Many Nations Shaped the History of Key West, Florida
The history of Key West, Florida is a long one. Had Columbus visited the island, he would have found it already inhabited by the Cayusas. This, however, was not discovered until 1521, when Ponce de Leon became the first European to visit Key West on his search for the Fountain of Youth.

When Spain claimed Florida, they named the island Cayo Hueso, or Bone Key. (The Spanish name is still popular with businesses in the area.) The Spanish stationed a small force there, and the city began as a fishing village that helped support the military force. The early history of Key West, Florida, therefore, was that of a sleepy little town.

Great Britain wrested Florida from Spain in 1763. The inhabitants, Spanish and Native American, were relocated to Havana, Cuba. In 1783, control returned to Spain, at least officially. Unofficially, no one was actually paying much attention to Key West, and the island was used mainly by Bahamian and Cuban fisherman.

In the early nineteenth century, the history of Key West, Florida took another turn when Spain ceded Florida to the United States, who immediately saw the value of the island and its deep harbor. Its position on the narrow shipping lane that connects the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico made it a prime location for a military base, and the naval unit engaged in suppressing piracy in the Caribbean was soon headquartered there.

The island, when under Spanish control, had been awarded to an officer in the Spanish navy posted at St. Augustine. This officer sold Key West to an American, who quickly sold three fourths of it to other investors. These four men, after whom major streets in are named, are considered the city’s founding fathers and played major roles in the history of Key West, Florida and its commercial development.

Due to the many reefs around the Florida coast, Key West became a major salvage center. The town quickly grew and prospered, although the salvage business declined during the late nineteenth century.

During the Civil War, Key West remained a Union military outpost, despite the fact that Florida had seceded. The naval base was supplemented by the construction of Fort Zachary Taylor, which had been begun in 1845, and by the construction of two smaller forts in 1861.

Cuba, which lies slightly more than ninety miles from Key West, Florida, was to provide a new wave of immigrants after the failed struggles for Cuban independence. From 1868 until about 1880, many people made their way to the island. A large number of these immigrants were skilled in the cigar trade, and they brought the techniques and secrets of Cuban cigars with them. A new industry was born as Key West became a major producer of quality cigars.

No history of Key West, Florida would be complete without a mention of some of the famous people who have called it home for at least some portion of their lives. President Harry Truman had his winter White House here, and writers Tennessee Williams and Ernest Hemingway each spent years on the island.