Key West, FL

Key West, founded in 1829, is the southernmost city in the contiguous United States. In the middle of the 19th century salvaging shipwrecks (called "Wrecking") became big business in Key West, and for a while made it the richest city in the country. One can visit the Key West Shipwreck Treasures Museum (formerly the Historeum Museum) to learn all about "Wrecking". Now of course the big business in town is TOURISM. The majority of businesses in Key West are geared toward the tourist trade, so take lots of tourist dollars when you visit. I have been to Key West twice, almost exactly 20 years apart (1999 and 2019).

Waterfront

Our first stop will be along the waterfront at the westernmost end of Key West. The waterfront area features attractions like the Key West Shipwreck Treasures Museum, the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, Mallory Square, the Key West Art and History Museum, Marqueritaville, etc. There are lots of eateries, drinkeries, and specialty shops along the waterfront. I had conch chowder at the Conch Republic Restaurant, which is kind of famous. I didn't take the tour of the Key West Shipwreck Museum, but did take some photos from its tower. I did tour the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, which is presented in the next section. One must do tourist thing is to view the sunset from Mallory Square.

"The Wreckers" by James Mastin

Shipwreck Historeum Museum Display (1999)

Shipwreck Treasure Museum display (2019)

Near the entrance to
the Shipwreck Treasures Museum

Carronade
(aka "Smasher")

Conch Train

Mallory Square
View from Historeum Tower

Conch Train

Capt. Tony's Saloon
Originally Sloppy Joe's (Hemingway's favorite bar)

Conch Republic Seafood Company (1999)

Conch Republic Seafood Company
open for business (2019)

Key West Art and History Museum
in the Old Post Office and Customshouse

Key West Museum of Art and History

"Pondering the Benefits of Excercise"
by Seward Johnson

"Los Mariachis" by Seward Johnson
Key West Museum of Art and History

Sunset
View from Mallory Square

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Mel Fisher Maritime Museum

Mel Fisher was one of the most famous and successful undersea treasure hunters. Originally from Indiana, he moved to California and opened the state's first dive shop. He formed a slavage company (Teasure Salvors, Inc.) with his wife and sons, and became somewhat obsessed with finding the wreck of the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha. After several years of searching he finally located the wreck on July 20, 1985 off the coast of Florida, and recovered some $450 million worth of gold, silver, copper, and jewels. After a years-long fight with the State of Florida, SCOTUS finally ruled "finders-keepere", and the Fishers were awarded all of the treasure (less a hefty percentage in taxes). Much of the treasure is on display in the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, and artifacts can also be purchased at the associated Mel Fisher's Treasures gallery ($$$$). The museum's second floor features pirate exhibits and artifacts from the slave ship Henrietta Marie, also discovered by the Fishers.

Mel Fisher Maritime Museum

Cannon in the couryard of
the Mel Fisher Museum

Model of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha

Atocha statistics

Business end of a cannon

Museum exhibits

Culinary plates and utensils

Gold salver (serving plate)

"Tools of the trade"

Ship's tools

Atocha bronze cannon

Gold chains

Emerald jewelry

Silver ingots

Gold bars

Spanish silver dollars (pieces of eight)

Saker smoothbore cannon

Pirate (female) at entrance to
Mel Fisher's Treasures gallery

Pirate (male) at entrance to
Mel Fisher's Treasures gallery

Key West is a funky town with its pastel colored, conch-style buildings and chickens running all around. Many of the Rich and Famous have lived in Key West, including Ernest Hemingway, President Harry Truman, James Audubon, and Jimmy Buffet. Estate houses and tropical gardens dot the city. The west end of the city is the touristy part of town, with its various museums, boutiques, seafood restaurants, and bars (think Margaritaville).

Harry S. Truman
Little White House

Bougainvillea and other tropical flora

Local resident

Whitehead Street

Audubon House on Whitehead Street

Audubon House

Bananas

???

First Flight Restaurant and Brewery

Southermost house

Grand Hotel and Museum

Tropical Flora

Southernmost point
on the Continental U.S.

Banyan tree

Funky Chickens

Begin U.S. Hwy 1 North

End U.S. Hwy 1 South

Green Parrot Bar

Bahama Village Market

I like this photo

Everything Aquatic

Key West is surrounded by water, so naturally the city is into all things aquatic. Key West is known for its clear waters and coral reefs. There are boat tours of every kind - snorkeling, diving, fishing, and trips to Dry Tortugas National Park. Key West is also a port of call for many cruise ships.

Waterfront

Tugboats

"Dauntless"

Schooner

More Schooners

FastCat to Dry Tortugas

"Sunny Days" Catamaran

Cruise Ship "Leeward"

One Lone Seagull

the "Jolly Rover"

Hemingway House

Everyone knows Ernest Hemingway as maybe the greatest American novelist (The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms). However not everyone may know that he led a remarkable life that made him a "bigger than life" legend. In addition being a superb author, he was also at various times a reporter, war correspondent, ambulance driver, big game hunter, avid fisherman, and a very heavy drinker. He had 4 wives (one at a time) and God knows how many cats. He maintained permanent residences in Key West and Havana and had a house in Idaho. The house in Key West was a gift from the uncle of his second wife, Pauline. I had to choose between touring the Audubon House or the Hemingway House on my 2019 trip to Key West. I chose Hemingway House (both charge entrance fees).

Hemingway House

Memorabelia in the parlor

Key West Lighthouse

Polydactyl cat (6 toes on each paw)

Hemingway swimming pool
(first one in Key West)

Kitchen

"For Whom The Bell Tolls"
movie poster

Bedroom

Dining Room

Cat nap

Ernest Hemingway Study

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park

Construction on Fort Taylor (named for President Zachary Taylor) began in 1845 and continued through the 1850s. It remained in Union hands during the Civil War and served as a base to interdict Confederate blockade runners. The fort also saw service during the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, and the cuban missle crisis. Fort Taylor was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973. Today the fort is known as the Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, and contains the largest collection of civil war cannons in the nation.