mark. Transportation U.S. 1, also known as the Overseas Highway, crosses the key near mile markers 47.5–53.5. Prior to the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, Key Vaca was a major rail stop along the Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast Railway. It was home to a turnaround wye and several machine and repair shops. During the Great Depression and the construction of the Overseas Highway, Key Vaca was home to Camp No. 10, a home for several hundred World War I veterans working on the project. Key Vaca is accessible by water, primarily through Boot Key Harbor, which lies on the south side of the island. Due to the shallow waters of the harbor, deep-draft ships cannot be unloaded there. Between 1906 and 1912, Key Vaca functioned as a temporary deep-water port with the addition of the Knight's Key Trestle to the west of the island. Built in order to provide a supply line for the growing Overseas Railroad, the trestle was dismantled and burnt when the railroad was completed. During World War II, Key Vaca gained an airport. Originally intended to be a training field for pilots flying between Homestead and Miami, the airport was turned over to the county after the conclusion of the war. References Islands of the Florida Keys Islands of Monroe County, Florida Islands of Florida