# Scout Key

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Island in the lower Florida Keys, United States

Scout Key Camp Sawyer on Scout Key in 1987 Scout Key Scout Key Show map of Florida Scout Key Scout Key (Caribbean) Show map of Caribbean Geography Location Gulf of Mexico Coordinates 24°38′59″N 81°18′39″W / 24.649855°N 81.310887°W / 24.649855; -81.310887 Archipelago Florida Keys Adjacent to Florida Straits Administration United States State Florida County Monroe

**Scout Key** is an [island](/source/Island) in the lower [Florida Keys](/source/Florida_Keys). It was previously known as **West Summerland Key** until 2010.[1] [U.S. 1](/source/U.S._Route_1_in_Florida) (the [Overseas Highway](/source/Overseas_Highway)) crosses the key at approximately [mile markers](/source/Mile_marker) 34–35, between [Spanish Harbor Key](/source/Spanish_Harbor_Key) and [Big Pine Key](/source/Big_Pine_Key).

## Etymology

Scout Key Milky Way in April, 2018

The Key was renamed to reflect the two adjoining [scout camps](/source/Scouting_in_Florida) on it, Boy Scout [Camp Sawyer](/source/Camp_Sawyer) and Girl Scout [Camp Wesumkee](/source/Camp_Wesumkee). The name change also removed some confusion about its location – despite its name, the formerly-named West Summerland Key is actually about 10 miles *east* of [Summerland Key](/source/Summerland_Key).

## Geography

Originally, there were three keys at this location. They were connected by [fills](/source/Fill_(land)) at the time the [Overseas Railroad](/source/Overseas_Railroad) was built. The keys were West Summerland Key (westernmost), Middle Summerland Key (center), and no name is known for the easternmost key. West Summerland retained its name, but the other two are known simply as the [Spanish Harbor Keys](/source/Spanish_Harbor_Keys); named for the [anchorage](/source/Anchor) located between this key and [Big Pine Key](/source/Big_Pine_Key). Interesting features of this key include [indian mounds](/source/Indian_mound), and storage buildings still standing from the [Flagler](/source/Henry_Flagler) [railway](/source/Railway) [construction](/source/Construction) era.

## Environment

In 2017, Category 4 [Hurricane Irma](/source/Hurricane_Irma) destroyed much of the fragile mangroves and dunes on the key, reshaping the Atlantic shoreline. A few buildings were crushed and other damaged in both Scout camps. The swimming platform at the Sawyer camp had to be rebuilt yet again after the most recent rebuilds in 2004 and 2005.[2][3]

## Attractions

[Camp Wesumkee](/source/Camp_Wesumkee) is the site of the [Winter Star Party](/source/Winter_Star_Party),[4] an annual gathering of amateur [astronomers](/source/Astronomer).

Bahia Honda Old Rail Bridge as seen from Scout Key

The eastern end of the key has a small parking area on the Atlantic that allows access to the old [Bahia Honda Rail Bridge](/source/Bahia_Honda_Rail_Bridge), which is a popular photography spot among tourists and locals also known as "Broken Bridge".[5]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Petuch, E.J.; Myers, R.F. (2014). [*Molluscan Communities of the Florida Keys and Adjacent Areas: Their Ecology and Biodiversity*](https://books.google.com/books?id=f5LSBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA43). CRC Press. p. 43. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4822-4919-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4822-4919-4). Retrieved September 7, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [in Miami Herald](https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/florida-keys/article178222171.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [in Girl Scouts FL](https://www.girlscoutsfl.org/en/support-us/donate/hurricaneirma.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Winter Star Party"](https://web.archive.org/web/20181021121311/http://www.scas.org/Home/winterStarParty). Southern Cross Astronomical Society. Archived from [the original](http://www.scas.org/home/winterstarparty) on 2018-10-21. Retrieved 2018-11-09.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [24°39′13″N 81°18′40″W / 24.6537485°N 81.3111987°W / 24.6537485; -81.3111987 (location of Broken Bridge)](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Scout_Key&params=24.6537485_N_81.3111987_W_dim:30_region:US-FL_type:landmark&title=location+of+Broken+Bridge)

## Further reading

- Deyrup, M. (2016). [*Ants of Florida: Identification and Natural History*](https://books.google.com/books?id=5SuLDQAAQBAJ&pg=PP130). CRC Press. p. 130. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-315-35101-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-315-35101-8). Retrieved September 7, 2017.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Scout Key](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scout_Key) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scout_Key?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.