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| Port Overview |
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Ernest Hemingway wrote about it.
Jimmy Buffet sang about it.
Tennessee Williams mused about it.
Winslow Homer painted it.
President Harry Truman vacationed on it.
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“We Seceded Where Others Failed":So reads the flag of the Conch Republic (formerly the Florida Keys). The “republic” celebrates its independence each April in a ten-day, sometimes irreverent – but always noisy – festival.
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| | Artists, writers, musicians, and vacationers have long been drawn to Key West - and for good reason. "The Treasure Coast," as it's nicknamed, is more than just a final resting place for centuries old shipwrecks - it's a treasure trove of the beaches, boats, and beautiful sunsets. Time slows down in Key West, lightening the stress and broadening the smiles of residents and visitors alike.
Key West is remote. Sitting at the end of a 123-mile island chain, the city is far closer to Havana than to Miami. Although once inhabited by Seminole Indians, and later by passing waves of Spanish and English sailors, permanent settlement didn't really begin until a railroad link was completed in 1912. When a 1935 hurricane took out the railroad, the rails were replaced with a highway, US 1. Still, the drive from Miami is a long one.
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Most agree that it's the beauty, climate, and remoteness of the island that have combined to create the easy-going, carefree, yet fiercely independent lifestyle. So independent, in fact, that in 1982 the Florida Keys separated from the United States and declared themselves the "Conch Republic." (In response to illegal immigration concerns, the U.S. government had established a highway checkpoint on US 1 at the north end of the keys, effectively screening ALL motorists.
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| Well, the keys would have none of this and promptly "seceded" from the union.) The movement was unofficial and a bit campy yet serves to underscore the independent ways of the keys. Couples, families, gays, straights, honeymooners, college students, retired senior citizens, writers, beach bums, and cruise vacationers - all mingle on the sidewalks and streets of the city. | |
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