The growth of railroads in Florida
before the Civil War was limited to a few companies who
tried to connect major cities with cities in other states.
It was perhaps the lack of railroads in Florida that made
the state less of a battleground than other Confederate
States. But after the Civil War, the growth of railroads
exploded. The major cities of Florida were connected in
the 1880s as the Louisville and Nashville Railroad expanded
throughout the South, and the development of the East Coast
Line by Henry Flagler led to the development of cities like
Miami, Palm Beach, and the introduction of Florida as a
tourism destination.
While there is less reliance on railroads as a major source
of transportation today, they still remain an important element
in today's society and in the development of Florida infrastructure.
Some works relate the history of railroads across the state,
and there are also directories and pamphlets related to the
railway system.
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