Institution

Key
West, Florida’s cigar manufacturing industry was beginning to come to
prominence in the mid-1870s and The Gato Building played a central role. With
the arrival of Cuban immigrant Eduardo Gato, cigar making flourished and soon
became the biggest manufacturing business in the city. Employing more than
1,200 workers, the original 1871 Gato Cigar Factory building, also located on
this site, was a 3-story wood-frame structure, 150 feet wide by 300 feet
long.&nbsp; In 1915 the original building was
destroyed by fire. Construction of a new fireproof factory was started in 1916
and completed in 1920. This building represents an early attempt at creating a
hurricane resistant, fireproof building in Key West. The decline of the
cigar-making industry eventually forced the closure of the Gato Factory. In
August, 1942 the U.S. Navy, took over the building through condemnation
proceedings and converted it to a dormitory and cafeteria. The building was
converted to a commissary in January of 1950 and served as such until closing
in November of 1989. One of only three standing Key West cigar factories, the
building was transferred to Monroe County in 1998 through the Historic Surplus
Property Program. Today the building provides offices and a small exhibit
space.

Key West, Florida’s cigar manufacturing industry was beginning to come to prominence in the mid-1870s and The Gato Building played a central role. One of only three standing Key West cigar factories, the building was transferred to Monroe County in 1998 through the Historic Surplus Property Program. Today the building provides offices and a small exhibit space.

Old Navy Commissary (Gato Cigar Factory)

Starting at Higgs Beach, this tour winds through the western portion of Key West with stops at over twenty landmarks, museums, monuments, and historic homes. Highlights of the tour include famous landmarks like Truman's Little White House and the Ernest Hemingway House, but the tour also includes stops at places that were central to world events such as the Spanish-American War. This tour is a work in progress; more entries will be added soon. 

The West Martello Tower stands one of two defensive works -- an East and West Tower -- constructed on the south shore of Key West during the Civil War to provide extra protection to the island and nearby Fort Zachary Taylor. Yellow fever outbreaks and supply difficulties prevented the full plans for the Tower to be constructed. Also, the remains of the West Martello Tower underwent alterations during the Spanish-American War. Regardless of the modifications, the Martello Towers demonstrate how the military deemed it necessary to protect Key West from forces approaching its beaches, notably because it remained a Union stronghold during the Civil War. Captain George Dutton, of the Army Corps of Engineers, first suggested constructing an outlying tower fortification on the island of Key West in the 1840s. At that time, Dutton headed the development of nearby Fort Taylor, part of Key West's defense strategy. Dutton recommended building five outlying towers as an initial defense against potential hostile forces landing on Key West beaches east of Fort Taylor, thus providing enhanced protection to the fort. The U.S. erected several comparable fortifications, commonly referred to as Martello towers, prior to the War of 1812. However, subsequent coast defense planning emphasized more elaborate structures; officials dismissed Dutton's recommendation. Completion and armament of Fort Taylor arrived just as the southern states began seceding from the Union. Local military commanders secured the fort against coming members of the Confederate civil administration. Still, as Dutton had warned, the island's vulnerability to amphibious assault remained a concern, notably after the Civil War began in April 1861. Thus in August 1861, the War Department forwarded plans to Captain Edward B. Hunt, Fort Taylor's commanding officer, instructing him to build two tower fortifications on the south shore beaches, located a few miles from Fort Taylor. The original plans for the two towers, prepared by Brigadier General Joseph G. Totten, were an elaboration and refinement of the Martello tower concept consisting of a simple tower mounting one or two guns, without protecting glacis, ditch, or other outworks. Though revisions to his plan took place, the tower designs contained proposals for barracks, a mess room, substantial firepower, heavy protection against a naval attack, and a wet, eight feet wide by six feet deep moat. Despite the bold plans, yellow fever outbreaks, storms, and supply issues created substantial delays, thus construction took place throughout the Civil War. In the end, builders finished the masonry work, but plans for the outer works and armament never came to fruition; the U.S. suspended construction of the Martello towers in 1866. During the Spanish-American War, the U.S. Military partially demolished and modified the West Martello Tower to support the needs of an 1890s fighting force, including supporting a battery of light, rapid-fire artillery. The military continued to use the property through World War II and then sold it to Monroe County. After World War II, plans to demolish the tower ceased when Monroe County reached a lease agreement with the Key West Garden Club, who continue to operate the historic site as a garden, events center, and historical landmark.

Though Florida joined the Confederate States, Key West remained a Union stronghold. Fort Taylor's construction finished just as Lincoln was taking office, but as war commenced, federal and local officials agreed that more protection was needed along the beaches to supplement the fortification. However, yellow fever outbreaks, storms, and supply issues prevented the full plans for the West Martello Tower to be realized; only the masonry work was completed. Construction ceased after the war, although modifications occurred during the Spanish-American War. It stands as a reminder of the need to protect Key West from landing forces, even through World War II. Today, it serves as the home to the Key West Garden Club. 

West Martello Tower (Key West Garden Club)

In
1860, three slave ships were interrupted on their way to Cuba and they were
taken to Key West. Each ship came from different parts of the Western Coast of
Africa and carried Africans, many of which were malnourished and clearly
mistreated. The U.S. Navy had redirected these ships to Key West since it was
illegal to transport slaves across the ocean as of 1820. Even though owning
slaves was still legal, the maritime Slave Trade was&nbsp;not&nbsp;and the committed military worked
hard to prosecute anyone that tried to break the ban. Once the ship was
captured, the ban created confusion as to what to do with these Africans that
were now considered to be illegal cargo. The community of Key West was shocked
by the treatment of the human cargo, and so they worked hard to collect food
and to provide shelter for almost 1,500 people that could have been sold into
slavery but were now considered to be refugees. Unfortunately, many of the
Africans were sick from living in disgusting conditions aboard the ship. The
community tried hard to help and restore their health, but sadly 295 Africans
had died while in Key West. They were buried as free people at Higgs Beach,
where their skeletons would not be found again for almost 142 years.

The
other free Africans that were able to survive were shipped to become
apprentices in West Africa in an established colony. This was thanks to the US
Congress in 1819, who had granted $100,000 toward the transportation of illegal
slave trade back to Africa. Since the United States was greatly split on views
over slavery, abolitionists were worried about the Africans' safety in the
United States, while slave owners were worried about rebellion. As a result they wanted to send people back to&nbsp;Africa, causing a newly
formed country, Liberia, where men and women were able to live out the rest of their
lives in freedom and safety.

The
African Cemetery actually wasn’t rediscovered until the summer of 2002. A team
of archaeologists and volunteers worked together to conduct a Ground-Penetrating
Radar survey, during which grids were laid out on the ground, and by using a
hand-towed antenna, radar signals were produced and their reflections measured.
By using the data that was gathered, they were able to locate evidence of the
African Cemetery. Clear images of the subsurface structures showed a series of
shallow graves near the sidewalk on the beach. There were additional
researchers and archaeologists that had found at least one hundred more graves
located further inland in 2010.

On
September 16 2002, the Key West Africans’ Memorial Committee had coordinated a
ceremony to dedicate the African Cemetery in remembrance. "Adegbolu Adefunmi, prince (now King) of the Yoruba African tribe in America, sprinkled water on the ground over the site while performing an ancient African ceremony honoring and remembering the dead" (African Burial Ground at Higgs Beach). He recognized and respected the
refugees while a local minister
led a group prayer.

Today,
the site is a memorial that honors the African Burial Ground and is now listed
on the National Register of Historic Places. The cemetery has been decorated to
become more noticeable by an order of pedestals, decorated by African Adinkra
symbols and finished with engraved bronze plaques. An interpretation of the
slave trade’s maritime route is displayed on a concrete base, while there is a
tile mural in the platform riser, along with ornamental fencing that surrounds
the grounds on three sides. These decorations come together to create a
representation of cultures of the people that were laid to rest, even though
they were far from their home. Higgs Beach is a great place to visit and
remember a sad chapter of this state’s history, as well as considering how far
humanity has come. More information about the history and archaeological
analysis details can be explored at an exhibit at the Mel Fisher Maritime
Museum, located at 200 Greene Street in Key West.

The African Cemetery at Higgs Beach is located in Key West and has the graves of Africans who died after being rescued from slavery. At Higgs Beach, next to the West Martello Fort and near White Street Pier, people are able to glimpse into history and discover more about one of the first events to occur in Key West that presents compassion and acceptance.

African Cemetery at Higgs Beach

The historic house, constructed in 1894, served as the home of Eduardo H. Gato, who migrated from Cuba in 1874 and founded an immensely successful cigar business in Key West. In fact, in 1876, Gato founded the largest cigar factory in Key West. The Gato House enjoyed inspiration from architecture typical in Cuba during the late nineteenth century. The home speaks to the extensive wealth Gato gained from his cigar enterprise, which emerged at the peak of his career, although he only occupied it briefly before returning to Cuba.Gato was one of the thousands of Cubans that fled Cuba for Key West during the 1860s and 1870s after a failed revolution against Spain. Gato, a Cuban patriot, helped finance Cuba's notable revolutionary leaders, such as Jose Marti. He successfully established his cigar factory in Key West, using tobacco from Cuba. During the 1880s, akin to a handful of other Gilded-Age entrepreneurs, he created a nearby "city" of cottages used by his cigar workers -- Barrio de Gato, or Gatoville. The cottage city also had services and amenities used by the workers. His company played a big role, along with sponging industries, the military, and Key West's function as a port city, in turning Key West into Florida's largest and wealthiest Florida city by 1890. His historic home (circa 1894) demonstrates his success and the flourishing Key West economy around the turn of the twentieth century. Though he returned for a period to Cuba shortly after the Spanish-American War, his and his family's influence remained a large part of Key West's growth (he eventually returned to Key West). After Gato returned to Cuba, he leased the historic home, from 1900 to 1901, to the Woman's Board of Home Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. They used the house as a school until the construction of a permanent school finished in 1901. Three years later, in 1904, Cuban citizens organized a philanthropic group called Beneficencia Cubano, which first benefited indigent Cuban nationals and then eventually impoverished people throughout the world. In 1911, Beneficencia Cubano, along with Dr. Joseph N. Fogarty and Gato, established the Mercedes Hospital (Casa del Pobre) at the Gato home; the name comes from Gato's wife, Mercedes Gato. Some years later, Key West purchased the land where Gato's home stood, so Mercedes Hospital (the Gato House) was moved to another property owned by the Gato family. The hospital remained in use until World War II, when funds for the hospital proved insufficient to keep it open; the Gato family resumed ownership of the house after its closure.  Eduardo Gato eventually returned to Key West (often going back and forth between Cuba and Key West). In 1917, he built the first fireproof cigar factory. In addition to his cigar operation, Gato served as vice-president of the Key West Bank and proprietor of the Key West Street Car (a horse-drawn system). The house, which has most recently functioned as an apartment building and bed &amp; breakfast, stands as a reminder of the Key West's and Cuba's intertwined history (along with Spain and the U.S.). Gato arrived in Key West along with thousands of Cubans after a failed revolution against Spain. He came when Key West enjoyed substantial growth, and his cigar business aided in that expansion.

The historic house was built in 1894 for the highly successful cigar industry tycoon, Eduardo H. Gato. As a Cuban patriot that helped support a failed Cuban Revolution during the 1860s and 1870s, he fled with many Cubans to Key West. Gato subsequently developed a booming cigar-making operation that sold cigars to people all over the world. In addition to his personal success, his industry helped Key West evolved into Florida's largest and wealthiest city during the 1890s. The home emerged at the peak of his success, although he returned to Cuba a few years after its completion, around the time of the Spanish-American War. While he was away, his home became the Mercedes Hospital, named after Gato's wife. The hospital served Key West until World War II. By 1917, Gato had expanded his Key West business, constructing the first fireproof cigar factory. 

Eduardo H. Gato House

The
Peary Court Cemetery, located within the Key West, Florida’s Historic District,
comprises approximately one acre of land. Associated with the U.S. Army,
records indicate the first interment was in July of 1835. The U.S. Army
Barracks at Key West, established in 1831, was abandoned in December, 1835
because of the yellow fever epidemic. The Army troops re-occupied the barracks
from 1862 to 1880. During that time men continued to be stricken and die from
yellow fever and typhoid fever. These men were buried in the cemetery as were
the wives and children of soldiers stationed at the post. Records indicated
that burials continued into the 1920s. In 1927, 436 bodies were removed and
transferred to the military cemetery at Fort Barrancas, Pensacola,
Florida.&nbsp; In 1949 the cemetery
transferred from Army to Navy control. In 1990, archaeological excavations
conducted at Peary Court to determine the extent of the cemetery and whether or
not it had been completely moved revealed that the 1927 relocation efforts were
incomplete and that some remains still existed within the property. In 1998 the
cemetery was transferred to the City of Key West through the Historic Surplus
Property Program. Today the property is maintained as an historic open space
and cemetery.

The Peary Court Cemetery, located within the Key West, Florida’s Historic District, comprises approximately one acre of land. Associated with the U.S. Army, records indicate the first interment was in July of 1835. In 1998 the cemetery was transferred to the City of Key West through the Historic Surplus Property Program. Today the property is maintained as an historic open space and cemetery.

Peary Court Cemetery

As a major seaport, Key West enjoyed significant growth at the end of the nineteenth century, growing into the state's largest and wealthiest city by 1890. The Armory, built at the turn of the century, served Monroe County and Key West as housing for arms and men. The building survives as one of the few remaining large frame buildings designed by T. F. Russell and built by John T Sawyer; its distinctive style was popular in Key West at this time. Since Key West's settlement in 1822, the island has been of strategic importance to the federal government. Unlike when the British and Spanish occupied Florida, the U.S. actively pursued using and protecting the island for diplomatic and military purposes. The Navy in 1823 made the island a base for its special anti-pirate squadron. In 1831, the U.S. established an Army post on the island. In 1845, construction began on Fort Zachary Taylor, a significant fortification. During the Civil War, Key West volunteer troops known as Key West Rifles defended the island against the Confederate military, allowing the island to remain a strong Union base. Indeed, the U.S. frequently built military installations on Key West; the military occupied nearly 30% of the Key West's urban area by the late 1960s. The turn of the century was an opulent period in Key West history. Although isolated from the Florida mainland by sea, the island city boasted of bustling cigar and sponge industries and benefitted from its position as a vital U.S. Seaport. The 1890 census showed Key West to stand as the state's largest and wealthiest city. In 1901, Monroe County purchased a lot directly opposite the entrance to the U.S. Army Cantonment. (The Florida Supreme Court later ruled it was the state's responsibility to build the Armory, so the state refunded the county and has consequently owned the building since then.) They constructed the Armory on the property for the Island City Guards, a descendant of the Key West Rifles that emerged during the Civil War. The Island City Guards later became part of the Florida National Guard. The Armory later served as a training facility for the U.S. Military during World War I and II before transitioning into a community center during the last half of the twentieth century. Since 2006, the building has shifted from one with a military purpose to one that hosts artists. From 2006 to 2015, The Studios of Key West, an artist community offering creative space, workshops, and cultural events, used the building as its main campus. In 2015, 12 Artist Studios moved into the building and established.'Artists at the Armory' on the second floor. The main hall remains available for lease, often used by local theater companies as a rehearsal space. Today, the state leases the building to the Historic Florida Keys Foundation.

Constructed in 1901, this historic armory served as the headquarters of a Key West militia unit that was established decades prior during the Civil War to protect against Confederate forces. The Florida Keys were of strategic importance to intercepting Southern shipping, and Key West remained a strategic naval location after the war. The Armory served local and national forces through World War II, part of a longstanding relationship between the island city and the U.S. military that dates back to the first presence of Americans in Key West in the 1820s. Since the Second World War, the building has mainly functioned as a community center followed by a home to local artists. 

The Armory in Key West

This building was constructed in the 19th century and became home to the island's longest continually-operated drug store in Key West in 1903. The building's construction date is unknown, but city maps show the structure existed at least as early as 1849. The early investors who developed Key West into a port city, naval station, and eventually a tourist destination relied on enslaved and immigrant labor in those years. By the early 1900s, the island was home to permanent residents and was experiencing a second population boost. Dr. John Maloney, a surgeon, opened Key West Drug Company with a business partner, but by 1904 stood as the drug store's sole proprietor. The pharmacy eventually became connected to the Maloney hospital he developed, the first of its kind in Key West. The hospital arrived at a time when Key West started to transition to an island with a growing population including investors hoping to grow Key West's real estate and tourism industries. Dr. Maloney, whose grandfather, Colonel Walter C. Maloney, came to Key West in the 1820s and wrote A Sketch of the History of Key West in 1876, served as a surgeon for the Florida East Coast Railroad, a railroad designed to connect Key West to the mainland and, as a result, open the island to increased tourism, access to goods, and business opportunities. However, building a railroad of that magnitude included dangerous conditions for the laborers, not unlike those who built the Erie Canal, Trans-Continental Railroad, and Panama Canal. In 1908, a construction explosion injured several workers. The injured workers were sent to Key West to receive medical attention, however, the island city did not have a large enough facility to accommodate the multitude of patients arriving. Thus, Dr. Maloeny hurriedly set up beds in the office building located next door to the pharmacy. The incident convinced Dr. Maoleny that Key West needed a proper hospital, notably one that could provide space to perform surgery. With the help of Henry Flagler, who spearheaded the railroad project, he purchased the office building, moved it to the back of the lot, and expanded it. He named the facility the Louise Maloney Hospital, in honor of his wife. The hospital Maloney developed consisted of thirty beds and a fully-equipped operating room. Still, the hospital still proved too small, so he bought the adjacent home in 19111 and connected the pharmacy and the hospital, joined by an elevated walkway. Upon Dr. Maloney's death in 1916 the hospital was renamed the John B. Maloney Memorial Hospital.After establishing the hospital, Dr. Maloney handed over the pharmacy to his son-in-law, Robert F. Spottswood, who married Maloney's daughter, Florence, after moving to Key West in 1912. Florence went on to work in a Marine clinic during the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918-1920. The couple eventually shut down the pharmacy, but continued to live in the building; Florence Spottswood Maloney lived there until she passed away in the mid-1980s. In 1944, John Maloney Spottswood, Florence's son (and Dr. Maloney's grandson) founded Key West's first radio station, WKWF. In 1955, John established Cable-Vision, Inc., one of the first cable television systems in the country. John also served as Sheriff for four terms, and State Senator for four terms. During the twenty-first century, more than a century after the pharmacy opened and more than 150 years after the erection of the structure, the Spottswood family renovated the building to include a clothing and art boutique on the ground floor with two penthouse suites above. Florence Maloney’s granddaughter, Florence “Fawni” Spottswood, took residence in the third story penthouse, while her great-grandson, John Maloney Spottswood, III, took residence in the second story (both have moved out of the building in recent years). Colonel Walter C. Maloney's Sketch of the History of Key West in 1876 describes a Key West that's far different than today, filled with hotels and nightlife. The pharmacy his grandson, Dr. John Maloney, developed prior to building the hospital sat in a building created during those early years, built only a couple of decades after the U.S. took possession of Key West and turned the island city into a port and strategic military location. But, the transition from Key West into a tourism-minded island started with the building of the Florida East Coast Railroad prior to World War I, which connected Key West to the southern Florida mainland. The increased population coupled with the railroad construction, notably when tragedy struck with an explosion, led to Dr. Maloney's drive to build a proper hospital. To see the pharmacy today is to be reminded of the influence of the Maloney-Spottswood family, the evolution of Key West into an island many travelers frequent each year, and of the many people -- investors, professionals, and workers -- who helped make that happen. And, in fitting fashion, people can now stay on the second floor.

One of the oldest brick structures in Key West, this building was home to the Key West Drug Store for decades starting in 1903. The Building was part of the Maloney family's vast real estate holdings on the island. Colonel Walter C. Maloney arrived in Key West just as the U.S. took possession of the island in the 1820s. Maloney and his descendants acquired land, built buildings, and also published books, established hospitals, held political office, and developed radio stations. John Maloney, the third generation of Maloneys in Key West, established the Key West Drug Store here in 1903. A practicing surgeon, John Maloney developed a hospital that connected to the pharmacy after an explosion injured numerous workers developing the Florida East Coast Railroad. The railway, which connected the southern Florida mainland to Key West comprised a series of steps during the twentieth century to boost Key West's tourism and real estate industries. Maloney also took the lead in creating the island's hospital, which included space to perform surgery. The pharmacy fell into the hands of Maloney's daughter Florence who lived in the building until the 1980s. Her kids and grandkids went on to develop businesses, serve in public offices, and eventually renovate the former drug store. The first floor is home to retail while the second floor of the historic building offers rooms for rent to island visitors. 

500 Simonton Street (Key West Drug Company Building)

The U.S. took possession of Key West in 1821, but the island city lies only 90 miles from Cuba and roughly 120 miles from southern Florida; the Cuban connection has been an enormous part of its history and cultural story. Cuban exiles established the San Carlos Institute in 1871 as a place to maintain their heritage and use it as a meeting place to discuss Cuban revolutionary causes. As part of the institute, The San Carlos Theater, built in 1890, stood as Key West's first theater, making it the island city's oldest theater. The theater hosted touring dance, music, and live theatre shows. The San Carlos Institute emerged in 1871 after thousands of Cubans fled Cuba for Key West after a failed revolution. Still, most came to Key West intending to continue to support (or renew) the revolutionary movement and thus return to Cuba once successful (which came in 1902 after the Spanish-American War). The exiles build the San Carlos Institute to help preserve and promote the Cuban-Spanish language, cultural values, and patriotic ideals (and avoid Americanization) of the Cuban people who had relocated to Key West. The theatre -- Key West's first and oldest theatre -- hosted touring ballets, music performances, operas, and theatre companies, all of which helped maintain their cultural identity during the late 1890s. Additionally, it served as a meeting hall used by Cubans to discuss matters related to Cuba and the ongoing efforts to gain independence from Spain. Noted Cuban revolutionary, José Martí, spoke there often and helped create unity among the Cuban population in Key West before leading the movement to fight for Independence against Spain between 1895-1898. In fact, Martí loved the San Carlos, so he referred to it as "La Casa Cuba." Since the 1890s, the Cuban population in Key West has shrunk from fifty percent of the total population to roughly twenty percent. However, during that time, and after several political changes in Cuba, numerous exiles have come and gone in Key West, slowly creating a fractured Cuban community depending on their allegiances in Cuba and feelings towards those who chose to stay in Key West. As recently as 1992, one faction of the Cuban community bashed a renovated doorway to the San Carlos, funded by another Key West Cuban community. Meanwhile, for a large percentage of Key West residents and tourists, there exists an appreciation of Cuban culture expressed through such avenues as the arts, food, history, and music. In short, the Cuban influence on Key West remains prevalent and, for many -- including tourists -- celebrated. Today the renovated San Carlos Theater allows people to enjoy that Key West - Cuban cultural connection as a multi-purpose facility that functions as a museum, library, school, conference center, art gallery, and theater, which hosts concerts and other theatrical events. But alongside that cultural appreciation, the building serves as a reminder of the complex relationship between Key West and Cuba demonstrated by one of the museum exhibits: "The Life and Works of José Martí: 1853-1895," which showcases his life and deeds.

Cuban exiles established the San Carlos Institute in 1871 and built this theater in 1890. This theater was the location where noted revolutionary José Martí united the Cuban exile community and launched the final phase of his campaign to achieve Cuban independence from Spain in 1892. The Institute was formed as a place for Cubans in Key West to maintain their cultural identity, which included hosting touring theatre companies, musical performances, and the ballet. Today, the theater continues to host shows while the Institute as a whole serves as a museum, library, art gallery, theater, and school. 

San Carlos Institute and Theatre

Much of the early twentieth century for Key West involved attempts to bolster its tourism industry. Key West's two issues involved its isolation from the mainland (accessibility) and any established service industry. The railway project that opened in 1912 connected Key West to southern Florida, but the automobile quickly overtook the railway as America's favorite mode of transportation. Thus, the 1920s and its roaring economy included a push by the city to build a highway that connected Key West to Florida. As well, the Key West needed hotels -- the La Concha hotel opened two years before the highway "opened" in 1928 (the highway ended several miles east of Key West, so cars had to park on a ferry that took them the rest of the way). The New Deal of the 1930s helped turn the page on the island, helping it transition into an island that could handle multitudes of tourists, which helped the hotel immensely. While the southern U.S., including Florida and its island city, Key West, did not enjoy the same robust industrial growth of the northern U.S., tourism was something many hoped to bolster during the twentieth century. Key West had its gambling and cockfights, and even a good drinking-scene during Prohibition (far better than most in the mainland U.S. enjoyed). But not the kind of perks and accommodations that would keep vast numbers of tourists on the island more than a few days. More than just tourism, though, people moved to Florida in droves during the mid-twentieth century, with some 300,000 people moving to the state (including the southern tip) between 1923-1925. La Concha Hotel &amp; Spa emerged in 1926 during the "Roaring Twenties," when the state's and nation's economy boomed. In Key West, optimism reigned, tied to the nation's healthy economy, Florida's population boom, and the highway construction plans. Investors hired Carl Aubuchon to build the luxury hotel -- the first of its kind in Key West. At six stories high, it towered above Key West when it opened. Guests enjoyed the most modern conveniences available at the time, such as private baths and an elevator. As well, the hotel offered guests marble floors, luxurious décor, and eye-catching ocean views.  Still, while optimism fueled investors to build hotels and champion highways and modern advances, cigar factories were closing, and the financial boom created by the military's presence during World War I had long since vanished. Additionally, the city supported sixty-nine manufacturing plants in 1919, but that number fell to less than thirty by 1928. The town faced financial collapse by the late 1920s, a microcosm of what the entire nation would see by 1930 with the dawn of the Great Depression. And by the heart of the Depression, Key West was desperate -- declared to be in a state of emergency by Florida's governor. New Deal initiatives finally came in by the mid-1930s. The hotel, despite the difficult times, remained in business even as the island suffered. The only thing that would save Key West was to transition from a small island paradise that catered to residents and quiet nights with a few tourists to one that would support nightclubs and crowded streets. To survive, Key West had to become a resort town, much to some residents' dismay, including Robert Frost and its most famous resident, Ernest Hemingway. Key West used New Deal money to fix various problems, from rehabilitating residential districts and upgrading the city's infrastructure to beautification projects. The city even managed to paint murals on buildings, print brochures for tourists, and hire musicians to greet tourists as they arrived, knowing that money proved vital to the island's economic health; the transition was complete. For good or bad, the hideaway island for so many (including Frost and Hemingway) was slowly changing into a middle-class vacation spot. Four thousand guests stayed in hotels during the 1933-1934 season, but the New Deal projects helped that number double to eight-thousand the next year; the La Concha Hotel &amp; Spa benefited mightily from the New Deal and the tourism-focused projects led by local and federal officials. By the late 1970s, Monroe County (Key West) became Florida's most expensive place to live as people flocked to Key West, bought old homes, and renovated them into lavish new homes. Streets were filled with tee-shirt shops, neon signs, and all the typical tourist draws. While that upset some, Key West had grown into a favorite spot for people to visit, and hotels like La Concha benefited. La Concha Hotel &amp; Spa hosted many famous guests, including Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, and Harry Truman. The La Concha hotel &amp; spa remains a luxury hotel, just as investors had intended it when they built it during the height of optimism in 1926. To see the hotel now is to view much of Key West's long-standing mission to open the isolated island to travelers.

Key West's La Concha Hotel & Spa was completed in 1926, an era of growth and great optimism for the island city as investors pinned their hopes on the booming real estate in southern Florida and construction of a railroad and road that would connect Key West to the Florida mainland. At six stories, the hotel towered above Key West and it proved to be the island's first, true luxury hotel. Early success did not arrive though, as the island's economy suffered during the late 1920s and became even more challenging during the Great Depression. However, federal support in the form of New Deal investment aided Key West's tourism industry and the hotel. The hotel benefited from the investment in infrastructure and grew into one of the most iconic hotels in Key West. The hotel has hosted a variety of visitors and was also a favorite of Key West residents such as Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams. The hotel currently operates as Crowne Plaza Key West-La Concha. 

La Concha Hotel & Spa

Much like icebergs whose mass mainly lie below the sea, the Keys and nearby Caribbean island represent the viewable portion of a vast stretch of rock and coral south of the Florida peninsula, providing hidden dangers to passing ships during the 1820s. Together with the Gulf Stream, the area was home to many potential dangers and few lighthouses. Ships often ran aground in the Florida Keys, creating a perfect environment for wreckers whose mission it was to assist wrecked ships -- for a price. The wreckers took possession of most of the goods on the vessel -- a dangerous and sometimes deadly mission -- and sold them at auction. This grew into a lucrative industry in Key West. One successful wrecker, Captain Francis Watlington, lived with his wife and children in the historic house (now known as The Oldest House Museum) for several decades. A marine carpenter named Richard Cussans built the home between 1825 and 1829 and then moved it to its present location sometime between 1832 and 1836. Francis Watlington's in-laws gained possession (details about dates are sketchy), who then rented it to Captain Watlington and his wife Emiline in 1840; she became the owner in 1868. The home exemplifies the colonial-architecture design, typical of houses built by wealthy residents throughout the Caribbean during the early nineteenth century. The home also has a detached kitchen, typical of the era because it offered protection against kitchen fires and kept the main building from overheating in the Key West climate. Today, the house -- the oldest house in southern Florida -- serves as a museum and garden, spanning more than 15,000 square feet. Guests can view salvaged gold, paintings, and other goods seized by wreckers. While the home is known for its chief residents, the Watlington family, it's also a museum to wrecking history. Captain Francis engaged in the enterprise a little after its glory days of the 1820s but gained success nonetheless.Indeed, the wrecking industry boomed after the U.S. took possession of Key West in the early 1820s, and a subsequent, albeit modest, building and population boom commenced. As wreckers viewed it, the more people that arrived and the more buildings that arose on Key West, the more ships would need to come to Key West, which meant more wrecks. As Maureen Ogle noted in her book, Key West: History of an Island of Dreams, "Key Westers studied the horizon constantly, pacing the rooftop decks of their houses, waiting for signs of a ship aground. And when someone spotted a wreck, bedlem ensued as wrecking crews raced to arrive at the site first and control the cargo." Wreckers unloaded nearly half of a million dollars worth of goods each year in Key West. As profits mounted (and claims of piracy and fraud ran amok), government officials stepped in and began to create regulations. By the time Captain Francis Watlington moved to Key West in 1840, wrecking required a license, and the government regulated the process of seizing and selling goods. Still, Watlington managed to make a handsome living under the regulated system. Additionally, Watlington worked as a harbormaster, served as a Florida State senator, and joined the Confederate navy in 1863. Watlington and his wife Emeline, and their seven (of nine) surviving daughters, lived in the house for several decades. Fortunately for the family, the home stood as one of eight homes to survive a devastating hurricane in 1846. Francis Watlington never owned the house, but Emiline eventually did (and not as a widow, which was uncommon in the nineteenth century). The couple moved from New York to Key West in 1840 and rented the house from Emiline's sister and brother-in-law, who also lived in New York. After Francis joined the Confederate Navy, Emiline's brother-in-law and sister transferred ownership to her; she likely supported herself and her daughters by taking in boarders. Emeline then bequeathed the home to her daughters.

Built between 1825 and 1829, this is the oldest surviving house in southern Florida and also home to a local history museum. For decades, this was the home for Captain Francis and Emeline Watlington and their seven children. Francis arrived in Key West from New York in 1840 to work as a wrecker, a flourishing enterprise that involved ships racing to meet other ships that ran aground. As a reward or settlement, the wreckers gained possession of a percentage of the cargo, which they sold for profit. In addition to artifacts from the Watlington family and other Key West items, the museum also offers items related to the storied history of the shipwrecking industry. 

Oldest House Key West Museum

One of Key West's few brick structures, Captain Martin Hellings and Eleanor (Curry) Hellings built it in 1892 during a time of prosperity for the island city; Key West stood as Florida's largest and wealthiest city by 1890. Eleanor's father is believed to be the island's first millionaire, and the money she gained from him went towards building the mansion. Captain Hellings made a name for himself during the Spanish-American war by intercepting messages from Spain and providing them to the U.S. Navy. Although Key West rapidly grew during the 1880s, the city had to recover from a devastating 1886 fire, which forced many residents to leave the island. The blaze quickly spread and could not be stopped because the city's only firefighting equipment had been sent to New York for repairs. When it finally ended, the fire destroyed 600 homes, six wharves, eleven cigar factories, the island's tobacco supply, several churches, a cigar box factory, and the new City Hall. Eleanor's father, William Curry, felt compelled to stay and help the island recover, which included providing his kids with money to buy land or expand upon their property. Curry, who gained immense wealth as a merchant, provided each child, including Eleanor, with $10,000.00. Eleanor's husband, Captain Martin Hellings, served as the International Ocean Telegraph Company manager. Martin used the money provided to Eleanor by her father to build the historic Victorian mansion in 1892. Behind the Hellings House, the red frame structure built in 1828 once functioned as a carriage house for the wealthy and had a horse used by the U.S. Post Office. The dawn of the automobile age rendered the carriage house obsolete. However, the carriage house found new life, mainly hosting theatre companies; it is currently the home of the Red Barn Theatre.Martin served as a Union captain during the Civil War, and he provided intelligence about Cuba to the White House during the Spanish-American War. Indeed, it was his expertise with telegraph operations that made him valuable to the U.S. Navy. The Office of Naval Intelligence asked Captain Hellings to intercept Spanish messages. Hellings influenced other telegraph operators to copy Spanish diplomatic messages and deliver the news to him resulting in a sizable communications ring that included surveillance on underwater and land-based telegraph cables. As well, Hellings received info from a Havana operator who, unbeknownst to Spanish forces, was sympathetic to Cuban revolutionaries; he provided Hellings with vital information that Hellings passed on to the White House. After Martin Hellings died in 1908, the family moved, and the home converted into an office building. The Key West Woman's Club purchased the building in 1940. For twenty years, the club dually operated as a library in one half of the building and club spaces in the other half. In 1959, the Woman's Club proved instrumental in constructing the Monroe County Library, leaving the historic home to operate solely for The Woman's Club.

Successful merchant, and Florida's first millionaire, William Curry, provided his children with money to build and develop property. His daughter, Eleanor,  and son-in-law, Captain Martin Hellings, used that money to build the Victorian Mansion in 1892. Captain Hellings managed the International Ocean Telegraph Company, a prominent position in the 1890s. His expertise with handling tele-communications allowed him to steal messages from Spain during the Spanish-American War, which helped the U.S. Navy and White House during the war. The current occupants, The Key West Woman's Club, purchased the building in 1940.

Key West Woman's Club (Hellings House)

In 1837, Judge James Webb, the first Federal Judge of the Southern District of the Florida Territory, purchased the lot where the Porter home stands. Evidence suggests Webb built the home as the Porter family purchased the land in 1845 with a home already constructed on the property. The historic house served as the birthplace for Joseph Yates Porter, who became Key West's first native-born physician and an integral part of Florida's medical history because his research helped eradicate yellow fever. Both in terms of aesthetics and functionality (meeting the demands presented by Key West's climate), the Porter House personifies the idea of "Conch architecture."Dr. Joseph's father purchased the home and property from Webb in 1845, who later bequeathed it to Joseph. Originally a two-story home, the Porter family added the third story in 1871. The mansion's design enjoys influence from Bahamian, New England, and French architectural characteristics. In purely practical terms, the Porter House design met the demands presented to home-builders by Key West's unique climate and its residents' lifestyle. The slatted shutters offered shade from the tropical sun during the day but could be opened at night to allow for maximum ventilation. The Conch roof's steep pitch caught the sometimes copious rainfall and guided it down into the underground cisterns. All told, Joseph (1824 - 1927) lived in the house for 80 years; he passed away in the same room where he was born. Porter left Key West to study medicine in Philadelphia before returning to serve as a U.S. Army doctor at Ft. Jefferson in Key West during the Civil War. In 1862, a yellow fever outbreak killed or sickened numerous soldiers and contracted laborers. It was not the first time Key West faced the sickness, but it likely proved highly influential to the young doctor. Yellow fever was not only a brutal sickness with severe symptoms to endure, but often killed hundreds of people during outbreaks. At times, it made people shy away from places like Key West. Dr. Porter discovered that mosquitoes were the culprit regarding the spread of yellow fever. His discovery put to rest unsuccessful remedies such as extended quarantines and burning a patient's belongings. As the leader of his field, he set up hospitals in Florida during Yellow Fever outbreaks and served as the state's first public health officer. Porter's work proved instrumental in finally eradicating yellow fever. Porter's work existed among a few doctors who built on the evolving germ theory (the discovery of microorganisms) during the late 1800s, which not only revolutionized the field of medicine but had a profound cultural impact. As germ theory became more understood, several doctors began looking at insects, notably flying insets, as the cause of diseases. Doctors used the evidence to treat their patients effectively. Meanwhile, "housewives," read materials by the early twentieth century that instructed them to rid their house of bugs, notably flies and mosquitoes as germ carriers. While Key West residents celebrate Porter today for his work, for a short time in 1896, some residents of Florida resented him. As Florida's health officer during a Yellow Fever outbreak, Porter ordered Key West to undergo quarantine. the restrictions angered Key Westerners and led some to support calls for secession from Florida. However, there was little chance that the U.S. would approve the creation of a separate state or territory, and Key West was a valuable and strategically-located port. As America increasingly supported Cuban independence and with the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, the smallpox debates and Key West independence would be forgotten. A century later, residents enthusiastically supported a fantastical call for independence once again as the city's mayor declared Key West to be the quasi-independent Conch Republic following a dispute over tolls.

This historic antebellum mansion stands on land that was purchased in 1837 by Judge James Webb, the first Federal Judge of the Southern District of the Florida Territory, and the builder of the historic home sometime over the next eight years. Dr. Josephy Porter's father purchased the property in 1845 and Joseph was born in the house two years later. Dr. Porter went on to become Key West's first native-born physician and he served as Florida's first Public Health Officer from 1889–1917. Porter is most known for his research and treatment of yellow fever The Key West physician discovered that mosquitoes carried the deadly virus from one host to another. Demonstrating the origins of the disease helped other researchers, and eventually led to the eradication of the deadly Yellow Fever. 

Dr. Joseph Y. Porter House

Ernest Hemingway fell in love with Key West while staying on the second floor of this historic building, originally known as the Trev-Mor Hotel when it opened in 1919. Benjamin Trevor and George Morris built the hotel, now known as Casa Antigua, which served as one of Key West's first hotels. It was advertised as the island's first fireproof hotel because it had thirteen-inch thick walls made with recycled bricks from Fort Zachary Taylor; the bricks date back to 1845. The hotel offered forty-six rooms on the second and third floors and featured a Ford car dealership on the first floor.In April 1928, Ernest Hemingway and his wife, Pauline, arrived in Key West on an ocean liner after living in Paris for seven years. Hemingway came to Key West to pick up a new Ford Pauline's wealthy uncle bought for the couple as a wedding gift. The car delivery was to be handled by the Trev-Mor Ford Agency, located on the building's first floor. Hemingway intended to use the car to make the trek from Key West to the Florida mainland with his new wife (who was seven months pregnant at the time) on the new highway that had opened only two months prior. However, the vehicle failed to arrive on time. The embarrassed dealers - Trevor and Morris --- provided the Hemingways with lodging on the second floor until the car arrived. During the two weeks, Hemingway finished his A Farewell to Arms. But, he also fell in love with Key West. The car eventually came, but the Hemingways decided to stay in Key West. Pauline did not necessarily share her husband's love for the island, but after going to Arkansas to have the baby near her family, she returned. The couple remained at the Trev-Mor Hotel for two years before moving into their home at 907 Whitehead Street; they lived in Key West for ten years.By the mid-twentieth-century, the building ownership changed several times. For instance, the first-floor car dealership transitioned into a jazz club during the 1950s. And then, in 1975, despite its conception as a fireproof building, a fire gutted the building. New owners renamed the building Casa Antigua, which means "old house" in Spanish, and they transformed the remains of the hotel into one of Key West's most unique homes. Casa Antigua features an open-air three-story interior atrium that overflows with tropical plants surrounding a pool (the original cistern). While the Casa Antigua exists as a private residence upstairs, the downstairs houses the Pelican Poop Shoppe that sells novelties to island visitors -- a sign of Key West's transition into a hotbed of tourism, something Hemingway deplored. Nevertheless, tourists do come to Key West, and they can visit the gardens behind the old hotel where Hemingway likely roamed during his stay at the hotel.

The Trev-Mor Hotel, now known as Casa Antigua, opened in 1919 and eventually became the place where Ernest Hemingway stayed and fell in love with Key West. Hemingway, with his new bride Pauline, intended to pick up a new Ford from the Trev-Mor Ford Agency located on the first floor of the hotel, but its arrival was delayed by two weeks. The building owners, embarrassed, provided lodging to the new couple and the famed author's love affair with the island was born. Their intention to pick up the car and drive to Miami on the new highway never materialized. Instead, the couple stayed on the island for a decade. In the late twentieth century, the hotel transitioned into a private residence and renamed Casa Antigua. 

Casa Antigua (Trev-Mor Hotel)

Constructed in 1939 as an undersea telegraph cable vessel, the Western Union is a rare extant example of the American Coasting Schooner, the first distinctive type of American-built and designed sailing craft. Two Grand Cayman Island brothers, Herber and Loxley Arch, came to Key West and built the Western Union, which launched in 1939. The Western Union telegraph company leased the ship from 1939-73 and used it to maintain shore-to-shore communication links throughout the Caribbean. In 1997, the ship played a starring role in Steven Spielberg's Amistad as the 1839 slave ship La Amistad. The evolution of the sailing ship was a significant development in the history of American shipbuilding. The coasting schooner was the first distinctive type of American sailing craft. The Western Union is a rare and excellent example of such an American coasting schooner whose basic design exceeds two centuries. The ship evolved from the "Chesapeake" variety of schooners, but it also incorporated the unique "Bahama Banks" trait of king planks. The Western Union launched on April 7, 1939, and then leased to the Western Union Telegraph Company. All told, the ship laid more than 30,000 miles of undersea cables. Maintaining cables previously laid also served as a primary function of the ship, notably the eleven telegraph cables laid between Key West and Havana from 1867 to 1931; the Western Union Telegraph Co. used the ship to maintain the lines from 1939 to 1973. The cables linked various Caribbean cities, including linking Key West to such places as Miami, Havana, and Punta Rassa. The Western Union also maintained the first transatlantic telephone cable completed in 1950 from Key West to Havana. Later the same type of cable was utilized for downrange missile tracking stations from Cape Canaveral to San Salvadore, which the Western Union helped lay at the shallow shore ends.During World War II, the country used the Western Union, stating that the ship's job served the country's strategic interests. Given its existence as a wooden ship, officials felt that the schooner could perform its duties quietly (it is unknown they equipped the Western Union with any armament. After 1974, the vessel served several roles, such as a passenger and tour boat, as part of a program to redirect troubled youth, and as a stand-in for the 1839 slave ship La Amistad in both the American Bicentennial Celebration and Steven Spielberg's Amistad in 1997.

Launched in 1939, the Western Union is the last surviving and working tall wooden ship to be constructed in Florida. From 1939 to 1974, the Western Union Telegraph Company. used the ship to lay more than 30,000 undersea wires, maintain cables connecting numerous Caribbean cities, and lay the first trans-Atlantic telephone wire. In 1997, the ship was featured in Steven Spielberg's Amistad. As of the spring of 2021, the historic ship is undergoing repair and expected to return to this location in Key West's port in the summer of 2021. 

Western Union Schooner

The first city hall was built on this site in 1876. However, it was a wood-frame building and burned down in the 1886 fire that destroyed much of the city. The present building was erected using bricks to prevent it from being destroyed by fire again. The ground floor was used as space for market stalls and then as a parking area for fire trucks. The City Commission chambers and City Offices were located on the second floor. At some point the tower was removed and other changes were made as well. Monroe County acquired the building in 1965 and used it as the county juvenile court. Ownership of the building was transferred to the state in 1974 and the Historic Florida Keys Preservation Board proceeded to restore it. This included the reconstruction of the tower. Restoration work continued until the building was rededicated in 1991.

Although it is no longer used for its original purpose, the Old City Hall building remains an important landmark in Key West. It was constructed in 1892 and served as the seat of city government until 1965. Today it houses the Key West Chamber of Commerce and a visitors center, and is managed by the Historic Florida Keys Foundation. The brick building features a bell and clock tower, arched windows, and a large granite staircase. The second floor room has two-hundred seats and is available to the public for group meetings and presentations.

Old City Hall

Source 1: Captain John Grieger was a captain and a wrecker. A wrecker is someone who goes to shipwrecks and picks up valuable things to sell them. This is how most of the people in Key West gained wealth. He bought the Audubon home in 1830 for his family of ten. His family had the house for over 120 years until 1928 when the owners wanted to tear it down to build a gas station. Source 2: Mitchell Wolfson Sr. was a Key West native, founder of a movie theater chain, and founder of Miami's first radio station, WTVJ. His foundation ended up buying the home and turning it into and gardens by the year 1960.The house got its name after the painter and naturalist John James Audubon. He had painted a piece of a White-Crowned Pigeon resting on a Cordia tree which happened to be on the property of the house. He never actually lived or even stayed in Key West. he promised his wife he would never stay there due to the risk of contracting yellow fever. Source 3: John James Audubon is famously known for his "Book of Birds". Many of his drawings and paintings were of birds he saw at the Audubon house, including the famous White-Crowned Pigeon painting. John James Audubon was close friends with Mr. Geiger and would come to visit. The Cordia tree in his famous painting was known as the "Geiger Tree". It is special because this tree blooms all year long. In the house are hand-written field notes of John James Audubon on display. Source 4: On the third floor, you will find 22 prints of Audubon's "Birds of Florida". 18 of those 22 are from the Keys with only the remaining four from the mainland. There is also a cover of Volume III of the Havel Edition. The prints are the first edition of the "Birds of America". Which was published in 1844. Audubon's inspiration came from the house of Captain Grieger. This is why it is honored in the Audubon name. Source 5: It is claimed that there have been visitors to see the ghost of Captain Grieger. Apparently, the house is very haunted and ranks number six in the "Most Haunted Places in Key West". Captian Grieger had hidden many riches from his wrecking and acts of piracy. Some think he is making sure none of the guests are trying to steal them. There is a "Mrs. Peck" doll who is blamed for the random occurrence of alarms going off. It is also claimed the staff would leave the lights on and the light bulbs would be found unscrewed and on the floor the next day. There are some very eerie ghost stories here.

The Audubon House and Gardens were established by a key west native names Colonel Mitchell Wolfson and his wife Frances. It was a house originally built by Key West's first harbor captain, John Huling Geiger. He planted beautiful vegetation outside of the house which caught the Colonel's eye. Its original style was the American Classic Revival.

Audubon House Museum

Mel Fisher was born in 1922 in Hobart, Indiana. His interest in treasure hunting began when he, as a young boy, read Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. When he was 11, he made his own diving helmet out of a bucket, a hose, and a bicycle pump. As a young man, Fisher studied engineering at Purdue University and the University of Alabama. He also joined the U.S. Army and served with the Army Engineers in Europe during World War II. After spending time in Chicago, Denver, and Florida, in 1950 he moved to California with his parents where they opened a chicken ranch.Fisher continued to be interested in diving (he scuba dived in Florida), however, and opened the state's first (and, for a time, the only) diving shop in one of the farm's sheds. He offered free diving lessons to anyone who bought diving equipment, and also sold compressed air. Fisher also invented scuba gear to make diving easier and filmed some of the first underwater movies. In 1953, he met his future wife, Dolores, who became one of the world's first female divers, and sold the chicken ranch. They eventually moved to Redondo Beach, California and opened another dive shop. Mel continued to make films and even had his own TV shows. Dolores set an underwater endurance world record of over 55 hours. Fisher's parents also became divers.It appears the Fishers began diving for shipwrecks in the early 1960s after meeting a treasure hunter by the name of Kip Wagner, who asked Fisher to help recover artifacts from a 1715 Spanish ship. After a years of searching, Fisher and his team found over a 1,000 gold coins. In 1969, he started to search for the Atocha after reading about it in a diver's guidebook and moved the family to the Keys. Over the next 15 years or so, the Fishers kept diving and recovering items from the wreck but it wasn't until on July 20, 1985 that they found the ship's "mother lode" of thousands of artifacts and gold and silver coins. The discovery made headlines around the world.To preserve and share what he and his team had found, Fisher founded the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society in 1982 and began to store his artifacts in the old Naval Storehouse, which he leased from the General Services Administration (GSA). The GSA had acquired the storehouse in the 1970s after the Navy began to scale back its presence in Key West after the Vietnam War ended. It appears the museum opened around 1987. It also houses the Florida Slave Trade Documentation and Education Center, which explores the slave trade using items from the museum's collection. Fisher passed away on December 19, 1998.

Founded in 1985, the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum is dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich maritime history of Florida and the Caribbean. It is named after treasure hunter Mel Fisher (1922-1998), who is known for discovering the Spanish galleon the "Nuestra Señora de Atocha" in the early 1970s. The cargo was estimated to be worth around $400 million. In addition to the Atocha, Fisher also found the slave ship, the "Henrietta Marie." Its artifacts comprise the most complete collection of items from a slaving ship in North America. The museum features several exhibits that explore several topics including the life and legacy of Mel Fisher, the search for the Atocha, the science of shipwrecks, piracy, the transatlantic slave trade, and artifact conservation. The museum is housed in the history Key West Naval Storehouse, which was built in 1910. The museum offers a variety of educational programs and conducts underwater excavations of shipwrecks. 

Mel Fisher Maritime Museum

Although the old depot was built in the late 1850s, the federal government bought the property on which it stands in 1833. It is not clear why the property remained empty for so long but nevertheless, Congress authorized the construction of the depot in 1852 and it was called the Number One Building when it was built. During the Civil War, the Navy used it to support the East Gulf Blockade Squadron, which was based in Key West and a component of the Union's strategy to prevent the Confederacy from conducting trade and acquiring supplies. Known popularly as the <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/anaconda-plan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">"Anaconda Plan,"</a> the purpose of the strategy was to metaphorically "suffocate" the South and help the Union win the war. The building also played a role in the Spanish-American War (1898).It appears that from the end of the war and until 1923, the building operated as a Naval Administration Building. It then became the headquarters of the 7th Lighthouse District of the Lighthouse Service, which was a federal agency tasked with overseeing lighthouses for the county. It later merged with the United States Coast Guard in 1939. At that point, the Coast Guard began using the building as its Key West headquarters. When the Coast Guard vacated the old depot is unclear but it occurred sometime after at least the early 1970s.

The former Naval Depot and Storehouse and U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters building was erected between 1856 and 1861, making it the oldest brick building on Key West. It was also the first permanent Naval building on the island. Today it is called the Clinton Square Market and is home to a variety of retail shops. In terms of design, it features buttressed piers, arched window recesses, and large arched entrances at either end. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. 

Naval Depot and Storehouse and U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters

William Wall's descendants built the historic warehouse in 1878, serving the cigar business he created in 1831. Like many who sailed to Key West, Wall wrecked his ship in 1824, but it turned out to be a fortuitous accident. The Keys and nearby Caribbean islands exist as the viewable part of a vast stretch of rock and coral south of the Florida peninsula, most of which lies below the sea. The shallow seas and rocky terrain present hidden dangers to passing ships during the 1820s. Additionally, the strong Gulf Stream and the island's few lighthouses all served as factors that led numerous ships to run aground. After Wall wrecked his boat, he decided to stay on the island, and then he helped pioneer the islands' burgeoning, nineteenth-century cigar industry. When William Wall sailed for Key West in 1824, only 600 people lived on the island, which had only a few years before that been part of Spain. But, after wrecking his ship, he never left the island and not only witnesses the island's growth but played a significant role in making that so. Wall established the island's first cigar factory, which provided him with immense wealth and helped develop one of the island's principal industries during the nineteenth century. Wall died in 1866 but his descendants built the warehouse in 1878, one of the Key West's earliest brick buildings. The warehouse construction coincided with a period when Key West's cigar industry grew considerably, mainly because of an influx of Cuban immigrants that fled to Key West during and after the Ten Years' War in Cuba. The combination of exiles and the job opportunities generated by the booming cigar industry helped push Key West's population from 700 in 1840 to 18,000 by 1890. William Wall developed the first factory in 1831, but by 1885 the island supported eighty-six, which expanded further to an astounding 130 by 1890. Nearly 100 million cigars were produced annually in Key West during the 1890s so that by the turn of the century, Key West stood as the nation's largest producer of clear Havana cigars. Docks and large coal storage bins (or pockets) sat behind the building. Massive steam-powered motors, which traveled along the shipping lines connecting Key West to the world, used the coal. The United States Navy also recognized the need to have coaling stations. Due to the building's strategic location, the Navy acquired the warehouse and converted it into Naval Station #2. The Navy also spent nine years dredgeing Key West's harbor, from 1888 thru 1897, which allowed its fleet to access the waterfront. The fleet included the U.S.S. Maine, whose explosion outside of Spanish-controlled Havana helped push the U.S. to war with Spain in 1898 (evidence shows that Spain's role in the ship's explosion is questionable). The once-industrial waterfront and coal stations are long gone, leaving a spot known as Mallory Square where tourists regularly catch Key West's famous sunsets. Meanwhile, hundreds of cruise ships filled with tourists park at the docks that once served Navy and cigar ships. Indeed, tourism exists as Key West's most significant industry today. But, the building stands as a reminder of Key West's past, filled with cigar industries, Cuban immigration, and shipwrecks.

William Wall set sail for Key West in 1824 and, like countless others near the island during the 1820s, wrecked his ship. While many Key Western residents profited greatly from obtaining goods from wrecked ships, Wall turned his misfortune into an actual fortune. He decided to stay on the island and, in 1831, created the island's first cigar factory. Not only did he amass a fortune, he set in motion an industry that supported more than 130 cigar factories by 1900. Wall's descendants built the warehouse in 1878 just as Cuban exiles arrived in Key West by the thousands. A few years later, the U.S. Navy purchased the warehouse mostly because if its coal supplies and storage vessels. One of the Navy ships that docked near the warehouse was the infamous U.S.S. Maine that exploded outside of Havana, leading to an outcry, justified or not, that helped push the the U.S. and Spain into war. 

William Wall Warehouse

The historic Old Post Office and Customs House, now the Key West Museum of Art &amp; History, opened in 1891. Designed by architect William Kerr, who built several municipal buildings throughout Key West, the Old Post Office is an exemplary Romanesque Revival form. The building served as the home to U.S. Customs, U.S. Post Office, U.S. Courthouse, and quarters for The Lighthouse Department. Construction of a new Federal Building in 1932 allowed most tenants to move to the new facility, leaving only the Lighthouse Department in the old building. Later that year, the U.S. Navy took possession of the building. The 1890s proved to be a time of growth and change for Key West. The population nearly doubled from 1880 to 1890, rising from 9,890 to 18,080 people. (Ten years later, in 1900, the population fell slightly to 17,114.). Much of that had to do with the Florida Legislature's decision to expand the city's boundaries to include the entire island. The city also enjoyed mule-powered streetcars and sailing lines from the island to places like Tampa and Havana. Indeed, by 1890, Key West stood as Flordia's largest, most populated, and wealthiest city.Part of that wealth came directly from the island's role as a port city. Even as early as 1828, the U.S. designated Key West as a U.S. Port of Entry and established a Superior Court of the Southern Judicial District of the Territory of Florida in Key West. The first customs house, a tiny wooden structure, opened in 1833. By 1882, the Key West customs operations generated an annual revenue greater than all other Florida ports combined. With such a bustling customs industry in Key West, the need for a superior structure emerged. A contract was obtained in 1888, and the historic building opened three years later. When it first opened, the postal and customs services occupied the first floor, a courtroom and court offices occupied the second floor, and the third floor contained the lighthouse inspector and other government officials. However, Key West also dealt with cigar-industry strikes and offered reminders of its ties to Cuba; the island sits closer to Cuba than it does mainland Florida. For instance, during the 1890s, Key West Cubans -- most of whom fled to Key West during a failed Cuban independence during the 1860s and 1870s -- helped José Martí launch the Cuban revolution. Additionally, in 1898, the battleship U.S.S. Maine left Key West for Cuba and sunk due to an explosion. The Customs House played a role in the sinking's aftermath. The Custom House heard a multitude of cases ranging from rum running to ship salvaging claims, but the most significant proceedings held at the courthouse dealt with the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine in Havana harbor. The court determined that the ship hit Spanish mines and exploded. Though the real cause of its sinking is debatable, it led to a push for war demonstrated by the popular phrase, "Remember the Maine! To hell with Spain!" -- the Spanish-American War followed shortly thereafter. The challenges of a subtropical climate and a series of hurricanes during the early twentieth century all took their toll on the building, but it has survived. The U.S. Navy used the building for its offices for nearly forty years, roughly from the 1930s through the 1970s. Today, the building is home to the Key West Museum of Art &amp; History. After a period of vacancy and uncertainty regarding the structure, the museum took ownership of the building in the 1990s and spearheaded a nearly decade-long renovation project; The Customs House opened as the Key West Museum of Art &amp; History in 1999. The building stands as a physical reminder of Key West's growth prior to the nineteenth century, its significance as a port city, and the island's ties to the U.S.-Cuba (and Spain) story.

The historic Key West structure was completed in 1891 and served as the home to the U.S. Customs, U.S. Post Office, Superior Court of the Southern Judicial District, and The Lighthouse Department. The building was constructed at a moment in time when Key West was South Florida's wealthiest and largest city owing to federal investment owing to its status as an official U.S. Port Entry. An examination of parts of the U.S.S. Maine, a battleship that exploded and sank in the Havana harbor, occurred at the Customshouse. The event led to speculation that Spain was behind the attack, and despite an inconclusive analysis, those who hoped the incident would lead the U.S. to challenge Spain's control of Cuba and other islands used the explosion to rally support for the Spanish-American War. The building later served as offices of the U.S. Navy until the 1970s. Demonstrating the island's transition to tourism, the building is now home to the Key West Museum of Art & History. That organization led a restoration project of the building during the 1990s and have been operating in the historic structure since 1999. 

Old Post Office and Customshouse (Key West Museum of Art & History)

This building was constructed in 1890 for use by the United States Navy. The building incorporates elements of West Indian architecture, as well as design features of the late Victorian era. Though changes have been made to the residence over the years, many of the original elements from 1890 remain. Harry Truman first began to use this residence in 1946. During this period of post-war history, as well as the beginning of the Cold War, the President's need for respite brought him to Key West. The stress of the presidency, combined with the development of a habitual cold in 1946, led Truman's doctor to recommend that he depart on a warm weather vacation. Truman immediately fell in love with Key West and the climate. Truman's first visit in 1946 led to a total of eleven visits and working vacations at this residence through the remainder of his term in office.

This historic building served as the Key West naval station's command headquarters during the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II. President Harry Truman later used the facility and gave it the nickname "Winter White House." The historic home has been used by a total of six American Presidents, but Truman's lengthy visits led to its association with him and the nickname "Truman's Little White House." Today the building holds a small museum that introduces guests to the history of the site and its role in naval history, as well as its place in history during the Truman Presidency and the Cold War. 

Harry S. Truman Little White House

Until the creation of the Bureau, weather data was collected mostly by citizen-run weather stations around the country and distributed to the public by horseback or ships. But in the 1860s, the development of the telegraph made the transmission of information much faster. As a result, weather forecasts more precise in the 1860s and 1870s.To standardize weather data collecting on a national level, the federal government established the Weather Bureau in 1870. For the first 20 years the Bureau was part of the War Department (which was in existence from 1789 to 1947). Weather stations were located at military installations and overseen by the U.S. Army Signal Corps's Division of Telegrams and Reports. In 1890, the Bureau, which had grown to 24 stations by then, became part of the Department of Agriculture.The Department bought the property where the Inn now stands in 1903. At that time, the property was a part of the <a href="https://theclio.com/entry/9823" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fort Zachary Taylor Army Base</a>. It is not clear why the building wasn't erected until 1912. Until then, the weather station in Key West had been housed in several locations including a hotel that was destroyed by fire in 1886.In 1940, the Bureau was moved to the Department of Commerce and then in 1947, it was transferred to the Navy, which took over the Army base at that time. The base was renamed Naval Station Key West (not to be confused with the <a href="https://theclio.com/entry/55116" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Naval Air Station Key West</a>) and the immediate neighborhood surrounding the station became known as the Truman Annex after President Harry Truman, who stayed in the historic <a href="https://theclio.com/entry/11508" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Truman Little White House</a> located down the street during the winter months.The Navy bought the station in 1957 and converted it to a residence for female personnel called Quarters T. The Navy closed the base in 1974 and sold the old station to new owners who began to restore it. The inn opened three years later.

Now a hotel called the Weatherstation Inn, this historic building was once a station of the United States Weather Bureau, which was the predecessor to the National Weather Service. Designed by architect Frank H. Jackson in the Classical Revival style, the building was erected in 1912 and was occupied by the Bureau until the 1950s when the Navy acquired the structure. This facility was part of a network of weather stations around the country and played a critical role in reporting weather to the public and predicting the path of hurricanes and storms. The inn opened in 1977.

United States Weather Bureau (Weatherstation Inn)

The U.S. Coast Guard decided to build the cutters to fulfill the need for fast, versatile, durable vessels capable of sailing on longer voyages. Construction of the seven cutters began in 1935. The Ingham was one of the four built at the Philadelphia Navy Yard and was commissioned on September 12, 1936. All of the cutters were 327 feet long and were therefore known as the "327s". The Ingham was armed with a variety of guns and, during World War II, depth charges.The Ingham was first stationed in Seattle, Washington before being sent to Boston, Massachusetts in 1940. It proceeded to conduct several weather patrols to provide the weather data needed to help American aircraft fly safely to Britain. Not long after the U.S. entered the war, German U-boats began to attack American ships carrying oil, supplies, and military personnel to Europe. This prompted the U.S. to deploy a variety of vessels, including the seven cutters, to protect the convoys sailing in the Atlantic. The cutters were the most effective in this effort. Between 1942 and 1943, the Ingham was stationed in the North Atlantic, escorting convoys to and from Boston, New York, Newfoundland, Iceland, and Britain. It engaged in battles on a number of occasions, including the sinking of U-262. The Ingham also rescued survivors from sunk or damaged ships. After the U-boat threat in the North Atlantic ended, the Ingham escorted convoys in the Mediterranean and Caribbean before being transferred to the Pacific Ocean to support the effort against the Japanese. Between 1946 and 1968 the Ingham was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia and patrolled the waters off of North Korean during the Korean War. Before the Vietnam War, it participated in law enforcement and rescue missions. Once the war began, it was sent to Vietnam and tasked with preventing supplies and arms from being delivered to the Viet Cong, participating in search and rescue operations, and providing gunfire support for friendly ground forces. The Ingham served in the war from August 1968 to February 1969 and it was during this time that it was awarded the two Presidential Citations. From that point forward it was used for regular Coast Guard duties, including, in 1980, towing several ships to safety and rescuing many refugees fleeing Cuba. By 1988 the Ingham was too costly to maintain and was sent to a museum in Charleston, South Carolina. It was later relocated here in 2009. The ship also serves as a memorial to all the Coast Guard members who died during World War II and the Vietnam War. In addition to the Presidential Unit Citations, the Ingham received several other awards as well.

Now a museum ship, the Ingham is a historic Coast Guard cutter vessel that operated from 1936 to 1988. It is one of only two (of seven) Secretary-class cutters remaining and was the most-decorated Coast Guard vessel. The Ingham is also the only cutter to receive two Presidential Unit Citations during World War II. During World War II, it escorted convoys to Britain. On one trip in December 1942, the Ingham sunk a German U-Boat 626 on the 15th with a single depth charge. Known as the "hole in one," the sinking of the U-262 was the last U-boat sunk by an American ship in the war. The Ingham was named after Treasury Secretary Samuel D. Ingham, who served under President Andrew Jackson (the six other cutters were named after other Treasury Secretaries). It is a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

USCGC Ingham Maritime Museum

<div>The home was also the first on the island to have an upstairs bathroom with running water. The cost of the pool initially concerned Hemingway. When he returned to find that his wife was spending thousands of dollars to build the pool, Hemingway reported that he took a penny from his pocket and cast it into the cement remarking "Well, you might as well have my last cent." Visitors can see this penny today, as it remains embedded in the concrete surrounding the pool. <div>Another favorite among visitors are the cats that live near the&nbsp;home and museum, that are reportedly&nbsp;descendants of the Hemingway family cats.</div></div>

This museum and historic site was home to Ernest Hemingway from 1931 to 1939, although he retained title to the home until he died. The house was one of the first on the island to be fitted with indoor plumbing, and also featured the first swimming pool in Key West. More importantly, this is the house where Hemingway wrote some of his most important works such "The Snows of Kilimanjaro," "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber," "To Have And Have Not," and "Green Hills of Africa. The museum provides guided tours of the home and the grounds every fifteen minutes between nine to five.

Ernest Hemingway House

The Key West Lighthouse and Museum was built in 1848, replacing the first lighthouse built in 1825 and destroyed in a hurricane in 1846. Michael Mabrity served as the first lighthouse keeper until he died in 1832. His wife, Barbara, took over and served as the keeper until the Civil War, when she made anti-Union remarks and subsequently lost her job. Another tower, built to the east, also had a woman lightkeeper (she, too, was a widow of the tower's first keeper.); women keepers were rare. The tower initially stood on land fifteen feet above sea level and rose fifty feet high. But, as Key West grew during the 1890s, the combination of tree growth and construction forced the island to raise the ground, eventually putting the lamps at 100 feet above sea level. The history of the Key West Lighthouse begins with the original light tower erected in 1825. The first keeper, Michael Mabrity, died in 1832 of yellow fever, leaving his widow, Barbara, to take over as lighthouse keeper. Barbara held the position for thirty-two years. In the middle of Barbara's career, the Great Havana Hurricane of 1846 struck Key West and destroyed the lighthouse. Barbara survived, but fourteen people who took shelter in the tower died, including six of Barbra's children. The hurricane also destroyed Key West's second light tower -- Sand Key Lighthouse -- located eight miles to the east of the original tower. Rebecca Flaherty, also a widow of that tower's first keeper, died in that tower along with five others. During the two years Key West had no functioning light tower, from 1846 to 1848, the island outfitted a ship called Honey to serve as a temporary source of light for ships. When the new tower arose in 1848, Barbara Mabrity again served as its keeper. The new Key West Lighthouse consisted of thirteen lamps, rose fifty feet tall, and stood at a high point in Key West, fifteen feet above sea level. At the age of 82, Barbara lost her job after making anti-Union remarks during the Civil War (Key West remained in the Union despite Florida seceding). Upgrades to the lights occurred in 1858 and 1873 (after another hurricane-damaged the Lighthouse in 1866), which added three feet to the tower's height. In 1887, the original quarters were replaced with a new living facility used by both the keeper's and assistant's families. Each family enjoyed separate quarters but shared the kitchen area. Key West's construction boom of the 1890s, along with tree growth, obscured the light, forcing the island to raise the tower twenty feet, putting the lamps at 100 feet above sea level in 1894. The U.S. Coast Guard decommissioned the Key West Lighthouse in 1969 when modern advancements replaced human lighthouse keepers. And then, in 1989, the Coast Guard deactivated the light, ending 141 years of continuous service. Today, this Key West Lighthouse serves as a museum, managed by the Key West Arts and Historical Society. Guests can explore exhibits and climb the tower's eighty-eight steps to get a birds-eye view of Key West.

Following the devastating hurricane of 1846, this historic lighthouse was completed in 1848 and replaced Key West's first lighthouse which had been built in 1825 and had been destroyed in the storm. Michael Mabrity served as the first lighthouse keeper from 1825 until he died in 1832. At that time, Barbara Mabrity took over and held the keeper position for thirty years. In addition to losing her husband, Barbara also lost six children who, along with eight other people, took refuge in the tower during that devastating hurricane. During the 1860s, Barbara made anti-Union statements despite the fact that Key West remained part of the Union during the Civil War and was a key part of the Union's naval strategy. These pro-Confederate remarks resulted in Marbity being removed from her post as the navy favored a lighthouse keeper who was loyal to the United States. The original lighthouse was fifty feet high with a base that was fifteen feet above sea level. However, the Key West building boom and growth during the late nineteenth century forced the island to raise the ground so the tower lights sat 100 feet above sea level. In 1969, the Coast Guard decommissioned the tower. By the late 1980s, the tower underwent renovations that ultimately resulted in its current function as a museum. In addition to exhibits, viewers can also climb to the top of the Key West Lighthouse. 

Key West Lighthouse and Museum

The
Southernmost Point Buoy of Key West was built
out of necessity in 1983 to replace a series of signs that were stolen by
tourists. The buoy is not an official point of navigation, but for many, it
represents the southernmost point in the continental United States. For others,
this point serves as a reminder of the many would-be Americans who have died in
their efforts to come to America. The
buoy notes that Cuba is only 90 miles away from that point and while it has become
a tourist attraction, it is also a reminder that this point of entry to the
United States has been reached by many after an arduous journey. &nbsp;

The
Southernmost Point of Key West was originally marked simply with a sign, but after that sign was stolen by tourists
repeatedly, an old sewer junction was dug up by groups
of residents and painted to look like a buoy with large red, Black and yellow
stripes around it. At the top is the symbol for the Conch Republic, a fictional
micronation created as a tongue-in-cheek “secession”
by residents of the city of Key West, Florida on April 23, 1982. 

Today, the Southernmost Point
Buoy of Key West may not be the actual southernmost point in the United States,
but it may be the most photographed “buoy” in the country.&nbsp;

The Southernmost Point Buoy of Key West was built out of necessity in 1983 to replace a series of signs that were stolen by tourists. The buoy is not an official point of navigation, but for many, it represents the southernmost point in the continental United States. For others, this point serves as a reminder of the many would-be Americans who have died in their efforts to come to America. The buoy notes that Cuba is only 90 miles away from that point and while it has become a tourist attraction, it is also a reminder that this point of entry to the United States has been reached by many after an arduous journey.  

The Southernmost Point Buoy of Key West

Thomas Edison oversaw this historic mansion's electrical design, which later served as a speakeasy, nightclub, and private residence that collectively hosted numerous well-known celebrities, dignitaries, and five U.S. Presidents. In 1897, Judge Vinning Harris built the unique, one-bedroom estate referred to today as "Southernmost House." Harris married Florida Curry, whose father William enjoyed the distinction as Florida's first millionaire; the Curry family built eight mansions in today's Key West Historic District. This grand Queen Anne Victorian style house only consisted of one bedroom when constructed in 1897. However, the home offered residents and guests electricity, a rarity in the 1890s (provided by Thomas Edison's oversight). The elegant home allowed people to gaze upon its spectacular ocean views, step onto large open-air balconies, and benefit from sizable stained glass windows, which opened to channel ocean breezes into the home. Judge Harris and Florida Harris, much like the Curry family (Florida's family), were highly prominent Key West residents. They regularly entertained Henry Flagler, who spearheaded the Overseas Railroad project, an extension of the Florida East Coast Railway that connected Key West to the Florida mainland. The Harris couple also invested in the project. During Prohibition, the mansion served as a "speakeasy" with the first floor functioning as a restaurant, the second floor a casino, and the third floor a social club. Everyone from well-known celebrities to gangsters visited during Prohibition, often on their way to Havana. Following Prohibition, the house converted into a nightclub called Café Cayo Hueso, which existed among many clubs, casinos, and social clubs on Duvel street during the 1940s. Besides sailors, vacationers, and residents, countless celebrities patronized the club, including Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, Gore Vidal, Truman Capote, Gloria Swanson, Louis Armstrong, and Charles Lindbergh.  Renovations in 1949 returned the mansion to a private residence frequented by several dignitaries, including Spain's King Juan Carlos and five U.S. Presidents: Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Jimmy Carter. Today, the historical landmark operates as a bed-and-breakfast hotel, demonstrating the way that Key West's economy has transitioned over the years from naval operations and businesses like cigar-making to tourism. The home as originally designed in 1897 consisted of only one bedroom, but to support its new role as a bed and breakfast, the home now has eighteen bedrooms. Despite these obvious changes to the design of the home, it continues to host guests who visit the island.

Numerous celebrities and dignitaries have visited this Key West mansion which was completed in 1897, including five U.S. Presidents, Louis Armstrong, Charles Lindbergh, Ernest Hemingway, and Gloria Swanson. Thomas Edison oversaw the electrical design of the building, a rare feature for any home during the 1890s. The Queen Anne Victorian home was built by Judge Vinning and Florida Harris. Florida's father was the state's first millionaire. Over the years the home has operated as a private residence, speakeasy, nightclub, and a bed & breakfast. 


Key West History and Culture Bike Tour

Old Navy Commissary (Gato Cigar Factory)

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources