Key West
By Frances Watson Clark and Mandy Miles
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About this ebook
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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Key West - Frances Watson Clark
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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