Cigar manufacture was brought to the area by Cuban immigrants who were driven out by their country's war with Spain. Tobacco produced in Cuba or Honduras provided the raw material, and they provided the manpower. Shipping was already there.

After the great fire of 1886 that burned out 50 or more acres of the Historic District, things slowly declined as the cigar makers moved on to Tampa and slow growing sponges became scarce.

By the 1930s, Key West was the poorest city in the nation. Deteriorating, rotting, and poor its buildings declined and its people survived on fish and coconuts.

Eau de Shore Leave
With a deepwater dock (the only one for a loooong distance), Key West saw another upswing with the reintroduction of the Navy during World War II. That too came to an end, and by the 1950s neglect swept through the island once again.

The forecast is for no frost... ever.
When the city of Key West went bankrupt, the feds came down for a look-see and did not like what they look-saw. Conditions were horrendous, but the city had one saving grace... there was never any frost.

This idea caught the fancy of one Julius Stone, a new deal manager from upper Florida. He engineered a massive volunteer cleaning and fixing effort, and transformed the island from trash heap to vacation destination.

They built it, and they came. And they are still coming to this day.

You, you, and you
Today the tourist is king. With route one coming all the way down from mainland Florida, Key West has become America's drive in paradise. It is now possible to reach a truly tropical climate from anywhere by car and still stay on United States soil.

Nearly five million people visit this island every year, most of them to get away from the cold. Off season (summer) visits have their charm that most people will never see. The summer days are baking hot, but the summer nights are cooled by the trade winds and beautiful beyond belief.

Eccentric, tough, and fun, Key West will always find a way.

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