Ryan Galiotto

Posts Tagged ‘tourist attractions’

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Armed with the belief that America was the land of extremes came true, and began to build in business for himself. Constructing what has been called a garden of rocks; Ed quarried, lifted, and sculpted domestically shaped pieces of coral directly out of the ground that he purchased. Ed carved out chairs, tables, and even a 30 ton obelisk that stood 40 feet high without using modern machinery.

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.

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.

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.

Going against all odds, and coming back from a disease that almost killed him, Edward Leedskalnin has created one of the most amazing megalithic structures in the modern world. Although the Coral Castle is a tourist attraction today, just 30 miles south of Miami, is much more than a sideshow attraction. Ed Leedskalnin said that he knew the secrets of the pyramids. Sadly, Ed died with his secrets still in him but fortunately for all of us a legacy of his life is still available in South Florida today. If you are ever in the Miami area, check out the Coral Castle. You will be amazed and astounded by what one man, Edward Leedskalnin, was able to do.