Nowhere else is the phrase "build it and they will come" more appropriate than in Florida.

My family has been in Miami since 1919. It was such a pleasure to hear Ralph Rennick's voice on TV again. Had brought back so many memories. I felt like it was 1962 again. Thank you for taking the time to make this documentary. I subscribed.

In America , Mr Flagler seems the only visionary that developed so many towns, Palm Beach was his Crown Jewel. Mr Flagler it seems developed the modern day corporation and made Exxon into the company that is today along with Rockefeller. Mr Flagler was a passenger rail Lover, we had so much passenger rail in America during his time, his FEC railway is a important passenger rail line for Miami to Orlando. We so need more passenger rail in America

As a native Floridian who left 35 years ago. This is a stunning documentary like I remembered in school.

Outstanding documentary, it helps me understand the nuance and idiosyncracy of Florida.

Interesting/informative/entertaining. Excellent still-motion photography pictures/maps/guest speakers. Enabling viewers to better understand what the orator is describing.

I was born in 1956 in Daytona Beach - a direct descendant of an original settler/ first Postmaster of Ormond Beach. Several years ago I toured Ponce De Leon Hotel - fantastic !

Henry Flagler should be given more importance in business history.. Flagler was visionary..

I was a third generation Miamian. I left in 1997 for many reasons! I loved the waters be them lakes, rockpits, beaches or Biscayne bay. I knew that bay like the back of my hand, spending all my spare time at one place or another, but always with my dogs at my side! I knew where alligators were so I knew where and where not to let my dogs swim. (Alligators love to eat dogs!) Also, anyone with a brain knew not to feed gators cause that's what made them dangerous. I lived threw hurricane Donna, Cleo, Betsy and the infamous Andrew! That was the finale straw! Between the poor growth planning, the Mariel Boat lift bringing around 125,000 Cubans and 25,000 Haitians arrive in Miami. A large percentage of the cubans Castro sent were hardened criminals he emptied his jails of and had mental health problems. The hatians, well, coming from such a poverty stricken country their acceptance of living in poor conditions followed them. All this poluting the beauty, landscape and saftey of Miami mostly affected the middle class and below. Crime and cocaine cowboys were everywhere, there was no where or way to escape it. The beaches became noisy, dirty, and over run by plan rudness towards others just trying to enjoy their surroundings. Then as Miami pushed out more and more towards the Everglades, alligators were put on the endangered list and coupled with ignorant people feeding them there was no body of water that didn't have an alligator in it making them dangerous to not only dogs, but to people as well! The fun was gone! It even became dangerous in the bay as weekend boat warriors didn't follow the rules! I left in 1997, moved to Central GA and embraced my love of horses and exploring the woods! I now spend my spare time camping, embracing the beauty, serinity, and solitude of exploring the woods by horseback! I do miss the Miami I grew up in, that's for sure. But, I don't miss the Miami I left. Growing up in the 50s, 60s & 70s in Miami was magical. I love those memories and feel fortunate that I was able to grow up there during those times. I also feel fortunate to have developed an equal love to where I am now and have a horse to carry me around making exploring easier in my older years! Oh! And my dogs are there tagging along too!

Not one mention of the devastation of the many Hurricanes and how unaffordable and unavailable home insurance in Florida has become. The cost of a house didn't drive me out of Florida, but the cost of insurance did!

Florida population increases every year as the populations of New York and California decrease every year. Florida is now the third largest state overtaking New York. The political leadership of the last 20-30 years in each state should explain the reason for these population trends.

Fantastic story very well told thank you!

Great documentary---there is a weeklong tour from Miami airport to Key West, stopping at every key of interest. Even includes a boat ride to Dry Tortugas. It's run by Road Scholar---you learn everything about the vegetation, wildlife and human history of the Keys.

I lived on Miller Road and Galloway Ave in South Miami in the 50’s We farmed sugar cane, seed corn,lettuce and tomato’s. The Mackle Brothers built a project of houses at $7,900average. The Miami Herald and the Miami News basically denigrated the project “who would by a home for $7,900in a nowhere place!” Those houses now sell for $750,000 and up! The only problem was our property taxes and property value skyrocketed and had to sell as farming was out of the question! The closest public transportation was two miles away on Sunset Avenue and it ran four times a day to South Miami to connect to Downtown Miami and Coral Gables. Kendall Drive was known for its Public County Hospital and and the threat to kids of the Reform School if you did things wrong, now long gone! The quality of life for those raised in rural areas deteriorated with traffic, overcrowded services, higher prices! While no paradise it was an incredible life for a kid until I joined the Army in 1962. When I return four years latter everything had changed and not for the better from my point of view!

IMHO the whole of Florida should have been classed as a National Park.

The rate of decline will continue through 2040 in Florida..... 😂 I believe my home state of Florida as made a remarkable recovery.

Thanks a lot!!! Great job! Really appreciate it

The Disney brothers would be shocked at what has happened with their once great company.

This was really great. Thanks for making it.

It’s now time to restore train service to the Keys.

Thanks for sharing.

Life in Florida is great! 😊

Would’ve been lovely to hear more about the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s

Great history lesson.

Gee how could governor and now senator Rick Scott not have seen what his deregulations would allow when hurricane Ivan visited last year.

Surprised Hemingway or the Summer White House weren't mentioned in Key West.

Timing is Everything!

Loved the piece about the Indian Graves dug up and the skulls given away as souvenirs... lol

Florida wasn’t empty. There were native people here and they are still here.

"Waterlogged bug infested wilderness" ( 1:40 ) is a good description of how these people must have seen it; they must have had no conception of respect for ecology. Just stuff in the way of hotels, logistical problems to be overcome.

Passenger railroad dreams never die, but reality persists.

Lived there for 27 years. Owned a business. Homes, family. Moved back North after watching the meltdown that I spoke about to many the previous 6 years. There was nothing holding it up...literally nothing. Now that it's hot, all the time, you can keep it. We did have 'seasons' for about 12 of the 27 years I lived there. Be prepared for a 400 plus dollar a month electric bill, crappy water and watch you home roast under the unrelenting Sun. Freedom ain't free and nothing in Florida is neither.

Why do you have the Chicago waterworks in the opening scene of this video?

A small-minded documentary how Florida was destroyed... First 22 minutes were good and really interesting, but that was it.

Les Stanford has his timing mixed up ~9:10. While Flagler began investing in hotels and what-became-the-FEC Railroad in late 1880's, early 1990's, One could not get on a train at Penn Station in NYC (and travel anywhere) until the station and connecting tunnels were complete c. 1910~1912.

This was made in 2012, he said it would be “decades” for Florida to get back to pre recession levels of employment, it happened in 5 years.

"They are back"

For people always complaining about the rich, and tax the rich, blah, blah, blah. If it wasn't for the wealthy visionaries; hotels, towns, cities, and states would not be what they are today. Thank God for their vision and plans, they brought us a living. - Pappy

I'd like to know who built all the hundreds of miles of canals throughout Florida.

Now its booming again

Where are the Rich who want to innovate and help mankind

I meant to tell you to share this with Richard

senseless after 40:00 - Not bad up to that point

Stop! We don’t need more people! We are in a housing crisis! The housing economy is a nightmare now. Rent has sky rocketed to the highest it’s ever been. $2000 to rent a one bedroom apartment. It’s price gouging at its worst and no one in the government is doing anything to stop the current crisis.

*Look at where we ARE. Xat

I usually love everything WLRN does, but the talking heads crushing on Flagler (“luxurious mustache”) was gross. He exploited cheap land and good weather to make money. Everything was about 💰bank and ego.

I was very interested in this video, however, the music was too distracting. I am planning on watching it with the transcript. Great information, interviews but unnecessary and annoying background music.

Florida: God’s waiting room

4:49….the guy says that Flagler looked like a tall Monopoly Man. I see that….but he really looks like Commander McBragg. If you’re younger than 50, you probably don’t know what I’m talking about. Google that name….you’ll be glad you did.

Tourist turned Transplant here!🌴🌞🌞 DeSantis has done a fantastic job here!

Unbelievable how gloomy and wrong all of the real estate predictions and economic speculation is for the State of Florida at the end of the show

Modern Florida is nothing to be proud of, long live florida man.

Florida used to be beautiful until Flagler rode his train into town.

Florida ma.nnnnnnn.nnnnnnnnn

📯🕒⏳⌛; sinkhole state

I would love to buy a home in Florida but thanks to biden I CANNOT afford it !!!!!!!!!!!!

This video's implication that amendments to Florida's environmental laws allowed irreparable damages to the environments is false. Counties and municipalities quickly enacted ordinances that filled those gaps. Florida is replete with ordinances, rules and regulations, including strictly enforced building codes regarding hurricanes, wetlands, drainage, and licensing contractors at every tier. Almost all serious environmental damages in Florida have been caused by federal projects, including Alligator Alley's needlessly impeding the southernly flow of water in the everglades.

Da Rockafellers... Hail Caesar! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesarea