Key West in Monroe County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Tennessee Williams
March 26,1911 - February 25,1983
Key West Historic Memorial Sculpture Garden
Photographed by Brandon D Cross, May 4, 2023
1. Tennessee Williams Marker
Inscription.
Tennessee Williams. March 26,1911 - February 25,1983. Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams Ill was one of the foremost American playwrights in the 20th century. He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and graduated from the University of Iowa. During the winter of 1944-1945 his play "The Glass Menagerie" was an enormous hit on Broadway. A Street Car Named Desire", was also a success and secured his reputation as a great playwright. His other major works were: Summer and Smoke, The Rose Tattoo, Camino Real, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Orpheus Descending, Garden District, The Night of the Iguana and Sweet Bird of Youth. Many plays became movies. The Rose Tattoo was filmed in Key West. In 1940, Williams made his first visit to the Island. He completed A Street Car Named Desire here. In 1949, he purchased a house on Duncan Street, his home for the rest of his life. He wrote, "I can write anywhere but I write the best here." Williams supported local charities and worked with local theatrical groups. As a gay man, he was a leader in assimilating the LGBT community into Key West. Williams received two Pulitzer Prizes, three New York Drama Critics Circle, a Tony and three Donaldson Awards, and was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame. The Fine Arts Center at the Florida Keys College is named for him.
Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams Ill was one of the foremost American playwrights in the 20th century. He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and graduated from the University of Iowa. During the winter of 1944-1945 his play "The Glass Menagerie" was an enormous hit on Broadway. A Street Car Named Desire", was also a success and secured his reputation as a great playwright. His other major works were: Summer and Smoke, The Rose Tattoo, Camino Real, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Orpheus Descending, Garden District, The Night of the Iguana and Sweet Bird of Youth. Many plays became movies. The Rose Tattoo was filmed in Key West. In 1940, Williams made his first visit to the Island. He completed A Street Car Named Desire here. In 1949, he purchased a house on Duncan Street, his home for the rest of his life. He wrote, "I can write anywhere but I write the best here." Williams supported local charities and worked with local theatrical groups. As a gay man, he was a leader in assimilating the LGBT community into Key West. Williams received two Pulitzer Prizes, three New York Drama Critics Circle, a Tony and three Donaldson Awards, and was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame. The Fine Arts Center at the Florida Keys College is named for him.
Erected by Nancy and Ed Swift and Hope Casas.
Topics. This
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historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1949.
Location. 24° 33.579′ N, 81° 48.413′ W. Marker is in Key West, Florida, in Monroe County. It can be reached from the intersection of Wall Street and Tifts Aly, on the left when traveling north. The marker is located within the Key West Historic Memorial Sculpture Garden. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 401 Wall Street, Key West FL 33040, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on the Florida Keys. It is also in the American South and on the Gulf Coast. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 6, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 14, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 199 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on May 14, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
