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Considered to be the brains behind John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Co., Henry Morrison Flagler is recognized as one of the most influential individuals in the development of Florida. Following his success as a founding partner of Standard Oil, Flagler built the Jacksonville Terminal and the Florida East Coast Railway between Jacksonville and Key West, leading to the growth of cities such as Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. In addition, he was known for his chain of Gilded Era luxury resort hotels, some of which still remain today. Here are the Gilded Era hotels of Henry Flagler. Hotel Ponce de Leon St. Augustine, Florida
Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/the-gilded-era-hotels-of-henry-flagler/
Hotel Continental is a big loss. Thankfully the St. Augustine hotels never burned. These condos are currently located where the Continental once was:
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If you are ever in South Florida and interested in Flagler or the Gilded Age, check out the Flagler Museum at his old mansion (Whitehall) in Palm Beach. https://flaglermuseum.us/
One interesting thing I learned there is that a lot of winter visitors to the Continental and the St. Augustine hotels would complain that it was barely warmer there than it was in the Northeast. Obviously that wasn't the case all time, but I'm sure there were many times when lows were in the 30's in NE Florida in January/February and not much colder up north. It rarely gets below 50 in South Florida. Flagler then shifted south and the rest is history.
Would have been cool to have the Continental or Royal Palm in Miami still around.