Meet Fred the Tree...

Florida Keys Road Trip | July 28, 2026

Hey Keys lovers! If you've ever driven across the Seven Mile Bridge, you've probably noticed something strange growing out of the old, abandoned bridge running parallel to the highway. This week, we're diving into the story of Fred the Tree, the resilient Australian pine that has become a symbol of hope for the entire island chain. Plus: a massive 450-pound sea turtle rescue, the "poor man's Titanic" that sank off Key West, and the launch of "Keys Season" deals.

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❓ Keys Trivia

What did Ernest Hemingway press into the wet cement of his Key West swimming pool — and why?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

📣 The Mile Marker Roundup

🐢 450-Pound Sea Turtle Rescued
The U.S. Coast Guard and the Turtle Hospital in Marathon teamed up to rescue a massive 450-pound sea turtle found distressed about 7 miles south of Sugarloaf Key. The turtle is currently recovering at the hospital. Read more →

🤝 Duval Donates Raises $30K+
Five Duval Street bars organized the first-ever "Duval Donates" block party, raising over $30,000 in just four hours for Key West Police Officer Mike Pettee and Sheriff's Deputy Tiffany Pettee, who lost their Big Pine home and three dogs in a tragic fire. Read more →

🦎 Three Keys Reptiles Listed as Endangered
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officially listed the Florida Keys mole skink, the Key ring-necked snake, and the rim rock crowned snake as endangered due to habitat loss and sea-level rise. Read more →

🎆 America 250 Florida Keys America-Fest
The City of Marathon is hosting a massive family-friendly celebration at Marathon Community Park on Saturday, August 1, featuring live music, an interactive treasure hunt, and an outdoor screening of National Treasure. Read more →

🌴 Partner Spotlight

Find Your Perfect Stay: FloridaKeysResorts.com

Not sure where to stay in the Florida Keys? That's exactly the problem FloridaKeysResorts.com was built to solve.

The site works as an independent answer engine for where to stay across all five Keys regions — Key West, Islamorada, Marathon, Key Largo, and the Lower Keys. There are no paid placements and no sponsored rankings, just honest, data-driven guidance matched to your trip style.

The logic is simple: Key West for first-timers and nightlife. Marathon for families. Islamorada for couples and upscale dining. Key Largo for diving and reef access. The Lower Keys for quiet escapes and nature. Each region guide walks you through the real decision factors — walkability, dining, nightlife, diving access, and family appeal — so you land in the right place before you ever book a room.

The site also tracks limited-time resort deals, seasonal packages, and direct booking specials that aren't widely advertised, and sends them straight to subscribers.

Find your perfect Keys stay →

🧩 Deep Dive

Fred the Tree: The Florida Keys' Most Famous Resident

If you drive across the modern Seven Mile Bridge connecting Marathon to the Lower Keys, look to your right. Growing straight out of the concrete roadbed of the historic Old Seven Mile Bridge is a nearly 20-foot-tall Casuarina (Australian pine) tree. His name is Fred.

Fred is a botanical miracle. The old bridge, originally built in the early 1900s as part of Henry Flagler's Over-Sea Railroad, has no soil. Locals believe Fred sprouted decades ago from bird droppings — perhaps from a passing osprey — and his roots managed to grow deep into the sand inside the concrete bridge structure. Despite intense sun, constant salt spray, and hurricane-force winds (including a direct hit from Hurricane Irma in 2017), Fred has not only survived; he has thrived.

His name is an acronym created by locals: F.R.E.D., which stands for "For Real Enjoyment Driving." Over the years, he has become a symbol of hope and resilience for the entire island chain. He has a Facebook page with over 234,000 followers, his own clothing line at Bayshore Clothing in Marathon, a children's book written about him, and a song penned by local musician Howard Livingston. He even made a cameo in the opening scene of the 2024 Road House movie remake starring Jake Gyllenhaal.

Because the old bridge is closed to pedestrians and vehicles, Fred is only accessible by boat or helicopter. But that doesn't stop his biggest fans. Every December, a dedicated group of locals known as "Fred's Elves" makes the trek out to the bridge to decorate him with holiday lights, ornaments, and a solar-powered menorah. Recently, a smaller "sister" tree sprouted nearby, and she gets decorated, too.

Next time you're driving over the Seven Mile Bridge, be sure to give Fred a wave. He's the ultimate Conch — stubborn, resilient, and perfectly happy exactly where he is.

🕰️ Lore & Legends

The SS Valbanera: The "Poor Man's Titanic" of the Florida Keys

In September 1919, the Spanish steamship SS Valbanera departed Spain carrying 488 people — 88 crew members and 400 passengers, many of them poor Canarian immigrants seeking a new life in Cuba. The ship made a stop in Santiago de Cuba before sailing to Havana. But when they arrived in Havana harbor, authorities refused to let them dock due to a Spanish flu quarantine.

With a massive hurricane brewing in the Gulf, the captain made the fateful decision to head for New Orleans. On September 9, 1919, the Valbanera sailed directly into the Category 4 Florida Keys Hurricane.

The ship sank near Rebecca Shoal, between Key West and the Dry Tortugas. It went down so fast that no distress signal was ever sent. Days later, searchers found the massive steamship sitting perfectly upright on the bottom in just 40 feet of water. Her mast remained visible above the surface for five years.

Tragically, all 488 people aboard perished, making it one of the worst maritime disasters in Florida history. Because the passengers were mostly working-class immigrants, the tragedy became known as the "poor man's Titanic." The bodies were never recovered, believed to have been swept away by the powerful currents of the Gulf Stream. Today, the wreck rests silently within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, a haunting reminder of the power of the sea.

✅ Trivia Answer

A penny.

When Ernest Hemingway returned to Key West from covering the Spanish Civil War, he discovered that his wife, Pauline, had spent a staggering $20,000 (about $367,000 today) to build the first in-ground swimming pool in Key West. To make matters worse, she built it right over his beloved boxing ring.

Furious at the astronomical cost, Hemingway reportedly took a penny from his pocket, pressed it into the wet cement of the pool deck, and shouted, "You might as well have my last penny!"

You can still see the penny embedded in the cement at the Hemingway Home and Museum today.

Until next week, keep your windows down and your watch off.
— The Florida Keys Road Trip Team

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