Key West

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Did you now?  Key West was once part of an ancient corral barrier reef.  As waters receded due to global temperature changes, The Coral reef became exposed.  The corral quickly died then fossilized into extremely dense limestone creating the Florida Keys along with the island of Key West.

Did you know? Key West Was originally called Cayo Hueso (Bone Island/Bone Cay) by the first Spanish explorers.  The island was given this name because those first explorers discovered human bones littering the shores.  This must have seemed ominous and a little deterring to want to discover more of the island.  As it turns out, the native Calusa and Tequesta tribes used the shoreline as a communal burial ground since they were unable to bury their dead in the hard Limestone that the island consists of.  If you visit the Key West cemetery, you will notice that all the graves are built above the ground for this same reason.

How did Key West get its current name? One might be led to believe that Key West was given its name due to its location as the most western inhabited Key in the Florida Keys, but they would be misled. The first English Speakers to hear the name Cayo Hueso (Bone Cay) misinterpreted the words as Key West… and it stuck.  I guess we are forced to forgive their ignorance. Personally, I like the name Conch Republic, which was taken briefly in the 1980’s.

Why is Key West referred to as the Conch Republic?  Key West at one point briefly succeeded from the US.  They declared their independence in 1982 and took the name “The Conch Republic.” This was mostly a publicity stunt to protest roadblocks placed by the US Border Patrol, causing serious traffic backups, and greatly impacting Key West’s economy.  You’ll notice the blue Conch Republic flags around Key West, adorned with a Conch shell and the words “We succeeded where others didn’t.”  A statement of pride.

Did you know?  Key West locals carry the proud title of “Conchs,” but only by those who were born and raised in Key West.  It takes an out-of-towner 15 years to earn the title of “Freshwater Conch.”  A conch is a type of sea snail that lives in a spiral cone shaped shell.  The Queen Conch is the species native to the area.  If you go snorkeling in the backcountry you are likely to spot living Conch Shells just about anywhere.  They can reach sizes of about 12” long so they are quite easy to spot.  If you turn one over you are likely to see tiny little snail eyes looking back at you, but don’t bring them out of the water without a guide present and remember to put them back where you found them.  It is illegal to remove them from their natural habitat.

Did you know? When you look out from the north shoreline of Key West, you are looking at the Gulf of Mexico.  From the South you are looking at the Atlantic Ocean.  The Florida Keys separate these two bodies of water.  Sometimes you can see a visible line in the water where the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico collide with the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean.  Keep your eyes peeled during your offshore excursions.

Did you know?  Key West was once the wealthiest city, per capita, in America.  This was largely due to the “shipwrecking industry.”  Before lighthouses were built, and channel markers were put in place, the waters surrounding Key West were extremely treacherous due to the shallow reef and shallow waters of the backcountry which surround the island from all sides with only a few narrow channels to navigate.  Ships from all over the world were wrecking and running aground while carrying expensive cargos.  

Men and children stood in lookout towers around key west, watching passing ships go by.  When they spotted a mast leaning sideways, they would alert the town, and just about every able-bodied man would sail out to the sinking ship.  These brave men risked their lives in stormy weather, pulling drowning sailors out of the water, but heroism wasn’t necessarily the fuel behind their actions.  After the crew was safe, the ship wreckers would recover anything of value from the ship.  These valuable items were sold in auctions back in Key West making the residents of Key West extremely rich.  You can learn more about this interesting industry at the “Shipwreck Museum” at Mallory square.  Don’t confuse the “Shipwreck Museum” with the equally interesting “Mel Fisher” Shipwreck Museum.

Were there Pirates in Key West? Yes indeed, the shallow waters and mangrove islands of the backcountry provided an excellent hide out and escape route for the real pirates of the Caribbean. The heavily armed navy ships of the time couldn’t chase the smaller pirate ships into the shallow waters.  Eventually the US Navy employed shallow drafting Schooners to chase the pirates out of the area.  Companies like Danger Charters, and Sebago still employ this same style of sailboat to take guests on incredible eco-tours in the same shallow backcountry.  Learn more about these eco-tours

What is the “Backcountry?”  The backcountry consists of low-lying mangrove islands, shallow Sandbars, and narrow channels of water, making them difficult to navigate.  This difficulty makes these areas a wonderful place to get away from the crowds.  Certain areas of the back country are so remote that you are likely to find a private beach or sandbar to post up at for the day.  There are many tour companies that offer trips to these remote areas.  If you’d like to learn more about how to get access to these areas, contact us at everythingkwinfo@gmail.com

Did you know?  A treasure hunter by the name of Mel Fisher discovered the remains of a sunken Spanish ship and recovered $450 million worth of gold, silver emeralds, and other treasures.  The name of the ship was The Nuestra Senora de Atocha, and it sank during a hurricane in 1622.  After a 16-year long search for the sunken ship, Mel finally found the remains and much of its treasure only 20 miles west of Key West. You can learn more about his adventure and see artifacts from his discovery at the “Mel Fisher Museum” on Whitehead Street. 

Did you know? The coldest temperature ever recorded in Key West is 41 degrees. This island has never seen a single snowflake.

Did you know?  Key West has more bartenders per capita than any other city in The United States.  The saying goes, “Key West is a drinking town with a fishing problem,” instead of the other way around.

Did you know?  Key west is closer to Cuba than it is to a Walmart, or Miami for that matter.

Did you know?  Earnest Hemmingway and Tennessee Williams both called Key West home for many years while they wrote some of their greatest pieces of work.  You can visit Earnest Hemmingway’s home and his famous 6-toed cats, as well as a museum dedicated to Tennessee Williams.

What’s the deal with the roosters?  Roosters reign supreme in Key west!  It is illegal to harass the Chickens here. Why?  In the late 1800’s feathers were all the rage in ladies’ fashion.  Bird hunters came to the Keys in droves to make their fortunes.  Feathers of the Pink Flamingo, Great Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, White Heron, and other birds were worth their weight in gold.  It took 7 years for these hunters to decimate 97% of the bird population.  Thanks to Teddy Roosevelt, we clung to the remaining 3%.  He declared the keys a National Bird Sanctuary.  That pardon still extends to any bird, including the chickens, even though they are an introduced species.  The chickens were originally brought here by Cubans and Bohemians in the 1800’s for food, as well as cockfighting tournaments.  In the 1970’s, this sport was banned, and the roosters had nothing to do but roam the streets.  Unfortunately, Teddys declaration was a little too late for the Pink Flamingo and the Roseate Spoonbill.  These migratory birds have not made a substantial return to the waters off Key West, and they are a very rare sight to see.  However, you are very likely to spot Great Egrets and various color morphs of the Great Blue Heron.

Have you ever heard of a Sponge Garden?  The backcountry is home to thousands of sponge gardens. Like the natural sponges my hippy friend bathes with? As a matter of fact, yes, those natural sponges were, and still are harvested right here in Key West, in the sponge gardens.  Sponges are an ancient animal that has been around since the dinosaurs.  They look like rocks on the seafloor, growing in about 6-20 feet of water.  Some of them are the size of a small car.  They are filter feeders, constantly filtering the waters of the backcountry, helping keep the water pristine and clear.  One sponge can filter an Olympic size pool worth of water every day.  You can imagine why there are some strict regulations put in place to govern the sponging industry.

What other facts about Key West do you find interesting?  Send us a message if you think we should add something to our list here.