Lake X Is The Secret Boat Testing Site In Florida That Nobody Has Ever Heard About Before
In Florida, boats are everywhere. Living on a peninsula, people have direct water access in nearly all directions, which means having a boat is a relatively normal thing. For boat lovers, you’ve probably heard of the company Mercury Marine before. And while famous for their collection of beautiful boats revolutionizing the industry, there is another reason to know this company — the secret boat testing site they opened in Florida that has remained a hidden secret within the community.
Few Floridians or avid boat lovers, know about the secret boat testing site in Florida that was purchased by Mercury Marine in the 1950s.
Carl Kiekhaefer took a small, single-engine plane out in 1957 in order to find a secret location where he could test his marine engines day and night without anyone around.
The end result of this search was Lake X — a secret 1,400-acre lake surrounded by forest and swamplands that let Kiekhaefer and his team test out a variety of engines away from it all.
Teams of workers traveled to Lake X in the early years in order to build boat launches, work buildings, seawalls, an observation tower, and even a six-room motel.
Did you know about Lake X? Share with us your thoughts in the comments section! Check out this article by Popular Mechanics to learn more about Lake X.
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A New Jersey native with over 15 years of writing experience, Marisa has studied at both New York University and Florida International University. She has lived all over the country, including a decade stint in South Florida. Marisa is well-versed in exploration as she travels a good majority of the year in her self-converted Sprinter van. Her articles have been featured in various notable publications over the years, she has a published collection of short stories, and three completed screenplays under her belt.
