In the early 20th century, the Indian River served as a highway for settlers and tourists in an area with few roads and no bridges from the mainland to the barrier islands in Indian River County. In 1923, a road with bridges opened at the Narrows, running from Quay, later renamed Winter Beach, eastward to Hole-in-the-Wall Island, across the southern tip of Pine Island, and over the main channel to join Jungle Trail on Orchid Island. Along this narrow road and its rickety bridges, developers and tourists came seeking to build winter homes with access to the Atlantic beaches, while settlers on Orchid Island sent winter vegetables and world-famous citrus to the mainland for loading onto the Florida East Coast Railway. At the eastern terminus of the Winter Beach Bridge, Bridge Tender Park occupies the former site of the bridge tender’s home, where the tender opened the metal swing span over the main channel for boats traveling up and down the river. After World War II, the Winter Beach Bridge burned, and the metal span was removed, leaving only the pilings. Winter Beach Road and its bridge alignments are listed as one of Indian River County’s Scenic and Historic Roads.