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
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.
Just 24 hours before their betrothal, Ed received the bad news. Agnes no longer wanted to marry Ed. Though he loved her, she could not return his love in the same way. There are many possibilities as to the motivations that led Agnes to no longer want Ed in her life. It could have been his lack of education. It could've been his lack of money. Whatever the case, her rejection of him was firm and life-changing.
Ed's plans for marriage, for living with a woman and two streams for the rest of his life, and for children of his own was shattered. Completely devastated, he packed up the belongings he had been left the country of Latvia, the place that he called home for many years, and journey across the ocean to begin a new life.
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 an unknown reason, Edward Leedskalnin left Texas and ended up in Florida City, Florida, where he was found by a real estate agent and his wife nearly dead lying on the ground. Despite the fears that surrounded those that had tuberculosis, this couple took Ed in. Ed's small and frail physique made him particularly susceptible to this disease. However, despite the odds stacked against him, he is one of the few people on record to have ever had a late stage case of tuberculosis and made a full recovery, a full recovery that may be attributed to his ability to manipulate stones.
After recovering from his bout with tuberculosis, and purchased an acre of land from the realtor that help save his life. This land was located near Florida City. Aesthetically, this land was not the best land for an immigrant or anyone to begin building upon. Even though he only paid $12 for this one acre, is here that Ed began his journey toward the miraculous and began to build the structure that we know today as 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.
At the Coral Castle, you will see amazing works of art that are made of coral. One of the most amazing creations is a 9 ton gate, popularized by Leonard Nimoy's "In Search Of" show during the 1970s and 1980s. It was on this show that the iconic Mr. Spock was able to move this 18,000 ton piece of coral with his finger. This chunk of coral is not symmetrical, yet Leedskalnin was able to find the exact center. He drove the whole to the middle of this door perfectly balancing it so that a child could push it with almost no effort at all.
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.
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.
Just 24 hours before their betrothal, Ed received the bad news. Agnes no longer wanted to marry Ed. Though he loved her, she could not return his love in the same way. There are many possibilities as to the motivations that led Agnes to no longer want Ed in her life. It could have been his lack of education. It could've been his lack of money. Whatever the case, her rejection of him was firm and life-changing.
Ed's plans for marriage, for living with a woman and two streams for the rest of his life, and for children of his own was shattered. Completely devastated, he packed up the belongings he had been left the country of Latvia, the place that he called home for many years, and journey across the ocean to begin a new life.
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 an unknown reason, Edward Leedskalnin left Texas and ended up in Florida City, Florida, where he was found by a real estate agent and his wife nearly dead lying on the ground. Despite the fears that surrounded those that had tuberculosis, this couple took Ed in. Ed's small and frail physique made him particularly susceptible to this disease. However, despite the odds stacked against him, he is one of the few people on record to have ever had a late stage case of tuberculosis and made a full recovery, a full recovery that may be attributed to his ability to manipulate stones.
After recovering from his bout with tuberculosis, and purchased an acre of land from the realtor that help save his life. This land was located near Florida City. Aesthetically, this land was not the best land for an immigrant or anyone to begin building upon. Even though he only paid $12 for this one acre, is here that Ed began his journey toward the miraculous and began to build the structure that we know today as 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.
At the Coral Castle, you will see amazing works of art that are made of coral. One of the most amazing creations is a 9 ton gate, popularized by Leonard Nimoy's "In Search Of" show during the 1970s and 1980s. It was on this show that the iconic Mr. Spock was able to move this 18,000 ton piece of coral with his finger. This chunk of coral is not symmetrical, yet Leedskalnin was able to find the exact center. He drove the whole to the middle of this door perfectly balancing it so that a child could push it with almost no effort at all.
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.
About the Author:
Michael Kohler has been investigating megalithic structures for several years and has written an amazing book on the Coral Castle. For a limited time, you can get the first 5 chapters of his book by visiting the Coral Castle Explained.
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