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Audubon
House and Tropical Gardens
- 205 Whitehead Street / Key West / 305-294-2116
The house was the first restoration effort
in Old Town Key West and has inspired
much of the work that has been done in
the area to capture the allure of the
islands early character. The house and
one acre of gardens is a living museum
and gallery featuring first editions
works of naturalist and painter John
James Audubon. / House & Gift Shop
open daily 9:30am-5pm
Bahama Village
- The oldest neighborhood in Key West,
the area was named for the Bahamian immigrants
who settled in area during the 1800s.
The wrought iron gateway at Petronia
and Duval greets visitors as they enter
the Caribbean side of the islands culture,
Bahama Village has an interesting collection
of art galleries, shops, ethnic restaurants
and a Bahamian Marketplace.
Battleship Maine
Monument -Key West Cemetery
- Windsor Lane & Pauline Street
Monument to those lost in the sinking
of the battleship Maine in Havana Harbor
during the Spanish American
War.
Conch Train
-302 Front Street & 901 Caroline
Street (Flagler Station or Mallory Square)
/ Key West / 305-294-5161
One of Key Wests most popular attractions,
a 90 minute tour of the island with lots
of information on the unique character
of this island paradise.
East Martello
Tower - 3501 South Roosevelt
Boulevard / Key West / 305-296-3913
The structure was built to support the
defenses of Fort Zachary Taylor during
the Civil War in 1862, the tower holds
a museum filled with artifacts on the
war and the history of Key West and in
itself is part of the story told. Mortello
Tower is considered one of the best-preserved
Civil War fortifications left in America.
The second floor gallery is reserved
for the display of works of local artists
as well as temporary exhibits.
Ernest Hemingway
House - 907 Whitehead Street
/ Street / Key West / 305-294-1575
The Key West home and gardens of Ernest
Hemingway, is open daily for tours. Nobel
Prize winner and author of such greats
as The Old Man and the Sea and The Sun
Also Rises, Hemingway loved the Keys
for its climate and fishing opportunities.
His affinity for cats is evident in a
garden water feature (made from an unusual
found object) which is an exclusive kitty
cat watering hole.
Flagler Station
- 901 Caroline Street / Key West / 305-295-3562
In homage to the Florida East Coast Railroad
and Henry Flagler's railroad legacy,
the complex boasts of an original railroad
car full of photographs and memorabilia.
When Flagler was in his seventies, he
proposed to build a railroad the 130
miles length of the Florida Keys, most
of which was out to sea.
Fort Zachary
Taylor - Truman Annex &
Southard Street / 305-292-6713
At the southern end of Southard, Fort
Zachary Taylor and Historic State Park
covers a total of 87 acres. Construction
began in 1845 and five years later was
completed and named for President Zachary
Taylor. Today the fort is a National
Historic site, the grounds encompass
a state park and beach with picnic facilities,
snack bar and rest rooms. The beach is
quite rocky (beach shoes are recommended)
but the snorkeling, fishing and swimming
are excellent.
Historic Seaport
at the Key West Bight - 201
William Street / Key West / 305-293-8309
Two blocks from Duval Street at the Key
West Bight, is the Historic Seaport with
dining, shopping, and watersports opportunities
in abundance. Experience life on the
Keys as the locals do at this beautiful
and historic waterfront area. Its
a great place to start out or to end
a day, from watersports activities to
beautiful sunsets.
Key West Aquarium
- One Whitehead Street / Key West / 305-296-2051
Built as a WPA project in the 1930s,
the Key West Aquarium has been enlarged
from its original dimensions, which was
the largest open air facility of its
kind at that time. Today the 50,000 gallon
Atlantic Shore Exhibit gives visitors
an up close experience of the delicate
Florida Keys mangrove near-shore and
reef.
Key West Lighthouse
- 938 Whitehead Street / Key West / 305-294-0021
The original tower was destroyed by a
hurricane in 1846, the current structure
was built on the present site in 1847.
To aid ships navigating the lower Keys,
the Key West Lighthouse was extended
to 86 feet in 1894. Visitors may climb
the 88 iron steps to the observation
deck that offers some spectacular views
of the area.
Key West Museum
of Art & History at the Customs House
- 281 Front Street / Key West / 305-295-6616
The Customs House is one of the most
important architectural structures in
the state and was very important to the
wrecker economy of the Keys. Now a museum
the building now holds exhibitions that
document the cultural history of Key
West. / Museum & gift shop open daily
9am-5:30pm.
Key West Shipwreck Museum
- One Whitehead Street / Key West / 305-292-8990
A
Historeum recreates the days
of the wreckers with live
actors, films, laser technology and the
actual artifacts from a recently rediscovered
vessel which sank in 1856.
Mallory Square
Sunset Celebration - waterfront
between Whitehead & Duval Streets
/ Key West
Sunset Celebration is a nightly event
that takes place in Mallory Square overlooking
Key West Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico.
As the sun begins to descend toward the
gulf, visitors and locals gather to watch
the street show of musicians, jugglers
and entertainers. The market features
sales of jewelry, momentos, handmade
crafts and food, its fun for the
entire family.
The Mel Fisher
Maritime Heritage Society and Museum
- 200 Greene Street / Key West / 305-294-2633
Founded by Mel Fisher, the museum houses
over $20 million in treasure and historical
objects from the Spanish galleon, Atocha.
Among the treasures on display are over
4,000 coins, gold and silver bars, emeralds,
weapons and personal effects found on
the sea floor by Fishers famous expedition.
Four shipwrecks are documented at the
museum covering examples from the Age
of Discovery from the 1622 sinking of
Spanish treasure ship Atocha to the 1700
loss of the English slave ship Henrietta
Marie.
Old Town Trolley
Tours of Key West - Mallory
Square / Key West / 305-292-1766
A ninety minute tour covering numerous
points of interest, get on and off at
tour stops to shop, dine or to get a
closer look.
Schooner Western
Union - Historic Seaport /
Key West / 305-294-5717
Key Wests Flagship, this three
masted schooner sets sail on stargazing
and sunset cruises, live entertainment
and beverages included.
Southernmost
House -1400 Duval Street /
Key West / 305-296-3141
Built in 1896, this handsome Victorian
mansion on the end of Duval Street holds
the largest collection of historic documents
in Key West. The historic memorabilia
dates as far back as Queen Isabella and
includes information on many of the famous
Key West residents from presidents, artists
and writers.
Truman Annex
Little White House Museum
-111 Front Street / Key West / 305-294-9911
This was the Little White House during
the Truman administration, President
Harry S. Truman spent 11 vacations in
this renovated Key West home which was
once the quarters of a Navy Base Commandant.
West Martello
Tower - Atlantic Boulevard
& White Street / Key West / 305-294-3210
Built during the Civil War, the West
Martello Tower was never involved in
the war, however it was much later used
for target practice by the Navy. Today
the Tower is under the auspices of The
Key West Garden Club and on weekdays
hosts the Joe Allen Garden Center. Self-guided
tours to explore and enjoy the tropical
surroundings are offered.
Wreckers Museum
/ The Oldest House - 322 Duval
Street / Key West
Surviving pirates, hurricanes, warfare
and economics, the islands oldest house
now serves as a museum in tribute to
the maritime profession of Key Wests
most important early resident, sea captain
and wrecker, Francis Watlington. Built
in 1829 soon after the treaty with Spain
ceding East Florida to the United States,
the house is a one and a half story "New
England Bahama House". Three years
later the house was moved to its present
site by mules and rollers. Watlington
was a wrecker or salvager
who went looking for stranded wrecks,
his mission included saving crew and
passengers as well as cargo which was
then auctioned off by the courts. Proceeds
were split between the ships owner,
the wrecker, the courts as
well as the lawyers. In the Keys, a wrecker
was a very lucrative, yet noble occupation.
Reserve
Early...while your preferred accommodations
are still available.
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