The 6 Florida Keys Lighthouses are among the 11 “most endangered” historic sites in the state this year, says a statewide preservation group. This week, the nonprofit Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, meeting for its annual conference in Tallahassee, released its list of 2016’s most threatened historic resources. The lighthouses are on the list. Here’s what … Read more
The presence of the US Navy in Key West dates back to 1822, when Lt. Commander Matthew C. Perry sailed the Navy schooner Shark into Key West Harbor and claimed the island for the United States. Only about 100 people lived here at that time. Although Florida had become a US territory a year earlier, … Read more
1855: Northwest Channel Lighthouse was first lighted. This lighthouse was located eight miles (13 km) from Key West, Florida, at the entrance to the northwest channel to the Key West harbor. The first light was a lightship put on station in 1838. It is not known if the lightship survived the Great Havana Hurricane of 1846, which destroyed … Read more
Fishing legend, Captain Ralph Delph, made his final cast February 13, 2016 at 3:00am (exactly), in his home in Gallatin Gateway, MT, surrounded by family and dear friends. He was 75 years old. Fishing enthusiasts will remember Ralph as one of the founding members of the Miami Sportfishing Club, a two time “Master Angler” of … Read more
The Marquesa Hotel will add 14 rooms in a $10 million project by folding in two historic spots and replacing a two-story building at 411 Bahama St. The plan calls for an open-air connecting walkway to link the Pilot House, 414 Simonton St., to the next-door Kerr house, 410 Simonton St., which the Marquesa’s owners … Read more
Somewhere in the waters off the Florida coast, an estimated $250 million in silver bars and coins is waiting for Kim Fisher and his treasure hunting family to come and get it. And Fisher, who lives by his father’s “today’s-the-day” motto, thinks he’s close to one of the biggest hauls of his career. That would … Read more
Key West lighthouse was decommissioned back in 1969. But it recently got a thorough restoration, from the railings around the top to the paint on the sides. From left, project manager Johnnie Yongue, architect David Salay and project manager Daniel Bensley check out the newly restored Key West Lighthouse, which recently re-opened to the public. CREDIT … Read more
Resorts in the Florida Keys are opening and renovating faster than you can say “Ernest Hemingway.” What does Hemingway have to do with it? The iconic American author lived in Key West during the 1930s, when he penned The Snows of Kilimanjaro and To Have and Have Not, and immortalized the free-spirited isle in literary … Read more
The city of Key West took ownership of the 32 acre Truman Waterfront on the island’s western shore back in 2002. The property had been used by the Navy since World War II as a submarine base and for other kinds of training. But in a round of downsizing, the land was given to the … Read more
The Florida Keys has rich history, diverse culture and constantly evolving art scene make this unique series of islands a world-class destination. International influences, especially those from the Americas and Caribbean, have made the area a favorite getaway for artists and writers searching for a relaxed atmosphere with unrivaled natural beauty that serves as constant … Read more
By Julia Ford-Carther Just a short drive from Miami, trips to the Florida Keys—stretching from Key Largo to Key West—offer a different way to experience paradise. Surfboards and Adirondack chairs beckon outside The Beach Café at Morada Bay. While Miamians live where everyone else vacations, residents like to sneak away occasionally for a change … Read more
Key West’s daily celebration of sunset is famous around the world. Today, “going to sunset” is a must- do for millions of tourists who visit the Southernmost City every year. Lots of locals, too. And it’s more than just the spectacle of the sun sinking into the Gulf of Mexico, it’s also a festival, featuring … Read more
The owners of the boutique Marquesa Hotel on the corner of Simonton and Fleming streets in the Key West Historic District are vying to create a 14-room annex less than a block away. Inter-Ocean Holdings acquired the two properties that make up the Pilot House Guesthouse on Simonton Street in August for $4.2 million, Monroe … Read more
Florida Keys Beaches I recently took an extended road trip down the East coast from West Virginia, ending magnificently in the Florida Keys. Anyone who has traveled down that way, knows that the Keys can be quite expensive to stay in. So money for activities does not have to be that much thank goodness, there … Read more
A century ago, visitors to South Florida were often met with what is now a rare sight — thousands of American Flamingos flocking in the wetlands that once dominated the landscape. They were less common in the Florida Keys as the island chain didn’t offer as much prime real estate that the birds favor. Still, … Read more
For years now I have heard stories about Key West. Key West, after all, is the land of Tennessee Williams and Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway, in fact, called Key West “the St. Tropez of the Poor.” I finally made it to Key West and saw for myself the mythic party land under the palms. I was … Read more
The organizers of the first sanctioned Hobie Cat sailboat race between Key West and Havana, Cuba, will be trading in their sails for high performance engines for another flotilla between the two countries in November. The group of Key Westers who organized the Havana Challenge in May will be kicking it up a notch in … Read more
The world’s most famous and intriguing haunted doll will be taken out of his secured, glass display case at Fort East Martello Museum from October 28-30. But have no fear-Robert the Doll will not be lurking about. Instead, he will join Key West Art & Historical Society Curator Cori Convertito, PhD, on a trip to … Read more
Federal fishery managers drew a one-square-mile block around the Warsaw Hole, a recognized fish-breeding site off the Lower Keys, as an area that needs protection. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, meeting Sept. 17 in South Carolina, selected five oceanic sites for final review as “spawning special management zones,” intended to safeguard waters where fish … Read more