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1914 1915 1916 1917
trail Captain James F. Jaudon (April) An informal meeting (January) Dade County obtains (February) Surveying party missing

timeline (regarded as the “Father of the between J. F. Jaudon of Miami and initial bond. in the Everglades for several weeks.
Francis Perry, Ft. Myers Chamber
Trail”) and Indian guide Jack
(February) Permanent survey
of Commerce, in Tallahassee. Upon
Tigertail survey the Everglades
for a possible route. returning to their respective counties, completed. No bidders on project—
too difficult.
each begins setting the wheels in
motion. (May) New specifications
(June 10) Central Florida Highway established—J.B. McCrary Co.
Association was created for (Dade County) awarded contract.
numerous road projects in the State (September) Work begins on trail.
of Florida. The “Tamiami Trail” project Lee County (Collier not formed
was formally introduced --prior to yet) is responsible for extending
that time, and for a period of time
afterwards, it was referred to as the the road (121 miles--of which 76
Miami-Marco Road. Other names miles will be within Collier) to the
included: Miami to Marco Highway Dade County line. Dade County is
and Atlantic to Gulf Boulevard. responsible for only 42 miles.
The name Tamiami Trail (original Jaudon organizes the Chevelier
coinage was “Tamiam”) was based Corporation, which purchased
upon the road extending from Tampa 207,360 acres (The Hopkins Tract)
to Miami. President of the Tampa lying mostly in Monroe County, a
Board of Trade, D.C. Gillett, is credited
with coining the name (June 3, 1915 fraction of it being in Dade County.
in Miami).
(August) Preliminary Survey
conducted. Miami-Marco Road and
Canal Commission established. Initial
bonding requirements set forth.
(October 19) Lee County obtains initial
bond for road construction.
the making of the trail

by Lois Bolin, Ph.D., Old Naples Historian approximately 20’ wide and 15’ deep. The canal provided drainage
by Keith Basik to keep the road from flooding, as well as material to be used for the
roadbed. It took one month to dredge 1.5 miles.
1.Staking “Rod men” would machete a path 5.Leveling The “Bay City Skimmer Scoop” would level the piles of
and place center stakes every 100 feet. fill, doing the work of at least 50 men. At this point, wheeled vehicles
2.Clearing Clearing crews would cut down could pass.
trees, sometimes standing in waist-deep water, 6.Grading/Fine Grading Grading crew would do the finished
and move them with oxen. grading and topping. No rocks larger than two inches in diameter
3.Blasting Crews would then lay industrial rail for drilling could be within 6 inches of the surface. Finally, they would smooth
machines. Three holes were drilled simultaneously, approximately 12 the surface and apply asphalt.
feet deep. The holes were marked as the machine moved 6 feet to drill
the next holes. Blasting crews would muck holes and place charges of Reference
10-40 sticks of dynamite per hole. After setting approximately 500- The above outline was compiled based an article that first appeared in the
600 pounds of dynamite, the crew would blast. Collier County Heritage Magazine, a publication of the Collier County
4.Dredging Once the rock was blasted, three Bay City Dredges Historical Society. The entire article was written by Colonel Frank F.
would work in tandem, roughly 400 feet apart from each other, Tenney, Jr. (USAF Ret.). The article also appeared in “The Tamiami Trail,”
to dredge the canal on the north side of the road. The canal was a collection of stories by Maria Stones.
road construction bonding

Below reflects the bonding expenditures for Charlotte to Ft. Myers: $74,000 Monroe County: $210,000
the construction of Tamiami Trail. Note that Caloosahatchee Bridge: $110,000 Chevelier Corporation: $333,000
the figures only pertaining to cost between Ft. Myers to Marco: $175,000 State Road Department: $3,547,000
east Miami and north Ft. Myers (approx.). The Marco Junction to Dade: $125,000 Additional Expenditures (est.): $1,141,000
portion of the Trail from north Ft. Myers to Ft. Myers to Bonita Springs: $600,000 TOTAL : $8,000,000
Tampa was built prior to 1916. (rebuilding road) $1,084,000
Segment Breakdowns (approx. miles):
Collier (76 Miles): $350,000 Dade County (42 Miles): $250,000
- Total Mileage of Tamiami Trail:
$350,000 $50,000
274 Tampa to Miami
$200,000 $125,000
- Miami to Dade County Line:
$200,000 $160,000
42 Miles
$1,100,000 $585,000 - Naples to Dade County Line:
Reference 76 Miles
1. “History of the Tamiami Trail,” Published by Authority of the Tamiami Trail Commissioners and
- Ft. Myers to Naples:
the County Commissioners of Dade County, Florida, Miami 1928.
45 Miles
1818 Life in Naples | April 2023