About the Keys

The Florida Keys are a subtropical archipelago reaching from the south-eastern tip of Florida below Miami south and west to the Marquesas and Dry Tortugas located south and west of Naples on the gulf coast of Florida. US Route 1, called the Overseas Highway in the Keys, connects the first Key, Key Largo, over a series of land fills and bridges to Key West, the southernmost city in the continental United States.

Geology: The Keys have been built up over the eons on the skeleton of an ancient coral reef. While the islands are surrounded by water, most of it is very shallow. Not far off shore on the ocean side, however, are the Florida Straits, the Gulf Stream and deep blue open ocean waters. Because they are coral rock islands and because the reef is 2-5 miles off shore, the Keys offer only a few sandy beaches and lack the wave action typical of the beaches of the south eastern coast of Florida.

History: The Keys were discovered in the early 1500s by Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon and at the time were sparsely populated by the Caloosa Indians. After the Spanish, the British explored the Keys for fishing and turtling. In the 1800s, Bahamians settled the Keys and developed the wrecking industry. In the late 1800s, the islands were cultivated by Methodist fishermen who grew a variety of crops including coconut, pineapple and melon. Since then the economy has changed over the years, dramatically when Flagler completed the Overseas Railway. Today the economy of the Keys is fueled by tourism and commercial fishing. Pirates have played a significant role throughout the history of the Keys and some say they still operate today. They are celebrated at the annual pirates festival in Marathon.

Weather: The Keys are subtropical and with reason are considered the American Caribbean. Surrounded by water and with the gulf stream paralleling the islands just a few miles off shore, the Keys are 5-10 degrees warmer than mainland South Florida in the Winter and 5-10 degrees cooler in the Summer. The islands also get less rain the mainland Florida and are rather arid in nature, similar to the landscape of St. Martin in the eastern Caribbean.

The O/S Railway: In the early 1900s, railroad tycoon Henry Flagler dreamed of building a railroad linking mainland Florida to Key West. Overcoming incredible odds, mosquitoes, hurricanes and engineering problems, Mr. Flagler realized his dream and completed his "railway to the sea," establishing Key West as an accessible destination and land base to sea travel to Cuba just 90 miles away. Unfortunately, he did not heed local wisdom which held that if you filled the land between the islands, you would prevent water from flowing freely between the ocean on one side and the bay on the other and risk disaster. When the hurricane of 1935 hit the island chain dead on, hundreds of lives were lost and the railway was severely damaged.

The O/S Highway: Following the destruction of the Overseas Railway in the 1935 hurricane, Flagler realized that the automobile was overtaking the railroad as the transportation of the future. He sold his holdings, and a narrow highway was constructed on the railroad's track beds and over its bridges and trestles. The current system of modern concrete bridges was completed in the early 1960s. Most of the route down the Keys is still over two lane roads and speed limits are slow and strictly monitored. If you drive through the Keys, and you should do it at least once, please drive carefully. There are lots of distractions - including many bars.

Coral Reef: The Florida Keys are protected from the open Atlantic Ocean on the south and east by the only living coral reef in the continental United States. The reef, 3-5 miles offshore and covering 2,800 square miles, is both varied and wondrous, teeming with corals as well as tropical, food and game fish. While the reef runs the entire length of the Keys and consists of varying combinations of patch reefs, finger reefs and coral soft gardens, major dive operations center in the upper Keys (Key Largo), the Middle Keys (Marathon and Big Pine Key), and Key West. While there is excellent snorkeling, diving, and reef fishing throughout the Keys, we recommend diving in the Middle Keys since the area is less traveled than the other areas. You should know that their entire water tract surrounding the Keys, including the reefs, has been declared by the Federal Government a National Marine Sanctuary to protect this valuable natural resource for generations to come. Please keep this in mind when you visit the Keys and learn and observe Sanctuary rules relative to boating, diving, and fishing, since enforcement is rigorous and penalties can be substantial. It is especially important that you do not touch, take or stand on the coral.

Bird Life: Everything seems larger in the tropics including marine life, the insect world and our avian friends. While we do have small birds common to other regions of the country, grain eating birds are far less common and noticeable than their fish-eating cousins. Everywhere in the Keys you'll see pelicans, long legged egrets and ibis, and the large and graceful white and blue heron. Out on the water you'll see cormorants diving for dinner and terns. As you drive along the Overseas Highway you'll notice what look like abandoned telephone poles with nest on top. These are artificial structures built to assist osprey (fish hawks) which nest and breed in the Keys each year. To get up close and personal with the local bird life, treat yourself for a tour of the wild bird sanctuary on the gulf side in Key Largo - you might miss the small sign so look for the wood birds festooning the trees in front of the small entrance. The organization that runs the sanctuary rescues injured birds throughout the Keys. You can tour the facility and they only ask a small donation.

Plant Life: Because of the winds and salt air, plant life in the Keys varies from what you might see on mainland Florida and the southeastern United States. The Keys, like other areas of south Florida are currently at war with exotic trees which tend to take over and dominate environment. In the everglades it is the malaluca. In the Keys its trees like the australian pine that are taking over and on the top of the hit list. You will see a variety of palms in the Keys. You will also see mangroves everywhere. There are three types of mangroves. Red mangroves are the long legged island builders that collect silt and serve as habit for young fish. These are especially visible from the road in the Lower Keys (the Saddlebunches). Black Mangroves prefer damp footing and send up roots that look like thick short grasses. White Mangroves prefer still drier ground. It is good advice not to stand around under a coconut palm in a "blow" since coconuts freed from their connections to their home can leave a serious dent in a car or the head of a visitor. Other trees to look for have truly exotic names like gumbo limbo. The key lime, of course, rules in the Keys. Their fruit is the key ingredient in key lime pie. In the Keys, you are far more likely of having your drink garnished with a lime or key lime than a lemon. Don't be concerned. Kick back and enjoy the more mellow, tropical flavor.

Famous Residents: Over the years, the Keys have been home to a number of famous individuals. Truman frequented Key West while he was president. Writer Zane Grey fished the Middle and Upper Keys popularizing catch and release techniques to maintain the resources of the ocean for others. Writer Tennessee Williams lived and wrote in Key West. Earnest Hemingway established a residence in Key West and fished the waters between Key West and Cuba. Today, the resident famous person is Jimmy Buffet of Cheese Burger in Paradise fame who has popularized the laid back Keys lifestyle.