 The west side of Ramrod Key as seen from the Niles Channel Bridge | |
  Ramrod Key Ramrod Key  Ramrod Key Ramrod Key (Caribbean) | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Gulf of Mexico |
| Coordinates | 24°39′24″N 81°24′48″W / 24.6568°N 81.4132°W |
| Administration | |
| State | Florida |
| County | Monroe |
Ramrod Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys.[1][2][3] Originally named Roberts Island, Ramrod Key was renamed for a ship named Ramrod, which was wrecked on a reef south of there in the early nineteenth century.
Until the construction of U.S. Route 1 in the 1920s, the only building on Ramrod was a post office that was alongside the train tracks. U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway) crosses Ramrod Key at approximately mile markers 26–27.5, between Summerland Key and Middle Torch Key.
Ramrod Key is a popular tourist site due to the short distance between the island and Looe Key. Current (2014) commercial enterprises of visitor interest include a dive shop-hotel-bar/restaurant complex, numerous sport fishing charters[4] ,a bar/restaurant and miniature golf complex, a gas station-grocery, and a Cuban deli/grocery.
