HUTCHINSON ISLAND, Fla. – Florida Power & Light Company’s Energy Encounter, located at the St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant, will feature a special presentation on Florida’s Miami to Key West railway on Wednesday, March 21 at 10 a.m. Dan Gallagher, former college professor and author, will detail the construction of the railroad at the center’s Wonderful Wednesday program series for adults.

From 1905 through 1916, thousands of laborers and engineers engaged in an amazing construction project – building a railroad from Miami to Key West. Every mile of the Key West Extension brought new surprises for the construction team before they were able to put the line in place for passenger service by 1912. Key West became the southernmost rail-steamer connection in the United States.

Dan Gallagher, an 18-year veteran of the Florida Keys, has amassed an amazing collection of photographs of the progress of the construction. In 2003 he published Florida’s Great Ocean Railway - Building the Key West Extension.  In his Wonderful Wednesday presentation, Dan will trace the route, the building of the major bridges, and stories of the life and times of the workers in the Keys. As Dan gives his presentation, he will demonstrate some of the clever engineering tasks as he builds a model bridge for the audience.

To register for this program or for additional information, please call the Energy Encounter at 1-877-FPL-4FUN or 772-468-4111. Interested visitors can also contact the Energy Encounter by e-mail at Energy_Encounter@FPL.com.  

For more information on FPL’s Energy Encounter and the calendar of special events, call toll-free at 1-877-FPL-4FUN or visit us on the web at www.FPL.com/encounter.

Florida Power & Light Company is the principal subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc. (NYSE: FPL), nationally known as a high quality, efficient and customer-driven organization focused on energy-related products and services. With annual revenues of nearly $16 billion and a growing presence in 26 states, FPL Group is widely recognized as one of the country's premier power companies. Florida Power & Light Company serves 4.4 million customer accounts in Florida. FPL Energy, Inc., FPL Group's energy-generating subsidiary, is a leader in producing electricity from clean and renewable fuels. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.FPL.com, www.FPLGroup.com and www.FPLEnergy.com.