Tag-Archive for » Key West «

Key West – Lighthouse

06 Mar 2014 By

The current lighthouse was opened in 1848 with a woman as its Keeper; nearly unheard of during the 19th century. The need for a lighthouse became evident almost immediately after the U.S. Navy established a base in Key West in 1823. The U.S. Coast Guard decommissioned the Key West Lighthouse in 1969, since there was no longer a need for a full-time Keeper due to technological advancements.  Today, this sentinel of the sea stands as a museum dedicated to Key West’s maritime heritage and to the men and women who bravely kept the light burning through the threats of war and weather according to kwahs.org.

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Key West – Mallory Square

03 Mar 2014 By

Mallory Square is a plaza located on the waterfront in Key West’s historic Old Town, adjacent to the cruise ship port. It is just west of the northern end of famous Duval Street, facing the Gulf of Mexico. Mallory Square runs the entire length of Wall Street. Adjacent to the square are the Key West Shipwreck Historeum Museum, Key West Aquarium and the Old Post Office and Customs House. Our first acquaintance with Mallory Square occurred at its Conch Train stop.

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Key West – Conch Tour Train

13 Feb 2014 By

Key West is an island at the end of the chain of the Florida Keys. It is connected to the mainland by US Highway 1 which uses a series of bridges to link the islands of the chain. This is a popular vacation destination which gives visitors the feeling of the Caribbean without having to leave the country.

Key West has so many wonderful things to see and do. It offers museums and historic homes and nature attractions with sea life and butterflies. The clear blue sea surrounding it offers snorkeling, diving, sailing, parasailing and fishing.

Dave and I decided to see the Best of Key West on an open-air Conch Tour Train first and then to explore the places most interesting to us. Henry Flagler’s railroad arrived in Key West in September of 1912 and the Island City was changed forever. The Conch Tour Train is the legacy of Flagler’s engineering miracle.

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Key West – Duval Street

12 Feb 2014 By

Being in Key West, it is impossible to miss the famous Duval Street, running north and south from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. From shore to shore, the street is just over a mile in length. It is named for William Pope Duval, the first territorial governor of Florida according to wikipedia.

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