Key West. Overview.
Key West has a fantastic historical atmosphere which the other Keys do not have. In the early 19th century it was the richest town in America . So it has old homes, museums and friendly bars to let the time slip by in. At the furthest point South of North America, it perches on the edge of a thousand miles of ocean, which feels like being on the edge of the world. Although it doesn’t pride itself on its beaches, that is more than made up for by the stunning sunsets. It is well known for the Dolphin Research Centre.
The area’s first settlers from Europe were the Spanish who developed it in 1821. It was a naval base in 1822 and the military gave it boom times and bust times. The construction of forts there made money as did the salvage industry of wrecked ships, smashed by storms pirates or both. Cuban immigrants who were cigar manufacturers made Key West the Cigar Centre of America. During the early 20th century, Key West was famous for being the bootlegging centre too. It has always been full of fascinating people who follow their imagination rather than fashion, which is why Key West is such an interesting and happy place to holiday in.