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Now on newstands! Arrival marked the start
of a new era of prosperity January 22, 1912: The scene was awash in an ocean of American flags and bunting with the Florida East Coast Railway's colors of yellow and red predominating. The international media, celebrities and foreign diginitaries were all there and by 10:00 AM every spot on the grounds was taken. With the roar of bursting bombs, the playing of the bands, the shrill screeches of whistles, the cheering of thousands of people, the first through train over the Over-Sea Railway, bearing Henry & Mrs. Flagler and officials of the FECRwy, pulls into Key West precisely at 10:43 A.M. Story>> |
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An excerpt from the December 2008 Issue (#16) (View Cover) Knight's Key Dock From 1908 until the railroad finally opened to Key West, in 1912, Knight's Key Dock was the end of the line. There were two trains a day from Miami, and two trains north from Knight's Key Dock. There was soon a direct train from New York City. Travelers walked off the train and boarded a ship that could then take them to Nassau, Key West or Havana. Story>> |
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High-Resolution Photo We have a fascinating high-resolution 1930 aerial view of upper Duval Street for you to explore. First, you are looking north toward the Gulf of Mexico and Mallory Docks, home of todays Mallory Square and our nightly Sunset Celebration. (Notice the area between the two rightmost radio towers. This is where Mallory Docks was located.) In the far distance down Duval Street is the La Concha Hotel, the tallest structure in Key West. The large building near the upper right of the photo is the Gato Cigar Factory, surrounded by the "Gatoville" neighborhood (see issue #9.) As a matter of instance, Senor Gato's son built his family home up at the corner of Duval and South Street- it's now The Southernmost Point Guest House which is the house just above the roofline of the Southernmost House. The west-to-east street after the Gato Cigar Factory is Division Street (today it's called Truman Avenue.) Whitehead Street is on your left. This side of Truman on Duval Street, you can see The Cuban Club along with its neighbor, El Anon Ice Cream Parlor, The Key West Lighthouse is easily spotted near the center left corner of the photo, marking the entrance to Bahama Village. To the right of the lighthouse, the second story of the Hemingway House can be clearly seen. At the bottom left center of the photo the roof of the Southernmost House (now called the Southernmost Grand Hotel) can be seen at the lowest edge. The first main cross street we see in this picture, going east/west, is United Street. |
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An excerpt from Issue #4 (View Cover) Jesus Carmona and Jesus Carmona was a smart man. As an employee of the Gato cigar factory, he got cigars for his own use for free. Instead of smoking them up, he sold them over at The Cuban Club and pocketed the proceeds. When his cigar resale business proved a success, he decided to expand his product line by offering homemade ice cream and his wife's rum cake. His clientele went wild Carmona's ice cream was the best anyone had ever tasted! By the 1930's, prospects weren't looking so good in Key West's cigarmaking business anymore, so maybe opening an ice cream parlor was the thing to do. In fact, space was available in the former garage right next door to The Cuban Club. Jesus Carmona signed the lease and El Anon was born. Story>> |
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Special Web Edition Ernest and Pilar Returning to Key West from an African safari in 1934, Ernest Hemingway stopped off in New York to take a few meetings. Receiving a $3300 advance from Esquire magazine, he promptly took himself out to the Wheeler Shipyard in Coney Island and used the cash as down payment on a customized yacht. Story>> |
