Key West…The Historic Town

Sunday Mar. 10, 2013 HP

The Marina about a 1000 feet from Trumbo RV Campground

Besides “Jimmy Buffets’… Margarita Ville”, Key West in 1889 was the richest per capita city in the US. In 1930, it bellied up and was bankrupt. The “Pink Gold” was a primary source of wealth. The Pink Gold referred to the Shrimp harvest. Their were 500 shrimp boats hauling tons of shrimps. The railroad to Key West was considered  the 8th wonder of the world. A man named John Flagler built the overseas railroad. It was built to bring tourist to his hotel. In actuality, he wanted and got trade with Central and South America.
President Harry Truman, who vacationed in the “Little White House” on Front Street was another one of cast of famous characters. Writers like Ernest Hemmingway, Tennessee Williams, Robert Frost and maybe TravelmanNH, were just a few who were inspired by the islands’ colonial charm!
The Island has known more than its share of conflict, from the Civil War to Spanish-American War to the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Its Old Town section is rich with historic sites and architecture. The Island is so compact, many venerable houses and other buildings now function as inns, restaurants and museums.

Historic Architecture not to mention the bikes!

We sent the day wondering on foot, getting our bearings and the lay of the land. Most all of the streets are extremely narrow. Even with my expertise, driving the camper around was a challenge to navigate. At one point, the road dipped and I rubbed against another pickup truck mirror. With that incident, we took to the sneakers for most of the downtown exploration.
That is what we did and saw!