A Coral museum has been standing for years and this of the grid location has been a mystery for years. It’s definitely a unique destination if you’re looking for a day outdoors to enjoy the warm sun and some unique furniture.
There have been many questions about the Coral museum, from how it was created and for what purpose. Some answers have been found in the rubble of this historical development but not many. For one the structure was created by Edward Leedskalnin also known as Ed.
He was a simple man having nothing more than a fourth-grade education who fell in love with a young woman, Agnes Scuffs also referred to as his Sweet Sixteen.
He fell in love and just before their marriage broke the wedding off leaving Ed standing at the altar.
So what does his tragic life have to go about building a coral structure, excellent question?
He created the coral structure in memory of his undying love for his Agnes. A token of his dedication and commitment to her. It's a remarkable feat as Ed stood at 5 feet tall and around 100 pounds was not strong enough to carry the sometimes 4,000 feet thick coral.
However, the mystery begins to unravel itself as he was able to move these stones with only hand tools.
As he began to create his structure in 1963 he purchased 10 acres of land to begin his process. With only his wits and small tools, he was able to create what people see today. He had acquired some skills working in lumber camps and came from a family of stonemasons in Latvia. He drew on this knowledge and strength to cut and move these blocks.
However, no one had ever seen him build the structure or even move the stones. Ed was a private man who was always concerned about concealing himself from others.
He would work at night and conceal himself by only working by lantern light.
When he passed away the structure went to a nephew before being sold to another family that kept it until it was recognized as a historical sight in 1984. Purchased by another family the coral museum has stayed and is open to the public to enjoy,
The structure is created with coral from the tables, chairs, and fountains. The coral museum is open today for parties events or just a leisure walk around. Take a chance to seat on the handcrafted furniture and relax near the water features. The technological development created by Ed even includes a 9-ton gate that can be pushed with a touch of your finger. Or take a chance to view the Polaris telescope and sit on the functional rocking chairs.
With Coral being such a strong structure the remains will last for years to come. It still baffles how he was able to move any of the corals on his own. Scientist have their theories, but nothing that can be truly explained based on the coral structure. With Ed not explaining how he was able to move the large coral chunks it's a mystery he compares with the great pyramids.
Found in the gift shop you can even find a book written by Ed discussing his reasoning and short life story about the Coral Museum. He even covers his opinions and viewpoints on the life cycle and the interaction humans play with the environment around us. A copy can be purchased if you wish to read the whole thing.
For $18.00 a person and free entry for children under 6 you can spend the entire day. If you and a few others want to view the Museum call ahead and they give discount rates.
It's a wonder that has yet to be explained and may never be explained, but it will remain for years to come.