Florida became a state in 1845, but the keys weren't officially incorporated until 1870 after they were surveyed by Charles F. Smith. According to locals the key was named after an old settler around 1855, but other documents state the key as being named "Ellis Island before 1855." The early pioneers suffered from clouds of
mosquitos and no-see-ums. They lived in thatched-roofed houses that were regularly mowed down by hurricanes, and were cut off from civilization because the island was only navigable by boat. The FEC built the railroad in 1908, and it brought some prosperity to the area. It connected the island to civilization and opened up an opportunity for a tourism industry, and ease of moving goods such as pineapple, key limes, sponges, charcoal, and shark skins. Grassy Key's first postmaster was appointed on August 26, 1908. He was known as Julius W. Taylor from the Crainlyn Post Office. The original name of the island was Crainlyn after the Crain family. The Crains were the landholders of Grassy Key before being incorporated into Florida. Julius W Taylor was the first person known to advertise tourism to the Grassy Key area. He advertised to the Jacksonville area, stating, "if you were suffering from the Jacksonville heat, come to Grassy key where the ocean and Gulf breezes steadily blow." In 1925, the first highway was completed, with ferry landings to complete the gap between the Lower Matcombe Keys and Key West. With the addition of the highway running through Grassy Key, Ed Neff's Bonefish Lunchroom was built in 1935 complete with gas pumps to accommodate tourists who could now drive to Key West instead of taking a ferry. This highway was nicknamed the Overseas Highway. The first year recorded with a disastrous
hurricane was 1935. This hurricane washed out the lower portion of the Overseas Highway, destroyed the ferry station, and washed the railroad out to sea. Casualties occurred, but the exact numbers are unknown and not very well documented. Most of the casualties were World War I veterans who were housed in tents while they constructed the Overseas Highway bridges. With the rebuilding of the Upper Keys, the railway was abandoned, and telephone lines were incorporated around 1938. During WWII, the Overseas Highway was improved and named
US Route 1. The improvements were made for the Navy Support Services and opened more of the Lower Keys that were previously difficult to reach. Mitzi went through further games and training; later she became known as Flipper from
the movie in 1963. Mitzi died in 1972, and a large memorial was placed on the ground shortly after. Milton sold the training school shortly after Mitzi's death to Wombetco Corporation, which dubbed the school Flipper's Training School. In 1983, Jayne and Armando Rodriguez opened the
Dolphin Research Center as a nonprofit organization; it is still open today at mile marker #59 and is the primary attraction in Grassy Key. ==See also==