Windily Key Quarry and the Fossilized corals !

(Figure 1)

            Fossilized coral has been sliced and polished over the exterior of buildings throughout South Florida. The source of this beautiful display is from the quarry that resides in the Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park. The quarry was originally opened in 1908 by a man named Henry Flagler (Figure 2), which took place during the construction of the Overseas Railroad. Originally this rich limestone was crushed and supplied the railroad bedding, before becoming the decorative arrangement we have today. While visiting this park, the visitor center was very welcoming and had no intention on ruining the history of the discovered land. The history is important but this land also is highly involved with botany, and geology, and trails that are lined with fossils of corals in the walls of the quarry. Although, the trails are short in length they make up for it with beauty and cultural history.  A lovely stroll through this tropical forest yields a wide variety of tropical plants and offers the possibility of seeing mangrove residents the cuckoo and white-crowned pigeon.

                                   (Figure 2)                                  (Figure 3)

The clean cuts of the quarry machinery reveal the perfectly preserved fossilized specimens of a variety of ancient coral animals (Figure 3). A fun fact of this park is that it offers a rare opportunity to professional geologists and curious visitors to compare the living corals of today with their fossilized ancestors. The limestone cuts also reveal a thin layer of soil that supports the abundant variety of botanical life that thrives in the subtropical environment of the Keys.

The keys are a wonderful place to explore. I highly suggest that if one is ever in the area that they should go and explore the Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park!

Want to learn more about the location of this Park?

Elaborate limestone history.