From 1908 until the railroad finally opened to Key West in 1912, Knight’s Key Dock was the end of the line. There were two trains a day from Miami, and two trains north from Knight’s Key Dock. There was soon a direct train from New York City. Travelers walked off the train and boarded a ship that could then take them to Nassau, Key West or Havana. The steamer Montauk, of the Flagler-owned P&O Line, regularly called at the Dock.

The largest Keys fish story took place in 1912 just off of Knight’s Key. Captain Charles Thompson of Miami harpooned a 38-foot-long whale shark that reportedly took about 39 hours, five harpoons and more than 100 bullets to subdue. The 26,594-pound whale shark was towed to Miami, preserved, stuffed and exhibited on a railroad flat car. The sign on the flat car read “weight 30,000 lbs. Length 45 ft.” All went well until it was accidentally destroyed by fire in 1922.