Why is the Coral Castle so special? It has to do with not only how he constructed is 1100 ton structure, but the story that goes with its creation. In the early 1900s, while living in Latvia, Ed was engaged to be married to Agnes Scuffs, his 16 year old fiancee, the love of his life. Unfortunately, she jilted Ed the day before the wedding causing him to change the course of his life. Mired with depression, Ed left Latvia for America in search of something new.
Ed first arrived in Canada working in the timber industry and then later moved down into California and did a cattle drive into Texas. He came down with a very bad case of tuberculosis in for an unknown reason found his way to Florida City, Florida. Kind people helped him back to health. For some reason Ed was able to move and mold pieces of coral.
Purchasing a piece of property, Ed Leedskalnin built what was called Rock Gate Park in the year 1923. On the edge of the Everglades, this remote location became Ed's home, and his only source of income, for the next 13 years. In 1936, he decided to move his Coral Castle, relocating it to Homestead, Florida, just 10 miles north of Florida City. Many said that Ed was a private man, more of a hermit that liked to live alone. His move was believed to be prompted by his need for privacy.
There were other rumors. One stated that he had heard that there was a land developing near his and he did not want to have the extra company. Other rumors claimed that Ed new about a secret invisible pattern of energy, similar to the concepts of ley lines, where telluric energy would intersect and allow him to do his magical feats. He also knew that these lines were moving in that he had to move his Coral Castle in the direction of the moving energy to maintain his ability to do the miraculous.
There were many objects that Ed had to move which weighed enormous amounts of weight. These domestic objects, such as coral made in the shape of beds, cradles, chairs, and even a heart-shaped table dedicated to his Sweet 16 were all moved to the new location. Ed did have some help however in the form of old 1920s Mack truck that had a heavy duty trailer with solid rubber tires. Ed knew that this would be perfect for moving his multi ton pieces of coral the distance of 10 miles because this truck could carry all of the weight and would not have to worry about a blowout.
No one ever saw Ed load the flatbed truck and no one ever saw him unload it. The owner of the truck, Bob Biggers, would tow the empty trailer to Ed's Rock Gate Park location in Florida City, driving it back and forth to get it into exactly the right spot. Once there, the trailer would be unhitched from the truck and Bob would leave it to be loaded by Ed. There were also rumors that teenagers had snuck up on Ed at night while he worked in the dark with his lanterns and had heard him singing to the stones that were levitating at his side. No one took the teenagers seriously who claimed that he could float the blocks of coral like hydrogen balloons.
Whatever the reason, Ed Leedskalnin, moved and expanded upon his coral creation. His apparent need for seclusion seemed to be overshadowed by the fact that he placed a sign out front that said "Ring Bell Twice". Doing so would cause 100 pound man to come to the front and give a tour to those who would pay the enormous sum of 10 cents each to not only view his coral structure but listen to the singsong story of his journey and why the Coral Castle had been created.
Years later, in 1951, Ed died leaving his life savings of 3500 dollars behind as well as a legacy and a mystery that has not been solved to this day. One day an enterprising engineer may discover Edward Leedskalnins secret but until then we can only marvel at the creation of one man who had no modern tools by which to create a megalithic structure that seems to parallel the architecture of the ancient world. Visit the Coral Castle while you are at Miami. You will not be disappointed.
Michael Kohler is the owner of Coral Castle Explained. To learn more about this hidden wonder near Miami Florida, the Coral Castle go to: http://www.coralcastleexplained.com
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