry Flagler ever thought of building a railroad through Florida.

For today’s adventure in the Keys, I paddle a kayak from Robbies Marina out to Indian Key alongside Brad Bertelli, a local historian and guide. He knows this island better than most. And he has made it his personal quest to learn as much as he can from the aging historians of the northern Keys.

Paddling with Brad
Paddling with Brad from Robbies Marina

We paddle into a small cove and pull our boats up on the shore, joining a few others who are exploring the island. To my surprise, from the beach we come to a neatly kept path with hand made street signs. Walking to the dock, I realize that these paths seem to be in a grid on the island.

Iron ranger
Yes, an admission fee is required on Indian Key

At the dock, I find an “Iron Ranger,” the small lockable drop boxes for leaving fees while visiting unmanned State Parks and facilities. It made me chuckle. I never would have expected to need cash while visiting an island by kayak. But Indian Key is also Indian Key State Park.

One of the well-maintained trails on Indian Key
One of the well-maintained trails on Indian Key

Brad walked me through the island and its long history. In the early 1700s, one of the ships in the Spanish treasure fleet was wrecked on the Florida reefs by a hurricane.

The survivors camped on this Island until they were rescued. Later, the island would be used as as a base camp for fisherman, turtle hunters, and loggers.

Nice view towards Tea Table Key
Nice view towards Tea Table Key

Indian Key was not permanently inhabited until the 1820s. By the 1830s, there was a thriving community. In 1836, it became the county seat of the newly formed Dade County.

A court house was built and a post office soon followed. The thriving town eventually had a three story warehouse, a two story hotel, two stores, and dozens of individual residences. Only Key West was a larger outpost in these islands.

Ruins in the old town
Ruins in the old town

After the start of the Second Seminole War, most of the Keys were abandoned by pioneer settlers. Only the people of Key West and Indian Key remained.

Cannons were brought to the island, and a small militia formed to protect the island and its residents.

On August 7, 1840, a band of Indians snuck onto the island. Luckily, a resident sounded an alarm and most of the people living on the island escaped.

The Indians set fire to the town, and killed a half dozen people, including one prominent resident, botanist Henry Perrine.

For the next century, hurricanes erased what was left of the abandoned town. Only the rubble of stone foundations, a couple of gravesites, and several large cisterns remain.

Agave plants
The tall agave plants were first planted on Indian Key by Dr. Perrine

The pathway around and through the island leads you to the remains of many of these early structures. Each has an interpretive sign.

Near the center of the island, the Florida Park Service erected an observation tower, giving you a rare view of the island from above.

View from tower
View from the observation tower

Walking back to our kayaks, I could only imagine what life was like for those living here. Cut off from the mainland of Florida, with only boats for transportation.

This was a pioneer life that I had never given much thought to.

One of the Keys
So many Keys, so little time

It was an easy paddle back to Robbies Marina. This was my first kayak paddle in the Keys and it was beautiful.

And a very pleasant surprise to learn so much history about a little 11 acre island that thousands of people drive past daily, with no idea that there is a ghost town only a short paddle away.

If You Go

Indian Key is located offshore from Lower Matecumbe Key in Islamorada. It can only be reached by boat. Arrange for a kayak rental at Robbie’s Marina. There is a $2.50 per person state park admission fee, payable at the dock. The island is open during daylight hours only.

Learn more about Brad Bertelli’s Indian Key Walking Tour

Rent your kayak at Robbies Marina

Category: Articles, Ecotours, Paddling, Southeast Florida, TravelTag: Atlantic Ocean, Featured Articles, Florida Keys, Florida State Parks, Historic Sites, Indian Key State Park, Islamorada, Overseas Heritage Trail

Reader Interactions

Have an update? Contact us.

Primary Sidebar

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA OVERVIEW
East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida Trail

Big Pine Key. Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coral Gables. Davie. Delray Beach. Northeast Everglades Natural Area . Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Islamorada. Jensen Beach. Jupiter. Juno Beach. Key Biscayne. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Miami. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Overseas Heritage Trail. Palm Beach. Port St. Lucie. Redland. Sebastian. Stuart. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach

Our Newest Books

The Florida Trail Guide

The Florida Trail GuideOur definitive guidebook to planning backpacking trips on the Florida National Scenic Trail, now in its fourth edition. Full data charts and maps. B&W, 356 pages. $19.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Florida Trail Hikes

Florida Trail Hikes 2nd edition coverFifty of the best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Discovering the Florida Trail

Florida Trail mini coffee table book cover of trail into palm hammock
A visual journey the length of the Florida Trail, covering more than 1,500 miles from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach. Hardcover, 196 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now
 


50 Hikes in Central Florida 3rd edition
Five Star Trails Orlando guidebook
Explorer's Guide North Florida & The Panhandle guidebook

Florida Trail Apps

Farout GuidesFarout Guides Comprehensive logistics and offline maps for the
Florida National Scenic Trail (1,500 miles), the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail (108 miles), and the ECT Florida Connector (92 miles).

Explore More

Our recent park & trail updates in this region

Well worn path through a wet pine flatwoods landscape

DuPuis Loop Trail

DuPuis Loop Trail
Bike along bike path in greenway

East Coast Greenway Stuart

East Coast Greenway Stuart
Nature trail in pine-palm forest

Gomez Preserve

Gomez Preserve
Hiker in red against mangroves on boardwalk

Peck Lake Park

Peck Lake Park

Footer

FIND A TRAIL OR PARK

NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. Crestview. DeFuniak Springs. Destin. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Fort Walton Beach. Freeport. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Navarre Beach . Niceville. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Quincy. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

NORTH FLORIDA
Alachua. Amelia Island. Baldwin. Branford. Bunnell. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Crescent City. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Gainesville. Green Cove Springs. High Springs. Jacksonville. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler.Lake City. Live Oak. Mayo. Macclenny. Micanopy. Olustee. Orange Park. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Perry. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Welaka. White Springs. Williston

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo

MULTI-REGION
Big Cypress Swamp. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail

CENTRAL FLORIDA
Apopka. Belleview. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Christmas. Chuluota. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. Daytona Beach. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Frostproof. Geneva. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Lakeland. Largo. Leesburg. Longwood. Melbourne. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Ocala. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Orlando. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Palm Bay. Ridge Manor. Sanford. Silver Springs. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. St. Petersburg. Tampa. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Bradenton . Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Englewood. Estero. Fort Myers. Immokalee. Naples. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda. Sanibel Island. Sarasota. Venice

SOUTH FLORIDA
Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Clewiston. Everglades City. Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. LaBelle. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Pahokee. Port Mayaca. Sebring. South Bay

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
Big Pine Key. Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coral Gables. Davie. Delray Beach. Northeast Everglades Natural Area. Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Islamorada. Jensen Beach. Jupiter. Juno Beach. Key Biscayne. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Miami. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Overseas Heritage Trail. Palm Beach. Port St. Lucie. Redland. Sebastian. Stuart. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach

  • Trails
  • Parks
  • Beaches
  • Gardens
  • Springs
  • Ecotours
  • Attractions
©2006-2023, Sandra Friend & John Keatley | Disclosure | Site Index | Work with Us | Advertise with Us
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy | Florida Hikes PO Box 93 Mims FL 32754| Contact