1940 Florida Keys Highway, Key West FL Postcard

About This Vintage Postcard

Experience the architectural wonder of the Florida Keys with this breathtaking panoramic view of the original Oversea Highway. Titled "looking S. W. from Lower Matecumbe," this card captures the early engineering marvel that connected the remote islands to the mainland. The scene depicts the highway utilizing the historic arched concrete bridges originally constructed for Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway. This iconic route, often called "The Highway that Goes to Sea," transformed the Florida Keys into a world-class tourist destination, offering travelers an unparalleled driving experience through the turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

Details

Era: Linen (circa 1940)
City: Lower Matecumbe Key
State or Region: Florida Keys
Country: United States
Topic: Oversea Highway and Bridges
Condition: Uncirculated
Postage: None
Address Side: Divided Back
Orientation: Horizontal (Landscape)
Artist / Photographer: Unknown
Publisher: Tichnor Bros., Inc., Boston, Mass.
Printer: Tichnor Bros., Inc., Boston, Mass.
Print Type: Lithograph

Additional Information

The back of this card describes the New Overseas Highway as an "engineering marvel" built over the old Florida East Coast Railway viaducts. It highlights how this connection eliminated a 20-mile ferry gap, allowing traffic to move unimpeded between Key West and the mainland. This card is a "Tichnor Quality View," identifiable by the printer's credit in the center divider and the production number 57384 in the lower-left corner. The stamp box, which specifies "Place One Cent Stamp Here," along with the series number, dates this lithographic printing to the early 1940s.