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    Key West
    Key West
    Key West
    Ebook167 pages53 minutes

    Key West

    By Frances Watson Clark and Mandy Miles

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Key West has a colorful history. It was the beachhead that protected the United States from the Soviet Union and Cuba in the 1960s, its literary and music scenes attracted and developed writers, artists, and musicians in the 1970s, and it seceded from the Union and created a new nation, the Conch Republic, in the 1980s. Through the rest of the decades to the present, festivals, celebrations, and revelries have drawn tourists here year-round and supported the Conchs, the key's residents. The vibrant community, people and places, military presence, and significant historic sites make Key West one of the most interesting places in the United States.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateFeb 29, 2016
    ISBN9781439655139
    Key West
    Author

    Frances Watson Clark

    Author Frances Watson Clark is a resident of Williamsburg. In Images of America: The Colonial Parkway, photographs depict the stories of the men and women who had the determination to see the parkway's construction from its inception to completion over a span of 75 years.

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      Book preview

      Key West - Frances Watson Clark

      that.

      INTRODUCTION

      Key West reflects a wide breadth of people who were born and raised here, as well as those who came to visit and decided to stay. People come to the island to relax and enjoy the laid-back lifestyle, while others come to spend their days participating in water sports and visiting museums and their nights visiting the bars and shops along Duval Street.

      The island of Key West began as an isolated place that drew mariners, shipbuilders, and cigar workers, many of whom came from the Caribbean islands as immigrants. These hardworking men and women built their homes and raised their families in Key West. The town was a place someone could come to with no money or job and, if he worked hard and was industrious, become a millionaire.

      One of the first events to change the island forever was the arrival of Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway on January 22, 1912. It linked the rest of America to this little community, and people from the all over the United States could come to enjoy the weather and activities and to do business. When the railroad tracks were converted to roads by the mid-1920s, even more people came to visit, live, and experience the relaxed atmosphere of a Caribbean island without needing a passport, plane, or ship ticket. World War II brought the next wave of military because of Key West’s strategic location. In the 1940s and 1950s, President Truman visited the Keys for vacations at what would be called the Little White House. This drew more attention to the island.

      Key West, however, took center stage in 1962, when it played a pivotal part in supporting the efforts of Pres. John F. Kennedy to force the Soviet Union to stand down and not keep missiles in Cuba. Because Key West was a mere 90 miles from Cuba, it was the beachhead for the military in case the United States had to enter conflict. The military still plays an important role in the area to this day.

      In the 1960s, writers, artists, and musicians were drawn to the island. One of the most famous authors to live in Key West, Ernest Hemingway, had many interests, and several of his friends were not in literary circles. Tennessee Williams was one of the first prominent authors to consider Key West home, arriving in 1941. Though he had homes in other cities, Key West was the only place where Williams actually owned a house. He brought friends like Truman Capote and nurtured other writers and artists. Other noted residents from the creative community over the years include Shel Silverstein, Stuart Woods, Paul Cotton, Calvin Klein, Jimmy Buffett, Henry Faulkner, Robert Frost, Thomas McGuane, and Tom

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