Legends of Key West walking tour

Around the streets of Key West, you’ll hear as many legends of Captain Tony’s Saloon as there are about Captain Tony himself. Depending on who you ask, the building at 428 Greene Street was built in 1851 or 1852, and it originally held two businesses. It was an ice house getting it’s supply from ships sailing up and down the Atlantic Coast, and as the only frigid place on the island, it was also the city morgue. Some say that Key West never had a morgue. In the 1890s, the building housed a wireless telegraph station, and during the Spanish-American War in 1898, it was from this building that the news of the destruction of the battleship Maine was sent around the world. In 1912 it became a cigar factory. At some point, it was a bar that encouraged patrons from the Navy, until the Navy declared it off-limits. It later became several speakeasies, the last of which was called the Blind Pig, specializing in gambling and bootleg rum.

Key West, the southernmost point in the United States, is famous for watersports, lively nightlife, beaches, historic sites and its pastel, conch-style architechture. Duval Street, one of the most energetic strips of shops, bars and cafes anywhere, offers Sloppy Joe’s bar, a favorite Key West hangout of novelist Ernest Hemingway. And, for the more sober-minded, there's Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum. (Look for the celebrated six-toed cats). Walking tours of Key West are the best way to see the island's intriguing homes, courtyards and gardens. Start in the center of town at the Key West City Cemetery, which offers a glimpse of Key West's past and its offbeat sense of humor.

The world famous Artist House is one of the most photographed houses in Key West and the former home of Robert the Doll. It is half a block from the popular Duval Street and Old Town Key West restaurants, bars, art galleries and attractions. This Key West Guest House is a restored Queen Anne Victorian mansion, a true world famous masterpiece in the centre of Old Town.

The Key West Theater opened its doors in 2015 after extensive renovations as a non-profit performing arts center. Today it draws international acts to its 255-seat space, offering entertainment to locals and tourists. And like all things Key West, the island town’s theater has an unique past. The theater wasn’t always a theater — just look at the steeple. It was originally the First Baptist Church of Key West, built in 1848. Here’s where it gets Key West Weird: local rumors passed down through generations say that the pastor’s wife was having an affair with the church deacon, and that everyone in town knew. After 6 quiet and pious months, the pastor allegedly arrived with kerosene and set it on fire, with his wife and local children inside. For this reason, the building was a hot spot for ghost hunting tours, where tourists would snap photos in hopes of capturing an orb.

La Concha Hotel & Spa was constructed during the “Roaring Twenties,” in which flappers, the radio, and the Art Deco movement defined the age. Florida's Key West began as a coral wonderland under the sea populated with marine life. Europeans would visit Key West as tourists and as a stop to fill up on fresh water for about 300 years. The island was not settled until Florida became part of United States territory in 1821. In 1926 developer Carl Aubuchon opened a luxury hotel in Key West - the first of its kind. The hotel was considered to be the height of elegance and modern convenience, boasting marble floors, private baths, luxurious décor, an elevator, and sweeping ocean views. La Concha Hotel & Spa has been host to many famous guests over the years, including literary legends and dignitaries like Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, and Harry Truman.

Marrero’s Guest Mansion was built in 1889 by Francisco Marrero. He was a prominent cigar maker who fell in love with a girl named Enriqueta. He built the mansion with the intention of luring his young love to the island. He was very successful because his bride enjoyed life on the island. The only problem was that Francisco was already married in his home country, Cuba. After Francisco died, his first wife found out about the marriage and the estate in Key West, Florida. She came to the island with lawyers in tow and Enriquetta was banished from the mansion with her two children. Stepping into Marrero’s Guest Mansion is like stepping back in time. The mansion is steeped in mystique and history and it has been lovingly updated and restores to bring back its former glory. It is now a bed and breakfast which features true island hospitality. The original architectural detail of the mansion remains the same.

St. Paul’s Church was formed by an official act of the City Council of Key West. In a petition to the bishop of New York, the City council requested a priest be sent and the Parish of St. Paul’s be established. The first rector was the Reverend Sanson K. Brunot, who arrived December 23, 1832. The first of four churches on this site was completed in 1839.