Key West History - Feb. 12, 1964 - The Pelican Path was Completed

Although it can be kind of expensive to visit Key West, if you know where to look, you can still find some free activities that will allow you to have a peek “behind the curtain” so to speak and glimpse how the locals live. One such glimpse takes you through the Key West of yester year. 

  Key West is a very historical city, having played a pivotal role in many wars over the years, and also with its proximity to Cuba, it has been the stopping point for many dignitaries and Presidents as they made their way to Cuba, the Panama Canal and even further South.   Key West architecture is unique in American history. It's structures created by real men with problem solving skills and varying experiences. In the city of Key West remains the largest collection of wood frame houses of any seaport in the country. In 1969, more than 300 wood houses were still standing that had been built before 1900, and at least one is more than 140 years old. Those 300 houses are concentrated in about 20 city blocks of the city. These buildings are distinctive. All a reflection of the individuals who built them. Twenty-one of these homes are included in the Pelican Path.   The Pelican Path is a self-guided walking tour that takes you to more than 50 historic locations in the city of Key West. Many of these locations are these private historical homes with unique architecture. Some of the places on the Pelican Path may actually be open for public tours, but many are occupied by private citizens living the good life in Key West. This tour is so informative and you can even get an official guide and map of the Pelican Path that gives you the historical context of the marked structure. You can pick up the guide at the Chamber of Commerce, or I’ll put a link on our website at www.43Keys.com where you can download your own copy.   You can do the tour in sections, a little bit at a time. You can do the tour on a bicycle or on foot. You can start and end the tour where ever you want, even though there are official designation points for starting and finishing. If you take your time on the tour, you can enjoy a few detours along the way for some great food and drinks, or possibly browsing through a shop or two.   Officially, the tour should take about 2 hours on foot. But we think you should give yourself more time to soak in the history of Key West, and let your imagination take you back in time to when those structures were first built. Many of them are fantastic by today’s standards, but think about how amazing these structures would have been more than 100 years ago. You’d probably have to have a chunk of change to purchase any of these structures today, but think about what it would have taken to accomplish this type of design and architecture back when they were built. These historic structures have survived multiple devastating hurricanes, a fire that destroyed most of Key West in 1886, and our harsh sub-tropical climate where termites thrive, salt covers everything, and the sun and wind are a constant foe.   The Pelican Path was the first self-guided walking tour of Key West and it was created by the Old Island Restoration Foundation. Whether you are a local or just come once to visit Key West, walking the Pelican Path is a fantastic was to see the “real” Key West. It’s not all of the tourist spots, but it’s a way to get connected to Key West history, the architecture that makes this such a unique community, and the characters that came before us that built this quaint little island into the paradise it is today.   And it was today, Feb. 12, 1964, that the Old Island Restoration Foundation completed The Pelican Path, the first self-guided walking tour of Key West.   And that’s what happened today in Key West History.   Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can find out more about our glorious past and how to have more salty good times by visiting http://43keys.com.

To get the FREE downloadable Pelican Path Map, click here:

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