Lower Matecumbe Key is an island in the upper

Florida Keys The Florida Keys are a coral island, coral cay archipelago located off the southern coast of Florida, forming the southernmost part of the continental United States. They begin at the southeastern coast of the Florida peninsula, about south of ...

, United States, located on

U.S. 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway System, United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, ...

between mile markers 75–78. All of the key is within the Village of Islamorada as of November 4, 1997, when it was incorporated. It is home to the main base of the Florida National High Adventure Sea Base. The island lies to the southwest of

Upper Matecumbe Key Upper Matecumbe Key is an island in the upper Florida Keys. U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway) crosses the key at approximately mile markers 79–83.5, between Windley Key and Lower Matecumbe Key. All of the key is within the Village of Islamora ...

, and to the northeast of Craig Key. This key is the site of a number of Indian mounds and middens, most of which were destroyed during the building of the

Overseas Railroad The Overseas Railroad (also known as Florida Overseas Railroad, the Overseas Extension, and Flagler's Folly) was an extension of the Florida East Coast Railway to Key West, a city located beyond the end of the Florida peninsula. Work on the line ...

. A number of natural wells were also located here, at the northeast end of the key. These wells were well known to early seafaring men as the most reliable source of fresh water in the Keys. They, too were destroyed during the railroad era, and the location of their site has been lost. The southwestern end of the key is the site of a former

sand mining Sand mining is the extraction of sand, mainly through an open pit (or sand pit) but sometimes mined from beaches and inland dunes or dredged from ocean and river beds. Sand is often used in manufacturing, for example as an abrasive or in concr ...

operation.

Tourist attractions

A local attraction is

Anne's Beach Anne's Beach is located at Lower Matecumbe Key, Florida. The Islamorada Beach is dedicated to local environmentalist Anne Eaton. There are 2 parking lots approximately 1/4 mile () apart on US-1 at MM 73. Anne's Beach features a shallow swimming ...

, located at mile marker 74 on the east side (oceanside) of the roadway.

Education

It is in the Monroe County School District. The zoned K-8 is Plantation Key School on

Plantation Key Plantation Key is an island in Monroe County, Florida, United States. It is located in the upper Florida Keys on U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway), between Key Largo and Windley Key. All of the key is within the Village of Islamorada as of N ...

.
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References

Islands of the Florida Keys Islands of Monroe County, Florida Beaches of Monroe County, Florida Beaches of Florida Islands of Florida {{monroeCountyFL-geo-stub