EPIC World Quest - Key West (Thwarting Pirates and Invading Chickens)

Detours

The first port of call for this cruise was supposed to be the Cayman Islands. Due to circumstances related to the spread of COVID-19, the first port of call was changed to Key West, Florida. Priscilla has visited Grand Cayman and Key West several times before, but I hadn’t been to either destination. If there is anything that my military career has taught me, it is to be flexible, embrace change, adapt and overcome. After a little research and a map reconnaissance of Key West, Florida we decided not to book a shore excursion and explore this port on our own.

Military Significance from Pirates to the Cuban Missile Crisis

Spanish explorers first reached the Florida Keys in 1513. Prior to Florida becoming part of the United States and in response to the War of 1812, the United States started to build a Three Tier System of Forts to protect its coasts. The U. S. took possession of Florida from Spain in 1821 and immediately established a small Navy Depot in 1822 to protect Florida from marauding pirates. The U. S. Army started to construct an unnamed fort in Key West in 1845. After President Zachary Taylor died a little over a year into his presidency, the fort was named Fort Taylor. Construction continued from 1845 to 1866.

During the U.S. Civil War, Florida seceded from the Union, but Fort Taylor was one of three Florida fortresses that remained under federal control. Most locals were sympathetic to the Confederacy, many flying confederate flags over their homes. Key West was also home to a large and growing free black population. In 1864, 900 soldiers from the 2ndUnited States Colored Troops (USCT) arrived in Key West and replaced the 47th Pennsylvania Volunteers.

Fort Taylor was also used in the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II, and stayed on Active-Duty status until 1947. Because of its strategic position in the Florida Straits, it has been dubbed “Gibraltar of the West”. It is a great site to explore while in Key West but comparing it to Gibraltar might be a little bit of a stretch. It also became instrumental during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park is now managed by Florida State Parks and houses the largest collection of Civil War armament in the World. Admission is $7 for an automobile and $2.50 for pedestrians.

Chicken Muggers and Chicken Huggers

Wandering the streets of Key West, one can’t help to see and hear the chickens and roosters running rampant through the streets. In the early 1800’s cockfighting was a large part of Key West’s culture. Local folklore even tells a story of a feisty cock named “El Gallo Blanco” (the white rooster), so famous for his fighting ferocity that residents met his boat when he arrived from Cuba. However, in 1837 cockfighting was banned in Key West and many chickens were left to roam the streets. There seems to be two different populations in Key West, those that are anti-chicken “Chicken Muggers” and those that are pro-chicken “Chicken Huggers”.

The "Southernmost" Point

The Southernmost Point of the Continental United States is technically located on the beach area of Fort Zachary Taylor State Park and is approximately 500 feet further South than the Southernmost Point Buoy made famous by Instagram photos. It’s the quintessential Key West photo opportunity.

Due to its popularity, there is usually a line that stretches down the block with people waiting patiently for their photo opportunity.

A Presidential Second Home

Several U.S. Presidents have called Key West home for short periods of time during their Presidencies. Six different Presidents: Taft, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Carter, and Clinton have spent portions of their presidency in Key West. In 1946, President Harry S. Truman established a working vacation home in Key West creating the “Little White House” where he spent 175 days of his Presidency. We took some pictures of the outside of the “Little White House” but did not take the tour. We’ll save that for a future visit to Key West.

Ernest Hemingway House

Ernest Hemingway and his wife Pauline Pfeiffer called Key West home from 1931 to 1939. Their residence was built in 1851 in a French Colonial Style. The home and museum are open daily, costs $17 (cash only) and is open from 9:00am – 5:00pm.

Key West Extras

While on this trip we did not delve into the maritime history of Key West, Priscilla previously visited the Key West Shipwreck Museum and purchased a (very small) piece of the treasure. The waters surrounding Key West is filled with shipwrecks and treasure and at one point was one of the richest cities in the United States. There are an estimated 1,000 shipwrecks off the Florida Keys. One of the famous historical wrecks is of the Nuestra Senora de Atocha 1622. It is estimated that $450 million worth of Spanish gold and silver, Colombian emeralds, and other artifacts were recovered. There are a couple of museums and stores that if you wish to purchase artifacts or replicas.

Key West and Cruise Ships

Key West has a tumultuous relationship with cruise ships. Larger cruise ships have overrun Key West from time to time. In 2020, Key West City voted to limit the number of daily cruise ship visitors to 1,500 passengers per day. Our cruise ship, the Oceania Insignia, with a maximum capacity of 684 passengers creates opportunities to access smaller ports that have grown weary of larger cruise ships with more passengers. We enjoyed visiting this port and look forward to the opportunities to visit other ports inaccessible to larger ships.