Created by Florida Railroad Company

According to the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society, the Florida Railroad Company was of great economic importance to Florida, since it served as a cross-state rail shipping route. The Company was incorporated on January 8th, 1853, with an authorized capital of $1,000,000. The proposed route was from Fernandina to Cedar Key. Its first officers were Florida's first U.S. Senator David L. Yulee, President; George W. Call, Secretary and Treasurer; and Martin L. Smith, Chief Engineer. The principal office of the company was at Fernandina. The Florida Railroad initially received a federal land grant of 290,183.28 acres, and a Florida grant of 505,144.14 acres. To help the railroad pay for itself and to help attract new settlers into the area, the state government authorized the Florida Railroad to sell land along its right-of-way. The Florida Land Improvement Society, made up of principal stockholders in the Florida Railroad, was created for the task. Actual construction began in 1855, and was completed in 1860. The line was 155.5 miles long, and the track was imported from England. At the time of completion, the Florida Railroad was considered to have the best equipment in the state with its two passenger cars accommodating 60 persons each, 2 baggage cars, 14 boxcars and 21 flatcars.

By opening up a vast area for development and by furnishing the long awaited coast to coast shipping route, the completion of the Florida Railroad marked a "new era" in the development of the state. However, for various reasons, many citizens opposed the road. Backwoodsmen claimed that turpentine operations, developed as a result of the railroad, ruined their hog ranges, and that the railroad killed their cattle. Farmers' wives claimed that market eggs were broken when carts crossed the tracks.

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