Discover The Coral Castle Near Miami Florida

Located at 28655 S. Dixie Hwy. in a little town called Homestead Florida not 35 miles south of Miami lies one of the strangest and most amazing tourist attractions not only in the state of Florida but in the United States.

This place is called the Coral Castle. It was built by one man over a period of 20 years. His name was Edward Leedskalnin. He dedicated his life to creating this 1100 tons structure of coral to a person that he loved who did not love him.

As the story goes, and Leedskalnin was engaged to be married to his sweetheart named Agnes Scuffs. Ed was infatuated with her and affectionately called her his “Sweet 16″. Ed called her this because he was 26 years old at the time and she was nearly 16.

On the day before the wedding, Agnes dealt a low blow to Ed telling him that she no longer wanted to marry him. Speculation has brought a possible theories that his fourth-grade education or his lack of money may have been motivating factors.

Whatever the reason was, this was a very life changing event for Ed Leedskalnin. It cost him to pack up and leave his hometown in Latvia and journey across the ocean to Canada to start his new life.

They say that Ed wondered about for several years. He began his journey in Canada and later moved into California and Texas. He worked at several types of jobs including cattle drives and working in the lumber camps of Northern California.

Those that have seen the Coral Castle in Homestead believe that these very laborious jobs made Ed into a very strong man and allowed him to move the 1100 tons of coral that would eventually be known as the Coral Castle. The story seems to be in contrast to the fact that he developed tuberculosis and nearly died after contracting it.

It only weighed 100 pounds and was a mere 5 foot in height. A realtor in the Florida city area actually helped him recover from tuberculosis. Afterwards, he purchased a single acre of land for $12 and began to make the Coral Castle.

Ed had a very noble idea of what it meant to come to America. He believes that the United States was the land of opportunity and that a person could find their place and become famous by working hard and staying on task. Based upon this belief, and his love for Agnes, he began the construction of the Coral Castle with the coral that was only a few inches under the topsoil of the land that he had purchased.

In this particular part of Florida, the coral is several thousand feet in depth. He had plenty of material to work with and he began right away. Dedicating this initial creation to his Sweet Sixteen, and began history into the miraculous creating domestic coral works of art such as chairs, beds, and tables, all weighing several tons a piece.

What is even more miraculous is that except for a few pictures but Ed allowed to be taken of him, no one ever saw him working. To this day, no one knows how Edward Leedskalnin extracted, carved, moved, and positioned the coral artifacts that you can see today.

It created many amazing coral pieces including what is called the Polaris telescope. It is a single piece of coral that is so perfectly carved and positioned that you can look through a triangular eyepiece and see the Northstar every night.

Edward Leedskalnin died in’51. No one ever found out his secret for moving blocks of coral that way sometimes in excess of 30 tons. Regardless of how he did it, it is an amazing structure to behold.

It is literally only a 30 minute drive from Miami. Take an hour out of your day to not only see one of the most amazing tourist attractions in South Florida. You will not be disappointed and you will be left completely amazed.

Find out more information on the Coral Castle today

Check Out The Coral Castle in South Florida

Located at 28655 S. Dixie Hwy. in a little town called Homestead Florida not 35 miles south of Miami lies one of the strangest and most amazing tourist attractions not only in the state of Florida but in the United States.

This place is called the Coral Castle. It was built by one man over a period of 20 years. His name was Edward Leedskalnin. He dedicated his life to creating this 1100 tons structure of coral to a person that he loved who did not love him.

As the story goes, and Leedskalnin was engaged to be married to his sweetheart named Agnes Scuffs. Ed was infatuated with her and affectionately called her his “Sweet 16″. Ed called her this because he was 26 years old at the time and she was nearly 16.

On the day before the wedding, Agnes told Ed that she did not want to marry him anymore. Many theories have arisen for her rejection of him. Some say that he was too poor for her standards. Others believe that it was his lack of education having only gone to school up until the fourth grade.

Regardless of the reason, this event changed the course of Ed’s life. He decided to pack up everything that he had in his hometown of Latvia and journey to Canada to start a new life.

It is said to have wandered for many years, working at lumber camps throughout Canada and California. He ended up working on cattle drives which took Edward into Texas.

Those that have seen the Coral Castle and its megalithic sized stone structures can imagine that perhaps Edward Leedskalnin was a very strong man. This is in contrast to the fact that he almost died from tuberculosis before ever creating his coral home.

It only weighed 100 pounds and was a mere 5 foot in height. A realtor in the Florida city area actually helped him recover from tuberculosis. Afterwards, he purchased a single acre of land for $12 and began to make the Coral Castle.

One of the reasons that most immigrants come to America is that they believe that our country is the land of opportunity and that through hard work and determination you can create a successful life of your own. This belief, and his love for his Sweet 16, caused Ed to begin though they Coral Castle.

This area of Florida has several thousand feet of coral extended beneath the topsoil. This provided with plenty of working material to create his coral home which consisted of chairs, beds, and interesting artifacts all made out of coral stone.

The mystery of Ed Leedskalnin is that no one ever found out his secret. No witness ever saw him move a single piece of coral and place or cut it into pieces that they became.

There are many amazing structures at the Coral Castle. One of which is the 9 Ton Gate which is a single piece of coral that is perfectly balanced that a child can push it with her finger causing it to turn.

Therefore, despite his nearly fatal illness, Ed arose from the ashes of his previous life and created the amazing structure that tens of thousands of people visit each and every year. It is well worth taking the time to visit and admire this amazing coral structure created by one man’s devotion and love to a woman that did not love him.

It is literally only a 30 minute drive from Miami. Take an hour out of your day to not only see one of the most amazing tourist attractions in South Florida. You will not be disappointed and you will be left completely amazed.

Find out more information on the Coral Castle today

Ed Leedskalnin – Florida Tourist Attractions Have A Modern Day Marvel

Located at 28655 S. Dixie Hwy. in a little town called Homestead Florida not 35 miles south of Miami lies one of the strangest and most amazing tourist attractions not only in the state of Florida but in the United States.

The Coral Castle Castle was originally called Rock Gate Park. It was built by one man working by himself for over 20 years. From 1920 until 1940, Edward Leedskalnin, more commonly known in the South Florida area as Ed, dedicated most of his adult life to creating this megalithic wonder.

Edward Leedskalnin came to America after courting the love of his life in the country of Latvia. After being rejected before his wedding day, Ed left his homeland in search of something better. Although some say he was motivated to build the Coral Castle to prove his love to the woman that he had lost, there is more behind the mystery, something that borders on the fringe of reality and fantasy.

On the day before the wedding, Agnes told Ed that she did not want to marry him anymore. Many theories have arisen for her rejection of him. Some say that he was too poor for her standards. Others believe that it was his lack of education having only gone to school up until the fourth grade.

Ed was a simple man. He had wanted to start a family with Agnes Scuffs, his “Sweet Sixteen” that jilted him the day before their betrothal for one of many popularized reasons. Some say that she rejected Ed because he was too poor and could not support her needs. Other possibilities are that Ed was too old for Agnes, who was 10 years younger, or that he only had a fourth-grade education. Whatever the reason, this rejection set Ed on an epic journey that would lead him to create a structure that modern scientists cannot replicate today.

It is said that Edward Leedskalnin wandered about for several years. After making his way to Canada, he then moved down into California and eventually arrived in Texas. He worked several types of jobs including the lumber camps in Canada and California. He is said to have also been part of at least one cattle drive in Texas.

For the many thousands that have seen the Coral Castle, one might think that it was the creation of someone who is well acquainted with engineering and was strong enough to move and manipulate several thousand tons of coral. Edward sadly developed a near fatal case of tuberculosis, an illness that would lead them toward an oncoming destiny.

Weighing only 100 pounds and standing a mere 5 feet tall, with the help of a local realtor and his life, Edward Leedskalnin fully recovered from his tuberculosis. Between the years 1918 in 1920, had purchased a single acre of ground in Florida City from the realtor that helped save his life. He purchased it for $12 and began to work his magic with coral.

Ed had a very noble idea of what it meant to come to America. He believes that the United States was the land of opportunity and that a person could find their place and become famous by working hard and staying on task. Based upon this belief, and his love for Agnes, he began the construction of the Coral Castle with the coral that was only a few inches under the topsoil of the land that he had purchased.

Today, this 30 ton obelisk stands waiting for everyone to see in Homestead, Florida, the final destination of what we all now call the Coral Castle. Florida has many areas where the coral runs several thousand feet thick, and is easily accessible buying just a few inches beneath the topsoil. Although many of Ed’s earlier creations seemed to have a domestic appearance, the Coral Castle is much more than the potential housing for a wife and children that he would never have. It’s astronomical precision seems to hold a clue to its true purpose and genius.

Although it has been said that no one ever saw Edward Leedskalnin working, there are several pictures that can be seen that show Ed at work apparently using enormous tripods with a black box attached to the top of them. Enormous pulleys seem to be aiding in the excavation of the Coral at the Homestead site. Unfortunately, researchers such as Christopher Dunn have shown that based upon the photographic evidence, and the primitive tools left behind which can be seen at the Coral Castle today, there is no way that this is the answer to the 1100 ton question.

One of Ed’s greatest creations is a single piece of coral called the Obelisk which weighs nearly 30 tons, stands 40 feet above the ground, and rests in the 6 foot deep hole. Today, modern engineers and modern equipment would be unable to duplicate what Ed was able to do with simple tools over 70 years ago. His secrets died with him in Miami in 1951, secrets that still puzzle modern engineers today.

This particular coral artifact stopped spinning during the 1980s and it took several engineers, several workers, and a 60 ton crane to try to repair the door. Today, it still pivots back-and-forth but even with the modern equipment and modern engineering techniques that we have today, the university of Miami Florida and its best engineers were unable to replicate what Ed did in just a matter of days with no help.

There are many notable tourist attractions throughout Florida including the Miami Seaquarium, Parrot Jungle Island, and Barnacle Historic State Park. However, if you do have a spare couple of hours and are in the Miami or Homestead area, take a trip to the Coral Castle and take one of their tours. You will be amazed by what you see, and ponder for days, or even years, how one person was able to move and carve such enormous blocks of coral. The Coral Castle is a place that you will never forget, and that engineers may never be able to comprehend.

This Little Known Miami Tourist Attraction Weighs Over 1100 Tons

Almost at the tip of southern Florida is an amazing structure that has garnered the attention of tens of thousands of visitors each and every year. Located just over 30 miles of Miami Florida exists one of the most amazing and mind altering tourist attractions in the world. Compared most often to Stonehenge in England, this megalithic marvel rests on the side of the South Dixie Highway as you travel to the Keys

Originally called “Rock Gate Park”, the Coral Castle is a complex built entirely of coral. Its builder, Edward Leedskalnin, constructed this structure over a 20 year period from 1920 until about 1940. Standing only 5 feet tall and weighing a mere 100 pounds, the mystery and the secrets behind the Coral Castle and its builder still confound experts today.

Edward Leedskalnin came to America after courting the love of his life in the country of Latvia. After being rejected before his wedding day, Ed left his homeland in search of something better. Although some say he was motivated to build the Coral Castle to prove his love to the woman that he had lost, there is more behind the mystery, something that borders on the fringe of reality and fantasy.

On the day before the wedding, Agnes told Ed that she did not want to marry him anymore. Many theories have arisen for her rejection of him. Some say that he was too poor for her standards. Others believe that it was his lack of education having only gone to school up until the fourth grade.

Whatever the reason was, this was a very life changing event for Ed Leedskalnin. It cost him to pack up and leave his hometown in Latvia and journey across the ocean to Canada to start his new life.

Edward Leedskalnin was also a very hard working individual. After traveling throughout Canada and working in the lumber industry, he descended into the United States going through California and eventually arriving in Texas possibly due to participating in a cattle drive. Unfortunately for Ed, he developed a very bad case of tuberculosis, a disease that during the early 1900s had taken the lives of millions. It was not until 1946 that the antibiotic streptomycin was created and that an effective treatment and cure became possible.

Those that have seen the Coral Castle in Homestead believe that these very laborious jobs made Ed into a very strong man and allowed him to move the 1100 tons of coral that would eventually be known as the Coral Castle. The story seems to be in contrast to the fact that he developed tuberculosis and nearly died after contracting it.

Ed’s small stature, standing only 5 feet tall and weighing a mere hundred pounds, may have been useful working on cattle drives and in the lumber industry, but it was no match for the tuberculosis that he found himself infected with. After being found near the dead in South Florida by a local realtor, through their kindness he was able to recover completely from this illness, something that was virtually unattainable in the latter stages of this disease. Once he was healthy enough, he purchased a single acre of land near Florida City where he began the construction of his monument to the woman that never loved him.

Ed had a very noble idea of what it meant to come to America. He believes that the United States was the land of opportunity and that a person could find their place and become famous by working hard and staying on task. Based upon this belief, and his love for Agnes, he began the construction of the Coral Castle with the coral that was only a few inches under the topsoil of the land that he had purchased.

The history of Florida is quite amazing, with coral playing a large role in the construction of the state itself. Over several thousand feet thick in some areas, coral can be easily found just a few inches under the topsoil. Ed’s initial creations were domestic representations of things that related to the life that she wanted to have. He created chairs, tables, beds, and even a crib made of solid coral for the child that he would never have.

Although it has been said that no one ever saw Edward Leedskalnin working, there are several pictures that can be seen that show Ed at work apparently using enormous tripods with a black box attached to the top of them. Enormous pulleys seem to be aiding in the excavation of the Coral at the Homestead site. Unfortunately, researchers such as Christopher Dunn have shown that based upon the photographic evidence, and the primitive tools left behind which can be seen at the Coral Castle today, there is no way that this is the answer to the 1100 ton question.

Today, the Coral Castle is under the radar. Without shows such as “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy or “That’s incredible!” of the early 80s, the notoriety of the Coral Castle remains under the radar with notable exceptions such as radio talk shows like Coast to Coast AM with George Noory.

This particular coral artifact stopped spinning during the 1980s and it took several engineers, several workers, and a 60 ton crane to try to repair the door. Today, it still pivots back-and-forth but even with the modern equipment and modern engineering techniques that we have today, the university of Miami Florida and its best engineers were unable to replicate what Ed did in just a matter of days with no help.

There are many notable tourist attractions throughout Florida including the Miami Seaquarium, Parrot Jungle Island, and Barnacle Historic State Park. However, if you do have a spare couple of hours and are in the Miami or Homestead area, take a trip to the Coral Castle and take one of their tours. You will be amazed by what you see, and ponder for days, or even years, how one person was able to move and carve such enormous blocks of coral. The Coral Castle is a place that you will never forget, and that engineers may never be able to comprehend.