When I have home buyers coming to see Key West for the first time and they are trying to decide what part of the island they want to boy a house on it is all about the neighborhood and what the area looks like. With Key West being such a small island the distance of just 2 or 3 blocks can be a difference of $500,000 in the value of the houses. Want to get a quick glance of the island and make a fun tourist day at the same time? Check out the Key West Lighthouse.
LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM
If you’re up for a climb, you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of Key West and the ocean. The Key West Lighthouse was built in 1825 to help the many ships entering the port avoid the hazardous reefs. Today, you can climb the 88 iron steps to the top of the tower for a scenic look at what the lighthouse keepers watched over for more than 120 years. Tour the grounds to see the Keeper’s Quarters which have been restored to their original charm and view the displays of nautical artifacts, antique furnishings, maps and vintage photos.
Spanish settlers were the first Europeans to inhabit the Florida Keys, and after discovering a burial mound on one of the southernmost islands, they named it Cayo Hueso, meaning bone island, The Spanish name would be anglicized into its present day name of Key West. Spain transferred control of the island to the United States in 1821. That same year, entrepreneur John Simonton purchased Key West for $2,000. Having conducted considerable business in Cuba, Simonton recognized that the island would be an important way station on the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico trade routes.
The U.S. Navy would even establish a naval base in Key West in 1823. Salvaging goods from sunken and wrecked vessels was a major industry in Key West because of the large number of ruined vessels. It soon became apparent that a lighthouse would be essential for the safety of commercial and military vessels navigating the shallow reef-filled waters around Key West.
FROM SAMBO KEY TO WHITEHEAD’S POINT
After conducting a survey of the area around Key West in 1822, Commander Matthew Perry submitted a report recommending that four lighthouses be constructed at various points in the Florida Keys. After Congress allocated the funds in 1824, Samuel Lincoln left Boston aboard a ship carrying supplies to build the first lighthouse. When the vessel failed to arrive in Key West, a second ship by the name of George Stodder was dispatched to construct a lighthouse on Sambo Key. When it arrived, the team responsible for the project determined that Sambo Key was not a suitable site. They instead chose Whitehead’s Point, which is the southernmost tip of Key West.
THE FIRST LIGHTHOUSE
Completed in 1825, the first lighthouse stood 65 feet tall. It held 15 whale oil lamps housed in 15 reflectors. When the first keeper, Michael Mabrity, died from yellow fever in 1832, his wife Barbara became the head keeper. She would serve in this capacity for the next 32 years. Although the building had survived several previous storms, the Great Havana Hurricane of 1846 destroyed the lighthouse and killed 14 people who had taken refuge in the tower before it collapsed, including six of Barbara’s children.
In 1887, the keeper’s quarters were built to house the keeper’s family and that of his assistant. Although the building had a communal kitchen and dining room, the families had separate living quarters and entrances. The tower was raised to 100 feet above sea level because trees and construction near the lighthouse began to obscure the view in 1894. Other improvements over the years included adding a balcony, electrifying the light and automating the beacon.
The Key West Lighthouse remained in operation until 1969, when it was declared to be obsolete by the U.S. Coast Guard and deactivated. Three years later, it was transferred to Monroe County, which leased it to the Key West Art and Historical Society for use as a museum.
Key West is all about having fun no matter what you do. Why not have fun while shopping for homes. I have taken people to the houses by car, boat and even kayak. Why not climb the Lighthouse stairs and see your potential house as the birds will see it? Even house shopping is fun in Key West.
Gary
