Hurricane Monument
Hurricane Monument
4
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monument to the hundreds who died in the Great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935.
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4.0
268 reviews
Excellent
115
Very good
86
Average
56
Poor
10
Terrible
1
Keith S
Charleston, SC20 contributions
Dec 2019
How could you not give five stars to a sacred monument honoring so many innocent victims of such a horrible tragedy? This monument is not just hallowed ground, but it is truly educational as well. We can see how the dreaded event of an Atlantic hurricane took countless lives but also may have been magnified by financial greed as well. At the least, it was a result of ignorance and lack of the kind of information that is available today. The Hurricane Monument is free to everyone. Why not see it with your family or your friends?
Written 22 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Localgirl252
Menomonee Falls, WI150 contributions
Jan 2020
This keystone monument contains the ashes of WWI veterans who were working to build Henry Flagler’s overseas railroad. Because it was Labor Day weekend, the train sent from mainland Florida to rescue the workers was delayed. On September 2 1935 a tremendous hurricane wiped out Lower Matecumbe Key killing the veterans waiting to be rescued. Winds of 200 mph and a 18’ total surge crossed the Key.
Written 3 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sharolyn H
Cape Coral, FL269 contributions
Jan 2023
I wasn't sure what to expect but to find out this is basically a cemetery with over 300 people buried here kind of blew me away. This was before they named hurricanes. It is the Labor Day storm of September 2, 1935. This is a emotionally moving memorial I want to buy the book and learn more about it, especially after just going through IAN.
Written 18 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sue L
Myrtle Beach, SC831 contributions
Apr 2022
Area was in pristine condition. A very informative monument recognizing the fate of many who lost their lives during this hurricane. We didn't have an issue with finding a parking spot, I'm sure because of the time of day we visited. A definite to see.
Written 15 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bean3
Captiva Island, FL5,315 contributions
I mean no disrespect to those who lost their life to this horrible hurricane. If you are making a special trip to see this. Don't.
This was on our list of things we really wanted to see based on reading about it in travel books. We stayed in Islamorada and drove past this several times without realizing it was there. It is right on highway 1 and is a very small patch of land with a small momument.
I would suggest buying one of the keys history books covering the details of the hurricane instead of making the trek.
This was on our list of things we really wanted to see based on reading about it in travel books. We stayed in Islamorada and drove past this several times without realizing it was there. It is right on highway 1 and is a very small patch of land with a small momument.
I would suggest buying one of the keys history books covering the details of the hurricane instead of making the trek.
Written 30 April 2007
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tarch88
Chicago, IL60 contributions
Feb 2018 • Solo
Worth the effort to find this hurricane memorial on the ocean side of the road (approx. mile marker 81). The use of the local Keys stone is fantastic. Read the story of the tragedy and who is buried under the memorial. Parking is on the side road. Read the stone marker plaque and take a local mile marker brochure and track down the areas other little treasures.
Written 3 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Raleigh T
Palm Harbor, Florida, United States32 contributions
Jul 2014 • Friends
A 'must stop' to those who are interested in Florida's history. To me, this is a part of what I call 'Real Florida'... part of the good and not so good that IS Florida. A story of those desperate to find work, mostly WW1 vets, that braved horrible conditions, heat, Mosquitos and Nature itself to carve a railroad across the ocean, and paid with their lives waiting for a rescue train that never arrived. A look beyond Wally-World, Dolphin shows and glitzy beach resorts to glimpse a part of the hardships, sweat and blood that the true Pioneers lived every day. As a 6th Generation Floridian, that has been thru a number of Hurricanes, I HAD to stop and pay my respects, and a prayer, that those who came before us and paid with their lives never be forgotten. A solumn reminder that the 'Real Florida' has a side that can be very deadly indeed. A Memorial that is easy to miss, but hard to forget. Please don't miss it!
Written 4 May 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lobstaluva
Springfield, MA620 contributions
Dec 2018 • Friends
Located on the East side at mile marker 81.5 is this lovely white memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives in the 1935 hurricane. This was the first category 5 storm to ever hit the US and it took the lives of over 400 people..... the exact number varies. The memorial is listed on the US Register of Historic Places. It is primarily made of coral limestone quarried from the Keys, and one can easily see the fossil remains in most of the stones.
A crypt was dug down to the bedrock and contains the cremated remains and bones of about 300 victims. The crypt rises above the steps. Its cover has 22 feet of inlaid tiles depicting a map of the Keys from Largo to Marathon. Matecumbe is in the middle, the area hit hardest.
Above the crypt is the 18 foot high marker also of local stone. It has a bronze plaque and a controversial relief of bending palms in a tidal wave (are the trees bending in the right direction?). Below and behind the memorial are two well done signs detailing the evolution of the storm on one and information about the monument on the other. Victims names are listed and where they are buried. Almost half were World War I veterans! Are you curious why? The sign will tell you. It’s a free stop and parking is available on the righthand side of the monument on the side street.
A crypt was dug down to the bedrock and contains the cremated remains and bones of about 300 victims. The crypt rises above the steps. Its cover has 22 feet of inlaid tiles depicting a map of the Keys from Largo to Marathon. Matecumbe is in the middle, the area hit hardest.
Above the crypt is the 18 foot high marker also of local stone. It has a bronze plaque and a controversial relief of bending palms in a tidal wave (are the trees bending in the right direction?). Below and behind the memorial are two well done signs detailing the evolution of the storm on one and information about the monument on the other. Victims names are listed and where they are buried. Almost half were World War I veterans! Are you curious why? The sign will tell you. It’s a free stop and parking is available on the righthand side of the monument on the side street.
Written 24 December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jeff p
Arlington, VA12 contributions
Jan 2021
Interesting monument. Several years ago, there was a book ‘the storm of the century’ which was about this 1935 hurricane.
Written 20 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dmartin12019
Lewisburg, PA10 contributions
Jan 2020
Nothing great to see. THere is a plaque that explains about a big hurricane that came through and killed lots of people. Nice for a little history lesson.
Written 5 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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