For years tiny Pigeon Key, located 2 miles west of Marathon (basically below the Old Seven Mile Bridge), housed the rail workers and maintenance men who built the infrastructure that connected the Keys. Today you can tour the structures of this National Historic District or relax on the beach and get in some snorkeling. Buy tickets from the Pigeon Key Visitor Center at Mile 47.5 on the main highway; boats leave from the pier in back – parking is available at the Hyatt Place next door.
Restoration is underway on the 2-mile stretch of the Old Seven Mile Bridge that connects Marathon to Pigeon Key. Once complete (perhaps by 2021), visitors will be able to walk or bike to the island along this historic former rail line.
