The sands of Flagler Beach stretch like a blanket for six miles between the Atlantic coast and historic State Road A1A-Florida's version of Route 66. The beach is named in honor of Henry Flagler, the oil tycoon who spent his millions on Florida hotels and railroads, making the state a tourist destination at the turn of the twentieth century. But the beach was attracting visitors long before Flagler and his money arrived.

Ancient Native Americans were the first to appreciate the area's attributes, drawn not only by its easy access to the Atlantic Ocean but also by the abundance of marine resources in its tidal bays and estuaries. Spanish explorers arrived in the 1500s, followed by Seminole Indians and the British in the 1700s. American settlers were slow to make their way down the Florida coast, delayed by hostilities of the War of 1812 and the First Seminole War, beginning in 1817.

When Florida became a territory of the United States in 1821, Charles Bulow chose the area to build what was then the largest sugar plantation on the East Coast. Bulowville, with its vast acreage and 300 slaves, was one of sixteen plantations along the St. Johns and Halifax Rivers at this time. All fell victim to the Second Seminole War in the 1830s.

Following the Civil War, the economy of the area continued to flourish from naval stores, agriculture, and cattle production. But fishing was the primary economic engine in the local community, then known as Ocean City. In the 1920s, however, real estate came to rival fishing. Land speculation in Flagler County was so prevalent that the Dixie Flyer, a popular rail service between Chicago and Miami, stopped here to accommodate the flood of investors. The Dixie Highway, which stretched from Michigan to Miami-and came within 5 miles of the area-brought even more.

This new-found attention warranted a new image. And in 1925, the fishing village of Ocean City incorporated as the town of Flagler Beach, changing its name and reputation in the process. Since then, the city has become synonymous with ocean side vacations.

A visit to Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park-which features a sugar mill, several wells, a spring house, and the foundations of the once grand manor house-is well worth a trip off the beach. And no trip would be complete without a visit to Flagler Beach Historical Museum where travelers can experience the area's long history--"From the Stone Age to the Space Age."

This podcast made possible through a grant from the Florida Humanities Council. Script written by Roger Smith. Narrated by Jonathon Heide.