| Located on Key Vaca, Marathon was once a base camp for Henry Flagler's railroad. Pigeon Key, the historic old Railroad Island, located in the middle of the famous Old Seven Mile Bridge, was the location of the work camp and village for the hardy souls that constructed, operated and maintained the bridge itself, and is currently undergoing restoration of the historic buildings. Having since grown into a sizable resort area -- sportfishing being the primary reason -- Marathon boasts what amounts to the world's longest fishing pier. Twelve miles of former bridges, closed to automobile traffic since the 1982 Overseas Highway renovation, beckon to avid bridge anglers. One of the Keys' two airports is located in Marathon (MM52) as well as a nine-hole golf course (at Key Colony Beach), sport resorts, and a resident population of more than 11,000. It's from here that travelers begin their breathtaking drive on the Seven Mile Bridge, a vantage point unsurpassed for taking in the sheer sweep of the Straits of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico Duck Key, a 300 acre natural island only 8 miles north of Marathon is home to Hawk's Cay Resort. A wide range of restaurants and accommodations provides visitors with places to eat and sleep. Superb sunsets, immaculate beaches, and refreshing saltwater swimming are some of the free pleasures in this area. Text by SEE Magazines | 
