In 1863 the US Army started building a barracks for soldiers who had been crowded into storehouses on the parade ground and unfinished casemates on the fort's second tier. The three-story building—higher than the fort's walls to catch the breeze and . . . — — Map (db m240111) HM
On January 22, 1912, the "Flagler Special," the first passenger train ever to arrive in Key West and Henry M Flagler, Florida's empire builder, were tumultuously welcomed by the largest outpouring of citizens in the City's history. The train's . . . — — Map (db m208751) HM
Built in 1897 by Judge Vining Harris and his wife Florida Curry. This Queen Anne Victorian-style mansion was designed as a one bedroom home. Thomas Edison oversaw the home's original electrical design and installation. During prohibition the . . . — — Map (db m222473) HM
Spanish American War
On January 24, 1898, the battleship USS Maine sailed from Key West for Havana to protect the lives of American citizens threatened by riots. Three weeks later, on February 15, a mysterious explosion sank the . . . — — Map (db m224161) HM WM
Key West entrepreneurs have used this building, built in 1896, for a wide range of commercial businesses. It is a classic example of longevity achieved through adaptive reuse. Through its history, this building served as a sponge warehouse, dry . . . — — Map (db m243699) HM
The first shipment of sponges
left Key West and arrived in
New York City in 1849
starting an island industry
that lasted 50 years. Sponges
grow in sponge beds
in approximately 20 feet of
water. They are harvested
. . . — — Map (db m223340) HM
This grand structure stands as a testament to the faith and fortitude of Key West’s diverse community. Three previous churches on this historic site were destroyed by hurricanes in 1846, 1909 and the Great Fire of 1886. The current concrete church . . . — — Map (db m232118) HM
Oldest in Florida Diocese, the present church (1912) is the fourth on this site. John Fleeming, one of the four original owners of the island, is buried here. His widow donated the property, stipulating that the church pews be free. Rectory built . . . — — Map (db m84328) HM
This structure is one of many water towers that stood along the Key West waterfront. The advent of the Industrial Age introduced steam-powered engines. Fresh water heated by coal fires created steam and was the fuel of choice during the 19th and . . . — — Map (db m223378) HM
About 1820, Stephen Mallory came to Key West with his parents, Ellen and John. At that time his mother was one of the few women on the island. He attended school in Mobile and Nazareth, Pennsylvania. His widowed mother's boarding house was the sole . . . — — Map (db m223518) HM
Following World War I, the Naval Station transformed the waters inside of the Outer Mole Pier into a submarine training base. Five metal "finger" docks were built to service submarines. During World War II, German U-boats sank 49 ships off the . . . — — Map (db m222502) WM
In 1622, the Spanish treasure galleons Atocha & Santa Margarita sank in a violent hurricane about 30 miles off the coast of Key West. The lost treasure cargo was worth millions even then. Despite years of searching, the treasure was lost for . . . — — Map (db m245828) HM
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 . . . — — Map (db m223492) HM
This 1884 bungalow, with its wide front porch and simple architectural details was a private residence until 1986. Originally built on the edge of town it has become the center of Key West's Historic District.
Today it is occupied by the . . . — — Map (db m245834) HM
The fort was not built as a prison, and it has no dungeons. But prison it became, and at times "hard cases" were clapped into magazines or secure gunrooms.
One man who knew this room was Dr. Samuel Mudd. He was shackled in irons after trying to . . . — — Map (db m246656) HM
Key West's most devastating fire was ignited in a coffee shop next to the San Carlos Institute at 2:00 a.m. on April 1, 1886. The fire raged for 12 hours as it raced through the center of the city burning 16 cigar factories, 200 houses and . . . — — Map (db m223291) HM
The Arch House is the oldest remaining Carriage House in the Historic District. It is recognized as a novelty of architectural design and function. In Key West during the 1880s, it was uncommon for the average person to possess a horse much less a . . . — — Map (db m243705) HM
This concrete structure was
built on the mainland and
transported by Flagler's
railroad to the current
location in 1917. Its purpose
was to protect the connection
between the land line and the
125 mile long underwater
telegraph cable lines . . . — — Map (db m192426) HM
Paul Cold moved this 1850s farmhouse to this location just after the Civil War.
It is the oldest surviving house on White Street.
At that time, this part of White Street was a dirt road running through open fields.
The 1884 Library of . . . — — Map (db m243872) HM
On April 18, 1982 at the head of the highway
out of the Florida Keys, the United States Border Patrol
established a road block. For the first time in the United States’ history, an entire section of the county was officially treated as a foreign . . . — — Map (db m224521) HM
On April 23, 1982, the Conch Republic declared the secession of Key West from the United States. The short lived "war" was in response to a border patrol check point in Florida City subjecting all vehicles to searches for illegal immigrants. . . . — — Map (db m223016) HM
Captain Phillip Cosgrove
purchased this stately home
for the price of $1,600 in
1871. This was a prime
location with its proximity to
the deep-water port and in
what was then the center of
the city. It's believed that the
Captain's wife . . . — — Map (db m192423) HM
Built in 1917 as a “club” for Cuban cigar makers. It was the center of social and community life for the Cuban population at the height of the cigar industry in Key West. The building was alive with constant din of domino games between the cigar . . . — — Map (db m233701) HM
This is the site of two Curry homes. William Curry, Florida's first millionaire, raised his eight children in the original house built in 1869. His son Milton built the current mansion in 1905 keeping the original kitchen from his father's house. . . . — — Map (db m223450) HM
These coral islands surrounded by warm water are ideal habitats for birds, turtles, shellfish, coral, fish, and other form of ocean life. Nearby Bush Key is a spectacle of sooty and noddy terns during their March to September nesting season. View . . . — — Map (db m100242)
Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations
ALTAFF
Literary Landmarks Register
Where Hemingway lived and wrote from 1931-193
This site is dedicated as a Literary Landmark by the Association of Library Trustees, . . . — — Map (db m243893) HM
One of the grandest of the
7 mansions constructed by
the children of Florida's first
millionaire, this structure was
built by Charles Curry in 1887.
Dr. Joseph Norman Fogarty
purchased the home in 1900
for his bride . . . — — Map (db m243418) HM
Built of heart pine by shipbuilder and merchant Samuel Filer. In 1920, the structure was moved back forty feet to its present location. The double parlor features wall murals painted in 1925. The house has been sold only once, in 1920, to the . . . — — Map (db m245842) HM
In 1773 George Gauld, a British surveyor & cartographer, placed the Southernmost Point at 24°29'N latitude and 82°35'W longitude. At the time Cayo Hueso, now called Key West, was part of the Spanish Empire. John Simonton purchased the island . . . — — Map (db m87412) HM
Two large, unplastered first and second floor rooms at the north end of the barracks served as post hospital. There was also a makeshift isolation facility on Hospital Key, almost two miles away.
Though Fort Jefferson was considered a healthful . . . — — Map (db m225084) HM
The Johnson/Archer House at 1016 Fleming Street, is a grand, Classic Revival historic dwelling, defined by its unique wooden columns, encircling porch and enlarged front dormer.
Thomas B. Johnson, one of Key West's most talented . . . — — Map (db m243691) HM
John Dewey was a world renowned philosopher and educator, arguably one of the most influential men on America's educational system. From 1938 to 1950 Dewey spent every winter during the twilight of his years in Key West, enjoying the laid back . . . — — Map (db m233813) HM
The Kapok Tree, Ceiba Pentandra, is also called the Ceilba tree or Silkcotton tree, which grow to
40 meters(130 feet) or more. It was the sacred tree of the Mayan people who believed that souls of the
dead climbed a mythical kapok whose branches . . . — — Map (db m240119) HM
The City of Key West declared bankruptcy in 1930. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was tasked with an extensive restoration and beautification program to rebuild the local economy and transform the community into a vacation paradise. In . . . — — Map (db m223371) HM
The cemetery consists of 19 acres and approximately 100,000 individuals are buried on the grounds. It was created after the devastation of a previous city burial site during the 1846 Havana Hurricane. Each grave site can hold up to five bodies, two . . . — — Map (db m243712) HM
The Lewinsky Building
1920
has been placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior — — Map (db m224659) HM
Built in 1890 on the waterfront as a two-family dwelling for the base commandant and paymaster, this building was known as Quarters A and B. It was converted into a single-family residence in 1911. President William Howard Taft visited this site in . . . — — Map (db m32659) HM
Built in 1890 as quarters for Navy officers, the Little White House later was used by American Presidents William Howard Taft, Harry S. Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Truman used the facility as a vacation . . . — — Map (db m32655) HM
Built in 1905, this house originally stood on Big Pine Key. It was first used as the home of a section boss on the Key West Extension of Henry Flagler's Over-Sea Railway.
Later, it was the home of Maggie and Henry Atwell and their four . . . — — Map (db m224425) HM
Arrived, Key West, August 3, 2015
21 feet × 7 feet. Steel and Wood
The Mariana landed in Key West with 23 men and one woman on board. It had taken just over 24 hours to make the 111 mile voyage from Cárdenas, Cuba. Empty 55-gallon . . . — — Map (db m245831) HM
Dade Lodge #14 was built by
esteemed Miami architect, Henry
Hohauser for a local order of
Masons. The architural style of
the building is Streamline Moderne.
The new look embraced simple lines
And aerodynamic curves in . . . — — Map (db m224190) HM
It protected the fort walls from (1) heavy seas, and (2) enemy landings.
Most of the moat wall was built in 1849-1851, but digging the moat to full depth, a task for prisoners, was not completed until 1873.
Beginning in 1861, dozens of . . . — — Map (db m225073) HM
At the end of 1822, mere
months after the first US flag
was planted in Key West,
Commodore David Porter was
sent to take charge. Porter
commanded the West Indian
Squadron nicknamed the
"Mosquito Fleet". Porter was
ordered to end the reign . . . — — Map (db m192412) HM
This corner building was built as a grocery store for the surrounding community. It was common to find a laundry, drug store, billiard hall, dry goods store, coffee shop, ice cream parlor and bakery in every neighborhood. The stores were informal . . . — — Map (db m223181) HM
"The Snake Pit" — People slept in their cars behind the bar. The restrooms often flooded; you walked on bricks to keep your shoes dry. Men in clothes swiped from clotheslines gambled tens and twenties at the pool table. The picket fence lining the . . . — — Map (db m224215) HM
This building holds the dual distinction of being one of the oldest commercial structures in Key West and the oldest remaining drug store building. Dr. John Maloney opened the Key West Drug Company in 1903. In 1908 he purchased the adjacent . . . — — Map (db m223386) HM
Originally a four room house
built on Whitehead Street in
the late 1820's by Richard
Cussans, a ship's carpenter.
The structure was moved
to its current location in
1829 and expanded for
Captain Francis Watlington
to . . . — — Map (db m224175) HM
The island of Key West, along with the rest of the Keys, has no reliable source of fresh water. Under this porch is a cistern for the storage of rainwater, the only fresh water available in old Key West. Rain was captured off the roof in gutters, . . . — — Map (db m243924) HM
Built about 1838 and moved to this location after the hurricane of 1846, the Patterson-Baldwin House is believed to be one of the oldest buildings in Key West. The Classical Revival style house is reputed to have been built, but never occupied, by . . . — — Map (db m84333) HM
In Key West the heroism of Ida Barron and Betty Bruce planted the seeds of what has now grown to become the Key West Historic Memorial Sculpture Garden in Mallory Square.
Betty Bruce and Ida Barron along with Bahamian artist Alton Lowe and . . . — — Map (db m246043) HM
The origins of the Mole Pier date back to several years before the Civil War. It was a wooden dock for Fort Taylor With plans to expand the Naval Station into a submarine base following World War I, engineers redesigned and extended the pier as a . . . — — Map (db m243928) HM
The single story structure on the back of the house was moved here by Alexander Patterson after the devastating hurricane of 1846. It is believed to be one of the oldest buildings in Key West. Mr & Mrs Pinkney lived in the cottage where his . . . — — Map (db m223297) HM
Installed in 1906,
The Presidential Gates welcomed
Harry S. Truman
Dwight D. Eisenhower
John F. Kennedy
On March 31, 1987,
they were opened to all the
citizens of the City of Key West,
The State of Florida
and the Nation
on . . . — — Map (db m224524) HM
The Labor Day Hurricane of Monday, September 2nd, 1935 was officially the most powerful hurricane ever to hit the United States. The storm bore sustained winds of 200 miles per hour with gusts up to 350 miles per hour and a barometric reading of . . . — — Map (db m224418) HM
The original building was constructed in late 1868 as a real estate speculation by the Pinder and Curry families of Key West. At first leased as a cigar factory to Cubans fleeing political turbulence in Havana. “The Doors” has been intimately . . . — — Map (db m224454) HM
Constructed in 1886 by Samuel Otis Johnson. The structure started out as a grocery and butcher shop as well as a residence. It was purchased in 1913 by Dr. William Richard Warren. Doctor Warren's medical offices consisted of the front porch used as . . . — — Map (db m85272) HM
Erected after the Fire of 1886 by a Bahamian merchant. It is one of the many structures built during this era by immigrant Irish brick layers from Boston. The second floor was at one time used by the U.S. District Court.
We invite you to . . . — — Map (db m224463) HM
New Beginnings
In July 1968, Howard England was tasked to evaluate the value of Fort Taylor which was then the Navy's junkyard. The first excavations in December 1968 quickly revealed buried Civil War armaments.
For eight years, . . . — — Map (db m240182) HM
The home was purchased by infamous Prohibition Era rum-runner Raul Vasquez in 1920. During a rum-running trip to Cuba, instead of his usual cargo, Raul brought home the elaborately carved balcony balustrade. The rum and wine bottle balcony . . . — — Map (db m222485) HM
The Steam Plant's façade endures as an example of Art Deco design that was popularized during the Great Depression. It is one of the few art deco structures in Key West. Streamline Modern was a reaction to Victorian building ornamentation that . . . — — Map (db m223316) HM
Built with bricks from Fort Taylor dating back to 1845, this building is one of Key West's first hotels. It featured a car dealership on the first floor and hotel rooms on the upper two floors. Ernest Hemingway and his wife stayed here in 1928, and . . . — — Map (db m245843) HM
This house consists of three structures that reflect the growth of the island and lack of building materials and skilled labor during the 19th century. The original corner house, built by William Henry Albury, tripled in size with the addition of . . . — — Map (db m223262) HM
The William Alfred Johnson House at 824 Fleming Street is a grand, Classic Revival historic dwelling, defined by intricate gingerbread patterns and delicate wooden scrollwork. William A. Johnson, one of Key West's most talented carpenter-builders . . . — — Map (db m243703) HM
Historic Building
The William Curry Warehouse
Built in 1878 as a Hall and Bonded store by William Curry
(1821-1896). Key West's leading citizen and entrepreneur.
Born in the Bahamas, Mr. Curry arrived in Key West in 1837 finding . . . — — Map (db m224531) HM
In the 1890s, this was the site of expansive sponge docks. For over 50 years salesmen strolled these docks purchasing a variety of sponges for world wide markets. The ice and fish house constructed in 1948 when Florida pink shrimp were discovered . . . — — Map (db m223328) HM
This wooden structure was built by Norberg Thompson. It has seen many uses but began as a fish and turtle packing house serving supplier markets from around the world. Submerged wooden cages beneath the building were used to house exotic fish for . . . — — Map (db m243844) HM
Where It All Began
Fort Taylor was designed in 1843 by Colonel Joseph Totten, Chief of the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers. The Fort was to be a key installation in the Army's Third Tier System of 42 coastal fortifications. Its purpose was to . . . — — Map (db m240156) HM
A self-guiding, easy-to-moderate tour of the fort's three levels takes about 40 minutes. Use this diagram to devise your own route. As you walk, think about the construction obstacles that confronted the US Army Corps of Engineers—shifting sands, . . . — — Map (db m240094) HM
These hill-like structures on the terreplein protected ammunition from enemy fire. They also could shield nearby gun crews if necessary. Sixteen traverse magazines are located between gun platforms on the open—and thus vulnerable—top tier of the . . . — — Map (db m225097) HM
This house was built for
the commanding officer
of the Key West
Submarine Base, but it was
President Harry S. Truman's
use of the site for working
vacations that earned it fame
as "The Little White House."
During Truman's 11 trips
here from . . . — — Map (db m192419) HM
As long as humans have inhabited the Florida Keys, turtles have been a valuable and much sought after food source. For decades, this building and its kraals operated as a cannery in the center of the turtle industry. Kraals take their name from . . . — — Map (db m223338) HM
As long as humans have inhabited the Florida Keys, turtles have been a valuable and much sought after food source. For decades, this building and its kraals operated as a cannery in the center of the turtle industry. Kraals take their name from the . . . — — Map (db m243419) HM
This is a 19th century military cemetery wherein United States Army soldiers and their families were interred. Although many remains were removed for re-interment at Fort Barrancas, Pensacola, Florida, remains are still within this hallowed site. . . . — — Map (db m224573) HM
This building represents the vital role accurate weather forecasts played in the growth and vitality of Key West. Before the Weather Bureau, Key West residents relied on their own measurements and telegraph reports to predict oncoming storms. The . . . — — Map (db m233703) HM
On February 9, 1870, a joint Congressional resolution authorized a national weather service. As one of the original observation stations, Key West was critical for weather forecasters. The Department of Agriculture purchased this lot in 1903 on the . . . — — Map (db m127504) HM
This 327 foot long, 6,200 hp cutter with a crew of 300 served in World War II, Vietnam, and the Korean war. The Ingham received a record 35 awards and was the most decorated vessel of its time. During it's service December 15, 1942, the Ingham . . . — — Map (db m222494) HM WM
USS Key West
#32
The first Key West was a wooden stern-wheel steamer built in California, Pennsylvania, for private use in 1862, and was later acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War, and converted to a "Tin Clad" . . . — — Map (db m224237) HM
(side 1)
In April of 1898 it was graciously offered and converted to a 400 bed United States Army Hospital for the treatment of soldiers and sailors, ill with dangerous tropical diseases or wounded in battle, during Cuba's War of . . . — — Map (db m101295) HM
War on Drugs
Key West's strategic position on the Straits of Florida between the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic Ocean makes it a critical location for the war on drugs.
The island has played a vital role in . . . — — Map (db m224220) HM
Fort engineers designed an innovative system to collect and store rainwater to provide fresh water for the islands 1500 planned residents.
Garden Key receives about 30 inches of rain a year. Rain falling on the fort's top tier filtered down . . . — — Map (db m193731) HM
Dating from the 1860s, the masonry building shown in left center was used by Tift & Company as a warehouse to store goods salvaged from vessels wrecked on the nearby reef. Proceeds from wrecking made Key West one of the wealthiest cities in the . . . — — Map (db m243838) HM
What's so special about the Seaport?
For almost two hundred years, the Seaport (shown in the map at right as the shoreline just below the compass rose) has been a focal point for much of the economic and cultural life on the island. The . . . — — Map (db m151494) HM
This structure is one of three Civil War era forts in Key West. They were built as a defensive chain around the island and support for Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas. No cannons were ever fired and no soldier died in battle at this . . . — — Map (db m85261) HM
William Whitehead arrived in Key West in the fall of 1828, after his brother John purchased a fourth interest in Key West. In 1829, he completed the first survey of the Island City. In January, 1831, he became Collector of Customs. In 1831, he was . . . — — Map (db m222925) HM
Willam Curry came to Key West in 1837 from New Plymouth, Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas. At the age of 13 he began as a clerk in a mercantile firm. During the Seminole War he spent two years with McLaughlin's fleet. In 1845, with G.L. Browne as a . . . — — Map (db m222878) HM
This commercial brick building was built by William Curry as a bonded tobacco warehouse. Mr. Curry had become "Florida's First Millionaire" through his vast business holdings that supplied the ship wreck and cigar industries. The structure began as . . . — — Map (db m245836) HM
This residential structure was
built by Irish born William
Kerr. He moved to Key West in
1872 and constructed the
building as his home in
1875. The exquisite roof and
porch detailing feature
Carpenter Gothic style
. . . — — Map (db m223484) HM
Connecticut mariner and wrecker Benjamin Sawyer built the first house on this property by 1844. From 1888-1890, much of Key West's port business took place in Sawyer's home, until the completion of the federal Custom House. Key West native and . . . — — Map (db m127809) HM
William Kerr was educated in Natick and Boston. In 1852, he moved to Washington, D.C. where he served an apprenticeship as a mechanic under George Nailor. At the start of the Civil War he went into the United States Civil Engineering Service. He . . . — — Map (db m223727) HM
William Wall came to Key West in 1824 as a shipwreck victim. Seven years later he had amassed a substantial fortune as a pioneer in the island's burgeoning cigar industry. Behind the building were docks and "coaling stations" used to supply . . . — — Map (db m222621) HM
Working as a lighthouse keeper was a difficult task. While a might be considered a masculine job, the Key West Lighthouse actually employed three female principal keepers. Barbara Mabrity served for 30 years (1832 to 1862), Mary A. Carroll in 1889 . . . — — Map (db m243912) HM
World War I
Key West became a major naval training base during World War I. Even before war was declared, work had begun to expand and improve naval facilities on the island.
In 1914, the Key West Naval Station became . . . — — Map (db m224148) WM
World War II
Following the outbreak of war in Europe in 1939, President Roosevelt visited Key West and ordered the naval base reopened to support naval operations in the Caribbean. Soon thereafter, destroyers and seaplanes operating . . . — — Map (db m224152) HM WM
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