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[[File:key west from iss.jpg|thumb|Key West from space, October 2002]]

[[File:Sunset, Mallory Square, Key West, Florida, USA.jpg|thumb|Sunset from Mallory Square]]

'''Key West''' (in [[lingua spagnola|spagnolo]] ''Cayo Hueso'') è una [[città]] ed un'[[isola]] situate nel punto continentale più a sud degli [[Stati Uniti d'America|Stati Uniti]], nelle [[Florida Keys]] della [[Contea di Monroe (Florida)|Contea di Monroe]] ([[Florida]]), con una distanza di 208 km da [[Miami]] e 140 km da [[Cuba]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.keywestcity.com/egov/docs/1165259495219.htm |publisher=City of Key West|accessdate=2014-08-15|date=|title=City Information}}</ref>

== Geografia fisica ==

[[File:Keywestcemetery.jpg|thumb|Cimitero di Key West]]

=== Territorio ===

Key West e gran parte delle isole Keys dividono l'[[Oceano Atlantico]] dal [[Golfo del Messico]] e rappresentano il bordo settentrionale degli [[Stretti della Florida]] con Cuba.

L'isola sulla quale si trova la città è lunga circa 6.4 km e larga 1.6 km, con un'area di 13.6 km².

Dagli anni 1940, l'isola ha più che raddoppiato la sua superficie tramite il riempimento delle saline che si trovavano nella sua parte orientale, ora chiamata "New Town".

L'atezza massima sul livello del mare è rappresentato dai 6 m di [[Solares Hill]], dove fu trasferito nel 1847 il cimitero della città dopo che l'uragano San Francisco de Borja del 1846 distrusse il precedente cimitero al livello del mare.

Key West confina con [[Stock Island]] a nord, [[Sigbee Park]] e [[Fleming Key]] sempre a nord e [[Sunset Key]] a ovest. A nord ovest [[Wisteria Island]] e [[Key Haven]] a nord est. Sia Fleming Key che Sigsbee Park fanno parte della ''Naval Air Station Key West'' e sono inaccessibili ai civili.

=== Clima ===

Key West è caratterizzato da un [[clima della savana]] secondo la [[classificazione dei climi di Köppen]], simile a quella dei [[Caraibi]].<ref>[http://www2.johnabbott.qc.ca/~geoscience/intro/Bryce/GoodesClimateMap22Ed%20_1_.pdf Köppen Climate Classification Map: South Florida=Aw=tropical wet & dry]</ref>

Come molti climi tropicali, Key West ha piccole differenze nelle temperature medie mensili tra il mese più freddo (gennaio) e quello più caldo (luglio) con una differenza tra il valore medio massimo e quello minimo di 8.3 °C. Con una temperatura media annuale di 25.4 °C, è una delle città più calde degli Stati Uniti. <ref>[http://www.currentresults.com/Weather-Extremes/US/hottest.php Hottest Places in United States - Current Results]</ref>

Key West ha una media di 3000 ore di sole l'anno. Il clima stabile e la temperatura invernale mite ha reso Key West (come tutte le Keys) una destinazione turistica popolare per molti viaggiatori del Nord America e dell'Europe per gran parte dell'anno fuori della stagione delle piogge da giugno a settembre. E' questo anche uno dei motivi per cui la città è stata scelta come la Casa Bianca d'inverno da parte del presidente [[Harry Truman]].

Con l'eccezione di [[Miami Beach]], le Keys sono il solo posto degli Stati Uniti continentali dove non si sono registrate gelate, con una temperatura minima record di 5 °C il 12 gennaio 1886 e 13 gennaio 1981.

Venti prevalentemente orientali e brezze marine riducono anche il riscaldamento estivo, con temperature che raramente raggiungono i 35 ° C. Ci sono 55 giorni l'anno con più di 32 ° C,<ref name = NOAA>[http://www.nws.noaa.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=key NOWData]</ref> con una finestra media per tali valori tra il 10 giugno ed il 22 settembre più breve rispetto a quasi tutto il sud-est degli Stati Uniti. Le temperature minime spesso rimangono al di sopra di 27 ° C. Il record di temperatura massima di tutti i tempi è di 36 ° C il 29 agosto 1956 e il 19 luglio 1880.<ref name = NOAA/>

Key West ricade nella zona del [[Dipartimento dell'Agricoltura degli Stati Uniti d'America]] di robustezza delle piante 11b, con minime da +7.2 °C (45 °F) a +10 °C (50 °F).<ref>|source 1 = <USDA.gov= >{{cite web |url = http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/# |title = USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map |last= |first= Agricultural Research Center, PRISM Climate Group Oregon State University |website= USDA |publisher= USDA |accessdate = 24 February 2014}}</ref>

Anche le acque dell'oceano più calde di tutti gli Stati Uniti continentali si trovano in Florida Keys in inverno, con temperature superficiali del mare medie tra 24 e 25° F tra dicembre a febbraio.

====Stagione delle piogge e stagione secca====

Come la maggior parte climi tropicali, Key West ha due stagioni: la stagione delle piogge e la stagione secca. La stagione secca va da novembre ad aprile ed è normalmente soleggiata e piuttosto secco, con solo il 25% delle precipitazioni che si verificano in un anno. In alcuni anni in inverno si possono verificare gravi condizioni di siccità.

Da maggio ad ottobre è normalmente la stagione delle piogge. Durante questa stagione piove quasi tutti i giorni, spesso con acquazzoni tropicali di breve durata seguiti da sole intenso. Questi rovesci si verificano solitamente la mattina presto, diversamente dalla Florida continentale dove i temporali si verificano di solito nel pomeriggio.

Ad ogni modo, Key West è la città più secca della Florida.<ref>{{Citation| last =Gutelius| first =Scott| last2 =Stone| first2 =Marshall| last3 =Varner| first3 =Marcus| title =True Secrets of Key West Revealed! | place=Key West| publisher =Eden Entertainment Limited| year =2003| isbn =978-0-9672819-4-0}}</ref>

{{Key West weatherbox}}

====Uragani====

[[File:Flood102405.JPG|thumb|250px|Flooding caused by Wilma on [[Key Haven]], island suburb of Key West, Florida. (October 24, 2005)]]

Gli uragani hanno colpito raramente Key West. L'uragano Wilma del 24 ottobre 2005 è stata la peggiore tempesta che si ricordi. L'intera isola è stata evacuata. Dopo il passaggio dell'uragano, una tempesta ha inviato 2 m di acqua verso l'interno, inondando completamente gran parte delle Lower Keys.<ref>Key West Citizen "New commissioners' trial by wind and flood" October 27, 2005</ref><ref name="ReferenceB">Key West Citizen October 25, 2005, pp 1-2, 6</ref><ref>Key West Citizen "Flooded cars litter the Keys" October 27, 2005</ref>

Le parti superiori della Città Vecchia, come l'area del cimitero di Solares Hill, si sono salvate. Il picco della tempesta si è verificato quando l'occhio di Wilma era già passato sopra la zona di [[Naples]] ed i venti erano a meno di 64 km/h.<ref name="ReferenceB"/>

Nel settembre 2005 il NOAA ha aperto il suo National Weather Forecasting su White Street. L'edificio è stato progettato per resistere a un uragano di categoria 5.

== Storia ==

[[File:key west 1856.jpg|thumb|300px|Key West, ca. 1856]]

In [[Pre-Columbian]] times Key West was inhabited by the [[Calusa]] people. The first [[Europe]]an to visit was [[Juan Ponce de León]] in 1521. As Florida became a [[Spain|Spanish]] colony, a fishing and salvage village with a small garrison was established here.

===Cayo Hueso===

[[File:key west 1856.jpg|thumb|400px|Key West, ca. 1856]]

''Cayo Hueso'' ({{IPA-es|ˈkaʝo ˈweso}}) is the original [[Spanish language|Spanish]] name for the island of Key West. Spanish-speaking people today also use the term '''[[:es:Cayo Hueso|Cayo Hueso]]''' when referring to Key West. It literally means "bone cay (a low island or reef)". It is said that the island was littered with the remains (bones) of prior native inhabitants, who used the isle as a communal graveyard.<ref>[http://fcit.usf.edu/Florida/docs/k/keys03.htm Key West: General History and Sketches] - URL retrieved August 20, 2006.</ref> This island was the westernmost Key with a reliable supply of water.<ref>Windhorn, Stan & Langley, Wright 1973. ''Yesterday's Key West''</ref>

Many businesses on the island use the name, such as ''Casa Cayo Hueso'', ''Cayo Hueso Consultants'', ''Cayo Hueso y Habana Historeum'', etc.

In 1763, when [[Great Britain]] took control of Florida, the community of [[Spaniard]]s and [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]]s were moved to [[Havana]]. Florida returned to Spanish control 20 years later, but there was no official resettlement of the island. Informally the island was used by [[fishermen]] from [[Cuba]] and from the [[United Kingdom|British]], who were later joined by others from the United States after the latter nation's independence. While claimed by Spain, no nation exercised ''[[de facto]]'' control over the community there for some time.

''Cayo Hueso'' ({{IPA-es|ˈkaʝo ˈweso}}) is the original [[Spanish language|Spanish]] name for the island of Key West. Spanish-speaking people today also use the term '''[[:es:Cayo Hueso|Cayo Hueso]]''' when referring to Key West. It literally means "Bone Island" or "Bone Cay" (a low-lying island). It is said that the island was littered with the remains (bones) from a [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] battlefield or burial ground. The most widely accepted theory of how the name changed to Key West is that it is a [[false friend|false-friend]] [[anglicization]] of the word, on the ground that the word ''hueso'' {{IPA|[ˈweso]}}) sounds like "west" in English.<ref>[http://www.keywestcity.com/egov/docs/1165259495219.htm Key West City Information] - URL retrieved August 20, 2006</ref> Other theories of how the island was named are that the name indicated that it was the westernmost Key,<ref>Browne, Jefferson B. 1912. ''Key West: The Old and the New'', text available at [http://fcit.usf.edu/Florida/docs/k/keys03.htm Key West: General History and Sketches] - URL retrieved August 20, 2006</ref> or that the island was the westernmost Key with a reliable supply of water.<ref>Windhorn, Stan & Langley, Wright 1973. ''Yesterday's Key West''</ref>

Many businesses on the island use the name, such as ''Casa Cayo Hueso'', ''Cayo Hueso Resorts'', ''Cayo Hueso Consultants'', ''Cayo Hueso y Habana Historeum'', etc.

In 1763, when the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]] [[British Florida|took control of Florida]], the community of [[Spaniard]]s and [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]]s were moved to [[Havana]]. Florida returned to Spanish control 20 years later, but there was no official resettlement of the island. Informally the island was used by [[fishermen]] from [[Cuba]] and from the British [[The Bahamas|Bahamas]], who were later joined by others from the [[United States]] after the latter nation's independence. While claimed by Spain, no nation exercised ''[[de facto]]'' control over the community there for some time.

In 1815, the [[List of colonial heads of Cuba|Spanish governor of Cuba]] in [[Havana]] [[deed]]ed the [[island]] of Key West to Juan Pablo Salas, an officer of the [[Spanish Navy|Royal Spanish Navy Artillery]] posted in [[Saint Augustine, Florida]]. After Florida was transferred to the United States in 1821, Salas was so eager to sell the island that he sold it twice&nbsp;– first for a sloop valued at $575 to a General [[John Geddes (politician)|John Geddes]], a former governor of [[South Carolina]], and then to a U.S. [[businessman]] John W. Simonton, during a meeting in a Havana [[café]] on January 19, 1822, for the equivalent of $2,000 in pesos in 1821. Geddes tried in vain to secure his rights to the property before Simonton who, with the aid of some influential friends in Washington, was able to gain clear title to the island. Simonton had wide-ranging business interests in [[Mobile, Alabama]]. He bought the island because a friend, John Whitehead, had drawn his attention to the opportunities presented by the island's strategic ___location. John Whitehead had been stranded in Key West after a [[shipwreck]] in 1819 and he had been impressed by the potential offered by the deep [[harbor]] of the island. The island was indeed considered the '''"[[Gibraltar]] of the West"''' because of its strategic ___location on the {{convert|90|mi|km|-1|sing=on}}–wide deep shipping lane, the [[Straits of Florida]], between the [[Atlantic Ocean]] and the [[Gulf of Mexico]].

===Matthew C. Perry and the establishment of Thompson's Island===

On March 25, 1822, Lt. Commander, [[Matthew C. Perry]], sailed the schooner ''[[USS Shark (1821)|Shark]]'' to Key West and planted the [[Flag of the United States|U.S. flag]], claiming the Keys as United States property.<ref>{{cite web|author=Jerry Wilkinson |url=http://www.keyshistory.org/keywest.html |title=History of Key West |publisher=Florida Keys History Museum |date= |accessdate=2012-08-29}}</ref> No protests were made over the American claim on Key West, so the Florida Keys became the property of the United States.

After claiming the Florida Keys for the United States, Perry renamed Cayo Hueso (Key West) to "Thompson's Island" for [[United States Secretary of the Navy|Secretary of the Navy]] [[Smith Thompson]], and the harbor "Port Rodgers" in honor of [[War of 1812]] hero and President of the Navy Supervisors Board [[John Rodgers (naval officer, War of 1812)|John Rodgers]]. In 1823, [[Commodore (United States)|Commodore]] [[David Porter (naval officer)|David Porter]] of the [[United States Navy]] [[West Indies]] Anti-[[Pirate]] Squadron took charge of Key West, which he ruled (but, according to some{{according to whom|date=October 2013}}, exceeding his authority) as [[military]] [[dictator]] under [[martial law]]. Porter was tasked by the American Navy to end acts of piracy in the Key West area including slave ships.

In 1815, the Spanish [[governor]] in [[Havana]], [[Cuba]], deeded the [[island]] of Key West to Juan Pablo Salas, an officer of the [[Spanish Navy|Royal Spanish Navy Artillery]] posted in [[St. Augustine, Florida]]. After Florida was [[History of Florida#American rule|transferred]] to the United States, Salas was so eager to sell the island that he sold it twice&nbsp;– first for a [[sloop]] valued at $575, and then to U.S. [[businessman]] John W. Simonton, during a meeting in a Havana [[café]], for the equivalent of $2,000 in pesos in 1821. The sloop trader quickly sold the island to a General [[John Geddes (politician)|John Geddes]], a former governor of [[South Carolina]], who tried in vain to secure his rights to the property before Simonton, with the aid of some influential friends in Washington, was able to gain clear title to the island. Simonton had wide-ranging business interests in [[Mobile, Alabama]]. He bought the island because a friend, John Whitehead, had drawn his attention to the opportunities presented by the island's strategic ___location. John Whitehead had been stranded in Key West after a [[shipwreck]] in 1819 and he had been impressed by the potential offered by the deep [[harbor]] of the island. The island was indeed considered the '''"[[Gibraltar]] of the West"''' because of its strategic ___location on the {{convert|90|mi|km|-1|sing=on}}–wide deep shipping lane, the [[Straits of Florida]], between the [[Atlantic Ocean]] and the [[Gulf of Mexico]]. On March 25, 1822, [[Matthew C. Perry]] sailed the schooner {{USS|Shark|1821}} to Key West and planted the [[Flag of the United States|U.S flag]], physically claiming the Keys as United States property. Perry reported on [[piracy]] problems in the [[Caribbean]].

Perry renamed Cayo Hueso (Key West) to "Thompson's Island" for the [[United States Secretary of the Navy|Secretary of the Navy]], [[Smith Thompson]], and the harbor "Port Rodgers" for [[War of 1812]] hero [[John Rodgers (naval officer, War of 1812)|John Rodgers]]. Neither name was to stick. In 1823 [[Commodore (USN)|Commodore]] [[David Porter (naval officer)|David Porter]] of the [[United States Navy]] [[West Indies]] Anti-[[Pirate]] Squadron took charge of Key West, which he ruled (but, according to some, exceeding his authority) as [[military]] [[dictator]] under [[martial law]].

===First developers===

{{unreferenced section|date=April 2011}}

Soon after his purchase, Simonton subdivided the island into plots and sold three undivided quarters of each plot to:

* John Mountain and U.S. Consul John Warner, who quickly resold their quarter to Pardon C. Greene, who took up residence on the island

* John Whitehead, his friend who had advised him to buy Key West

* John Fleeming (nowadays spelled Fleming)

John Simonton spent the winter in Key West and the summer in Washington, where he lobbied hard for the development of the island and to establish a naval base on the island, both to take advantage of the island's strategic ___location and to bring law and order to the town. He died in 1854.

Pardon C. Greene is the only one of the four "founding fathers" to establish himself permanently on the island, where he became quite prominent as head of P.C. Greene and Company. He was a member of the city council<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/docs/k/keys10.htm |title=Exploring Florida Documents: Key West: The Municipality |publisher=Florida Center for Instructional Technology |date= |accessdate=2012-08-29}}</ref> and also served briefly as mayor. He died in 1838 at the age of 57.

John Whitehead lived in Key West for only eight years. He became a partner in the firm of P.C. Greene and Company from 1824 to 1827. A lifelong bachelor, he left the island for good in 1832. He came back only once, during the [[Civil War (United States)|Civil War]] in 1861, and died the next year.

John W.C. Fleeming was English-born and was active in mercantile business in Mobile, Alabama, where he befriended John Simonton. Fleeming spent only a few months in Key West in 1822 and left for Massachusetts, where he married. He returned to Key West in 1832 with the intention of developing salt manufacturing on the island but died the same year at the young age of 51.

The names of the four "founding fathers"<ref>[http://www.fabulous-florida-keys.com/history-of-key-west-florida.html fabulous-florida-keys.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> of modern Key West were given to main arteries of the island when it was first platted in 1829 by William Adee Whitehead, John Whitehead's younger brother. That first plat and the names used remained mostly intact and are still in use today. Duval Street, the island's main street, is named after Florida's first territorial governor, who served between 1822 and 1834 as the longest serving governor in Florida's U.S. history.

William Whitehead became chief editorial writer for the "Enquirer", a local newspaper, in 1834. He had the genius of preserving copies of his newspaper as well as copies from the "Key West Gazette", its predecessor. He later sent those copies to the Monroe County clerk for preservation, which gives us a precious view of life in Key West in the early days (1820–1840).

In 1852 the first Catholic Church, St. Mary's Star-Of-The-Sea was built. The year 1864 became a landmark for the church in South Florida when five Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary arrived from Montreal, Canada, and established the first Catholic school in South Florida. The Convent of Mary Immaculate, the oldest Catholic School in Florida which is now known as Mary Immaculate Star of the Sea School.

Soon after his purchase, Simonton subdivided the island into plots and sold three undivided quarters of each plot to:

* John Mountain and U.S. Consul John Warner, who quickly resold their quarter to Pardon C. Greene, who took up residence on the island

* John Whitehead, his friend who had advised him to buy Key West

* John Flemming (nowadays spelled Fleming)

'''John Simonton''' spent the winter in Key West and the summer in Washington, where he lobbied hard for the development of the island and to establish a naval base on the island, both to take advantage of the island's strategic ___location and to bring law and order to the town. He died in 1854.

'''Pardon C. Greene''' is the only one of the four "founding fathers" to establish himself permanently on the island, where he became quite prominent as head of P.C. Greene and Company. He also served briefly as mayor. He died in 1838 at the age of 57.

'''John Whitehead''' lived in Key West for only eight years. He became a partner in the firm of P.C. Greene and Company from 1824 to 1827. A lifelong bachelor, he left the island for good in 1832. He came back only once, during the Civil War in 1861, and died the next year.

'''John W.C. Flemming''' was English-born and was active in mercantile business in Mobile, Alabama, where he befriended John Simonton. Flemming spent only a few months in Key West in 1822 and left for Massachusetts, where he married. He returned to Key West in 1832 with the intention of developing salt manufacturing on the island but died the same year at the young age of 51.

The names of the four "founding fathers" of modern Key West were given to main arteries of the island when it was first platted in 1829 by William Adee Whitehead, John Whitehead's younger brother. That first plat and the names used remained mostly intact and are still in use today. Duval Street, the island's main street, is named after Florida's first territorial governor, who served between 1822 and 1834 as the longest serving governor in Florida's U.S. history.

William Whitehead became chief editorial writer for the ''Enquirer'', a local newspaper, in 1834. He had the foresight to preserve copies of his newspaper as well as copies from the ''Key West Gazette'', its predecessor. He later sent those copies to the Monroe County clerk for preservation, which gives us a precious view of life in Key West in the early days (1820–1840).

===Mayors of Key West===

Mayors of Key West have reflected the city's cultural and ethnic heritage. Among its mayors are the first Cuban mayor and one of the first openly gay mayors. One mayor is also famous for having water-skiied to Cuba.<ref>http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19780912&id=6cNaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MFoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6752,3027211</ref>

===Conchs===

[[File:NSRW Turtles.png|thumb|left|Old photo depicting [[Seaturtle]]s in Key West, circa 1900]]

Many of the residents of Key West were [[immigrant]]s from the [[Bahamas]], known as [[Conch (people)|Conchs]] (pronounced 'conks'), who arrived in increasing numbers after 1830. Many were sons and daughters of Loyalists who fled to the nearest Crown soil during the American Revolution.<ref>Windhorn, Stan & Langley, Wright ''Yesterday's Key West'' p.13</ref> In the 20th century many residents of Key West started referring to themselves as "Conchs", and the term is now generally applied to all residents of Key West. Some residents use the term "Conch" (or, alternatively, "Saltwater Conch") to refer to a person born in Key West, while the term "Freshwater Conch" refers to a resident not born in Key West but who has lived in Key West for seven years or more.<ref>[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_19990124/ai_n10499943 The key to restoring conchs] - URL September 21, 2006</ref> However, the true original meaning of ''Conch'' applies only to someone with European ancestry who immigrated from the Bahamas.<ref>[[Conch (people)]]</ref> It is said that when a baby was born, the family would put a conch shell on a pole in front of their home. {{Citation needed|date=March 2008}}

Many of the black Bahamian immigrants that arrived later live in an area of Old Town next to the [[Truman Annex]] called "[[Bahama Village]]".

Major [[industries]] in Key West in the early 19th century included [[fishing]], [[salt]] production, and [[Marine salvage|salvage]]. In 1860 [[Wrecking (shipwreck)#The Florida Keys|wrecking]] made Key West the largest and richest city in Florida and the wealthiest town [[per capita]] in the U.S. A number of the inhabitants worked salvaging [[shipwreck]]s from nearby Florida [[reef]]s, and the town was noted for the unusually high concentration of fine [[furniture]] and [[chandelier]]s that the locals used in their own homes after salvaging them from wrecks.

===U.S. Civil War===

[[File:Fortzacharytaylor.jpg|thumb|right|Fort Zachary Taylor in Key West, active during the Civil War, contains the largest collection of Civil War [[cannons]] ever discovered at a single ___location.]]

While Florida seceded and joined the [[Confederate States of America]] during the [[American Civil War]], Key West remained in Union hands because of the naval base. However, most locals were sympathetic to the South, and many flew Confederate flags over their homes.<ref name="ReferenceA">A Chronological History of Key West A Tropical Island City, Stephen Nichols, 3rd ed.</ref> [[Fort Zachary Taylor]], constructed from 1845 to 1866, was an important Key West outpost during the Civil War. Construction began in 1861 on two other forts, East and West Martello Towers, which served as side armories and batteries for the larger fort. When completed, they were connected to Fort Taylor by railroad tracks for movement of munitions.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> [[Dry Tortugas National Park|Fort Jefferson]], located about 68 miles (109&nbsp;km) from Key West on Garden Key in the [[Dry Tortugas]], served after the Civil War as the prison for [[Samuel Mudd|Dr. Samuel A. Mudd]], convicted of [[conspiracy (crime)|conspiracy]] for setting the broken leg of [[John Wilkes Booth]], the [[assassination|assassin]] of President [[Abraham Lincoln]].

The [[Emancipation Proclamation]] went into immediate effect in Key West on January 1, 1863, and local blacks celebrated accordingly.<ref>"Important From Key West", New York Times 2/4/1863, p.1</ref>

In the late 19th century, salt and salvage declined as industries, but Key West gained a thriving [[cigar]]-making industry.

By 1889 Key West was the largest and wealthiest city in Florida.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

Many [[Cubans]] moved to Key West during Cuba's unsuccessful [[war]] for [[independence]] in the 1860s and 1870s.

===Overseas by rail and road===

Key West was relatively isolated until 1912, when it was connected to the Florida mainland via the [[Overseas Railway]] extension of [[Henry Morrison Flagler|Henry M. Flagler]]'s [[Florida East Coast Railway]] (FEC). Flagler created a [[landfill]] at Trumbo Point for his railyards. The [[Labor Day Hurricane of 1935]] destroyed much of the railroad and killed hundreds of residents, including around 400 [[World War I]] veterans who were living in camps and working on federal road and [[mosquito control]] projects in the Middle Keys. The FEC could not afford to restore the railroad.

The [[Federal government of the United States|U.S. government]] then rebuilt the rail route as a [[highway]], completed in 1938, which became an extension of [[U.S. Route 1 in Florida|United States Highway 1]]. The portion of U.S. 1 through the Keys is called the [[Overseas Highway]]. [[Franklin Roosevelt]] toured the road in 1939.

===Winter White House===

Several [[President of the United States|U.S. presidents]] have visited Key West. [[Harry Truman]] visited for 175 days on 11 visits during his presidency and visited several times after he left office (see [[Truman Annex]]).

Key West was in a down cycle when [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] visited in 1939. The buildup of military bases on the island occurred shortly thereafter.

In addition to Truman, [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] stayed in Key West following a heart attack. In November 1962, [[John F. Kennedy]] visited Key West a month after the resolution of the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]]. [[Jimmy Carter]] held a family reunion in Key West after leaving office.

====Ernest Hemingway====

[[File:Hemingwayhouse.jpg|thumb|The [[Ernest Hemingway House]], a popular tourist attraction in Key West.]]

Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway wrote part of ''[[A Farewell to Arms]]'' while living above the showroom of a Key West [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] dealership at 314 Simonton Street<ref>[http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=314+Simonton+Street,+Key+West,+Fl&ll=24.558365,-81.802783&spn=0.026074,0.05197&om=1 314 Simonton Street, Key West, Fl - Google Maps<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> while awaiting delivery of a [[Ford Model A (1927)|Ford Model A]] [[Roadster (automobile)|roadster]] purchased by the uncle of his wife Pauline in 1928.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Hemingway's Key West |first=Stuart B. |last=McIver |publisher=Pineapple Press Inc |isbn=978-1-56164-241-0 |year=2002 |page=7 |url=http://books.google.com/?id=7Y3VpdaWgKoC}}</ref>

Hardware store owner Charles Thompson introduced him to deep-sea fishing. Among the group who went fishing was Joe Russell (also known as [[Sloppy Joe's|Sloppy Joe]]). Russell was reportedly the model for Freddy in ''To Have and Have Not''. Portions of the original manuscript were found at Sloppy Joe's Bar after his death. The group had nicknames for each other, and Hemingway wound up with "Papa".

Pauline's rich uncle Gus Pfeiffer bought the [[Ernest Hemingway House|907 Whitehead Street house]]<ref>[http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=907+Whitehead+Street,+Key+West,+Fl&ll=24.551105,-81.800466&spn=0.026076,0.05197&om=1 907 Whitehead Street, Key West, Fl - Google Maps<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> in 1931 as a wedding present. Legend says the Hemingways installed a swimming pool for $20,000 in the late 1930s (equivalent in 2013 to $330,000). It was such a high price that Hemingway is said to have put a [[penny]] in the concrete, saying, "Here, take the last penny I've got!" The penny is still there.

During his stay he wrote or worked on ''[[Death in the Afternoon]]'', ''[[For Whom the Bell Tolls]]'', ''[[The Snows of Kilimanjaro (story)|The Snows of Kilimanjaro]]'', and ''[[The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber]]''. He used Depression-era Key West as one of the locations in ''[[To Have and Have Not]]''&nbsp;— his only novel with scenes that occur in the United States.

Pauline and Hemingway divorced in 1939; Hemingway only occasionally visited when returning from Havana until his suicide in 1961.

The six- or seven-toed [[Polydactyl cat|polydactyl]] cats descended from Hemingway's original pet "Snowball" still live on the grounds and are cared for at the Hemingway House, despite complaints by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that they are not kept free from visitor contact. The Key West City Commission has exempted the house from a law prohibiting more than four domestic animals per household.

====Tennessee Williams====

[[Tennessee Williams]] first became a regular visitor to Key West in 1941 and is said to have written the first draft of ''[[A Streetcar Named Desire (play)|A Streetcar Named Desire]]'' while staying in 1947 at the La Concha Hotel. He bought a permanent house in 1949 and listed Key West as his primary residence until his death in 1983. In contrast to Hemingway's grand house in Old Town, the Williams home at 1431 Duncan Street<ref>[http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=1431+Duncan+Street,+Key+West,+Fl&ll=24.555906,-81.786261&spn=0.026075,0.05197&om=1 1431 Duncan Street, Key West, Fl - Google Maps<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> in the "unfashionable" New Town neighborhood is a very modest bungalow. The house is privately owned and not open to the public. The Academy Award–winning film version of his play ''[[The Rose Tattoo]]'' was shot on the island in 1956. The Tennessee Williams Theatre is located on the campus of Florida Keys Community College on Stock Island.<ref>[http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=5901+College+Road,+Key+West,+Fl&ll=24.577217,-81.746521&spn=0.02607,0.05197&om=1 5901 College Road, Key West, Fl - Google Maps<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

Williams had a series of rented homes all over the United States, but the only home he owned was in Key West.

Even though Hemingway and Williams were in Key West at the same time, they reportedly met only once—at Hemingway's Cuba home Finca Vigía.

===Cuban presence===

[[File:Cuban mix.jpg|thumb|right|A typical [[Cuban sandwich]] that can be found in many cafés and restaurants in and around the city]]

Key West is much closer to [[Havana]] than it is to [[Miami]]. In 1890, Key West had a population of nearly 18,800 and was the biggest and richest city in Florida. Half the residents were said to be of Cuban origin, and Key West regularly had Cuban mayors, including the son of [[Carlos Manuel de Céspedes]], father of the Cuban Republic, who was elected mayor in 1876.<ref name="Amigospais-guaracabuya.org">[http://www.amigospais-guaracabuya.org/oaghe007.php Amigospais-guaracabuya.org]</ref> Cubans were actively involved in reportedly 200 factories in town, producing 100 million cigars annually. [[José Martí]] made several visits to seek recruits for Cuban independence starting in 1891 and founded the Cuban Revolutionary Party during his visits to Key West.<ref name="Amigospais-guaracabuya.org"/>

The Battleship [[USS Maine (ACR-1)|USS ''Maine'']] sailed from Key West on its fateful visit to Havana, where it blew up, igniting the [[Spanish-American War]]. Crewmen from the ship are buried in Key West, and the Navy investigation into the blast occurred at the Key West Customs House.

[[Pan American Airlines]] was founded in Key West, originally to fly visitors to Havana, in 1926. The airline contracted with the United States Postal Service in 1927 to deliver mail to and from Cuba and the United States. The mail route was known as the "Key West, Florida Havana Mail Route".

[[John F. Kennedy]] was to use "90 miles from Cuba" extensively in his speeches against [[Fidel Castro]]. Kennedy himself visited Key West a month after the resolution of the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]].

Prior to the [[Cuban revolution]] of 1959, there were regular ferry and airplane services between Key West and Havana.

Key West was flooded with refugees during the [[Mariel Boatlift]]. Refugees continue to come ashore and, on at least one occasion, most notably in April 2003, flew hijacked Cuban Airlines planes into the city's airport.<ref>[https://www.keysso.net/community_news/April_2003/April_2003.htm Keysso.net]</ref>

In 1978, the mayor of Key West, Charles "Sonny" McCoy, water-skiied to Cuba.<ref>http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19780912&id=6cNaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MFoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6752,3027211</ref> Although local legend and authors such as Joy Williams have claimed McCoy did this to demonstrate the necessity of a military presence in Key West (Williams actually states he made the trip in the early 1980s<ref>Williams, Joy. The Florida Keys. New York: Random House, 1995. p. 119</ref>), sources from the time make no note of such a motivation for the stunt. He made the trip in 6 hours, 10 minutes on a slalom ski. <ref>http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19780912&id=6cNaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MFoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6752,3027211</ref>

===Conch Republic===

[[File:Flag of Key West, Florida.svg|thumb|right|250px|The proposed flag for the Conch Republic.]]

In 1982 the city of Key West briefly declared its "[[independence]]" as the '''[[Conch Republic]]''' in a protest over a [[United States Border Patrol]] [[blockade]]. This blockade was set up on U.S. 1, where the northern end of the Overseas Highway meets the mainland at [[Florida City]]. The blockade was in response to the [[Mariel Boatlift]]. A traffic jam of {{convert|17|mi|km}} ensued while the [[United States Border Patrol|Border Patrol]] stopped every car leaving the Keys, supposedly searching for illegal immigrants attempting to enter the mainland United States. This paralyzed the [[Florida Keys]], which rely heavily on the tourism industry. Flags, T-shirts and other merchandise representing the [[Conch Republic]] are still popular souvenirs for visitors to Key West, and the Conch Republic Independence Celebration—including parades and parties—is celebrated every April 23.

===Key West Naval Air Station===

[[File:Steven W. Groves.jpg|250px|right|thumb|''[[USS Stephen W. Groves]]'' (FFG-29) as seen at sunset in Key West on July 22, 2007. This ship is typical of the frigates, destroyers, and smaller military vessels that call at the port. Larger ships, such as aircraft carriers, are prohibited because of their deep draft and the shallowness of the harbor.]]

Key West was always an important military post, since it sits at the northern edge of the deepwater channel connecting the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico (the southern edge {{convert|90|mi|km|-1}} away is Cuba) via the [[Florida Straits]]. Because of this, Key West since the 1820s had been dubbed the "Gibraltar of the West." Fort Taylor was initially built on the island. The Navy added a small base from which the [[USS Maine (ACR-1)|USS ''Maine'']] sailed to its demise in [[Havana]] at the beginning of the [[Spanish-American War]].

[[File:key west from iss.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Key West from space, October 2002]]

At the beginning of [[World War II]] the Navy increased its presence from {{convert|50|acre|m2}} to {{convert|3,000|acre|km2}}, including all of [[Boca Chica Key]]'s {{convert|1700|acre|km2|0}} and the construction of [[Fleming Key]] from landfill. The Navy built the first water pipeline extending the length of the keys, bringing fresh water from the mainland to supply its bases.<ref>[http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/papers/keys_geohydro/ Geology and Hydrogeology of the Florida Keys] - accessed 18 August 2008</ref> At its peak 15,000 military personnel and 3,400 civilians were at the base. Included in the base are:

* '''NAS Key West''' - This is the main facility on Boca Chica, where the Navy trains its pilots. Staff are housed at Sigsbee Park. In 2006 there were 1,650 active-duty personnel; 2,507 family members; 35 Reserve members; and 1,312 civilians listed at the base. In the 1990s the Navy worked out an agreement with the [[National Park Service]] to stop [[sonic booms]] near [[Fort Jefferson, Florida|Fort Jefferson]] in the [[Dry Tortugas]]. Many of the training missions are directed at the ''Marquesas "Patricia" Target'' {{convert|29|nmi|km}} due west of the base. The target is a grounded ship hulk {{convert|306|ft|m}} in length that is visible only at low tide. Bombs are not actually dropped on the target.

* '''Truman Annex''' - The area next to Fort Taylor became a submarine pen and was used for the Fleet Sonar School. President Harry S. Truman was to make the commandant's house his winter White House. The Fort Taylor Annex was later renamed the [[Truman Annex]]. This portion has largely been decommissioned and turned over to private developers and the city of Key West. However, there are still a few government offices there, including the new NOAA Hurricane Forecasting Center. The Navy still owns its piers.

* '''Trumbo Annex''' - The docking area on what had been the railroad yard for Flagler's Overseas Railroad is now used by the [[United States Coast Guard|Coast Guard]].

===Naval Air Station Key West===

[[File:Steven W. Groves.jpg|right|thumb|{{USS|Stephen W. Groves|FFG-29}} as seen at sunset in Key West on July 22, 2007. This ship is typical of the frigates, destroyers, and smaller military vessels that call at the port. Larger ships, such as aircraft carriers, are prohibited because of their deep draft and the shallowness of the harbor.]]

Key West was always an important military post, since it sits at the northern edge of the deepwater channel connecting the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico (the southern edge {{convert|90|mi|km|-1}} away is Cuba) via the [[Florida Straits]]. Because of this, Key West since the 1820s had been dubbed the "Gibraltar of the West." Fort Taylor was initially built on the island. The Navy added a small base from which the {{USS|Maine|ACR-1}} sailed to its demise in [[Havana]] at the beginning of the [[Spanish-American War]].

{{nowrap|At the beginning}} of [[World War II]] the Navy increased its presence from 200,000 m2 to 12&nbsp;km², including all of [[Boca Chica Key]]'s 7 km2 and the construction of [[Fleming Key]] from landfill. The Navy built the first water pipeline extending the length of the keys, bringing fresh water from the mainland to supply its bases.<ref>[http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/papers/keys_geohydro/ Geology and Hydrogeology of the Florida Keys] - accessed 18 August 2008</ref> At its peak 15,000 military personnel and 3,400 civilians were at the base. Included in the base are:

* '''[[Naval Air Station Key West|NAS Key West]]''': This is the main facility on Boca Chica, where the Navy trains its pilots. Staff are housed at Sigsbee Park. In 2006 there were 1,650 active-duty personnel; 2,507 family members; 35 Reserve members; and 1,312 civilians listed at the base. In the 1990s the Navy worked out an agreement with the [[National Park Service]] to stop [[sonic booms]] near [[Fort Jefferson, Florida|Fort Jefferson]] in the [[Dry Tortugas]]. Many of the training missions are directed at the ''Marquesas "Patricia" Target'' {{convert|29|nmi|km}} due west of the base. The target is a grounded ship hulk {{convert|306|ft|m}} in length that is visible only at low tide. Bombs are not actually dropped on the target.

* '''Truman Annex''': The area next to Fort Taylor became a submarine pen and was used for the Fleet Sonar School. President Harry S. Truman was to make the commandant's house his winter White House. The Fort Taylor Annex was later renamed the [[Truman Annex]]. This portion has largely been decommissioned and turned over to private developers and the city of Key West. However, there are still a few government offices there, including the new NOAA Hurricane Forecasting Center. The Navy still owns its piers.

* '''Trumbo Annex''': The docking area on what had been the railroad yard for Flagler's Overseas Railroad is now used by the [[United States Coast Guard|Coast Guard]].

== Monumenti e luoghi d'interesse ==

L'architettura delle vecchie case in legno è molto pittoresca. Buona parte del legno per le costruzioni è ricavato dal recupero di navi naufragate nei dintorni.

Key West è rinomata per la sfrenata vita notturna che comincia con il tramonto in Mallory Square, la piazza principale affacciata sul mare, e prosegue nei molti locali e bar del centro. "Sloppy Joe's", il bar preferito da Hemingway è ancora una popolare destinazione. Negli ultimi anni Key West è diventato meta dei principali linee di [[crociera|crociere]] nei [[Caraibi]].

==Attractions, events, recreation, and culture==

[[File:Key West Sunset.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Sunset seen from Key West; September 2005]]

[[File:PlazaHotelowaWkeywest.JPG|thumb|right|250px|One of the many private beaches on the island, the Casa Marina, Flagler's grand hotel resort.]]

[[File:Chickenfamily.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Free-roaming chicken family as typically seen on the streets of Key West.]]

[[File:KeyWestFlaLighthouse.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Key West Lighthouse, built in 1847.]]

[[File:Fantasy Fest float.jpg|thumb|250px|A float during the 2007 Fantasy Fest parade, the culminating event of the week-long event. In the background is the [[La Concha Hotel]].]]

[[File:Key West FH000021.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Sunset at Fort Zachary Taylor]]

Many visitors rent a bicycle and explore the history and architecture of '''Old Town''' Key West. Walking tours, including a tour of the unusual Key West Cemetery, are available. The Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square is a daily spectacle for visitors and residents. Boat excursions and tours provide a great way to view Key West from the water.

The [[Duval Street]] bar and restaurant district includes many different entertainment options, all within walking distance of each other.

The [[Audubon House and Tropical Gardens]] is a museum dedicated to the art work of John James Audubon

and history of Key West. This was founded by the Wolfson Family as they purchased the home of ship wrecking captain Geiger. John James Audubon painted many of the birds of Key West in this garden.

[[The Studios of Key West]], founded in 2006 and based at the island's historic [[Armory (military)|Armory]] building, was established as a new model for an artist community. It comprises a dozen working studio spaces, a main exhibition hall, a sculpture garden, and several adjoining residences and cottages. Its programming continues to grow and includes an extensive series of creative workshops, free humanities lectures, cultural partnerships, and innovative ideas for artists and audiences.

The [[Florida Keys Council of the Arts]] serves as the primary cultural umbrella for [[Monroe County, Florida|Monroe County]], from Key Largo to Key West. A non-profit local arts agency, it makes grants, operates the Monroe County [[Art in Public Places]] program, sponsors seminars, and manages the on-line cultural calendar for the region. It also manages the County's Tourism Development Council arts marketing grants and serves as a leading advocate for cultural tourism in lower Florida.

Key West Contemporary Dance Company is a 501c3 nonprofit organization based out of Key West, Florida. Composed of local and visiting professional dancers, it performs at various venues throughout Key West and rehearse at The CoffeeMill Dance Studio in Old Town.

The Tennessee Williams Theatre is a performing arts center, a civic center, and a community center. It is based at the [[Florida Keys Community College]].

The [[Key West Literary Seminar]], a celebration of writers and writing held each January, attracts an international audience to hear such writers as [[Ian McEwan]], [[Margaret Atwood]], [[Billy Collins]], and [[Joyce Carol Oates]].

The [[Key West Botanical Forest and Garden]] is an excellent, frost-free [[arboretum]] and [[botanical garden]] containing a number of "champion tree" specimens.

Nancy Forrester's Secret Garden is a one-acre (4,000 m²) garden resembling a lush, predominantly green rainforest. It is an exhibit of nature's artistry in a woodland garden.

The [[Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory]] features a 5,000-square-foot (460 m²) glass-domed tropical butterfly habitat.

A permanent AIDS Memorial is at the White Street Pier.

The [[Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum|Mel Fisher Maritime Museum]] showcases gold, silver, and treasure recovered from shipwrecks around the world.

Some tourists mingle with the locals, shop, and dine at the Key West Historic Seaport at the Key West Bight.

The [[Key West Light|Key West Lighthouse and Keeper's Quarters Museum]] preserves the history of the Key West Lighthouse, built in 1847.

[[Nobel Prize]]–winning author Ernest Hemingway's former home is now open to the public as the [[Ernest Hemingway House]], and is populated by as many as 60 descendants of his famous [[polydactyl cat]]s. [http://www.hemingwayhome.com/HTML/main_menu.html]

PrideFest is seven days of events, presented by the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Key West during the first week in June. The schedule includes the Pride Follies talent extravaganza; contests to select a Mr., Ms. and Miss PrideFest; parties; a tea dance; and the PrideFest Parade down Duval Street.

In 1979, the Key West Tourist Development Association, Inc., started [[Fantasy Fest]] to attract tourists at the traditionally slow time of Halloween, which is at the end of the hurricane season. Fantasy Fest regularly attracts approximately 80,000 people to the island and has become a huge success.

In June 2006, the Key West Gay & Lesbian Museum & Archive opened at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center at 513 Truman Avenue. Featured exhibits include a Tennessee Williams typewriter as well as an extensive collection of memorabilia and papers of [[Richard A. Heyman]], who was one of the nation's first openly gay mayors before dying in 1994 of AIDS.

=== Architetture religiose ===

=== Architetture civili ===

=== Architetture militari ===

[[Fort Zachary Taylor]]

Naval Air Station Key West is an important year round training site for naval aviation due to the superb weather conditions.

=== Zone commerciali ===

=== Siti archeologici ===

=== Aree naturali ===

== Società ==

{{US Census population|1840=688|1850=2367|1860=2832|1870=5016|1880=9890|1890=18080|1900=17114|1910=19945|1920=18749|1930=12831|1940=12927|1950=26433|1960=33956|1970=29312|1980=24292|1990=24832|2000=25478|2010=24649}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 25,478 people, 11,016 households, and 5,463 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was 4,285.0 inhabitants per square mile (1,653.3/km²). There were 13,306 housing units at an average density of 2,237.9 per square mile (863.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.94% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 9.28% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.39% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.29% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.05% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.86% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.18% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] persons of any race were 16.54% of the population.

There were 11,016 households, out of which 19.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.4% were classified as non-families. Of all households, 31.4% were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the city the population was spread out, with 16.0% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 37.1% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 122.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 126.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $43,021, and the median income for those classified as families was $50,895. Males had a median income of $30,967 versus $25,407 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $26,316. About 5.8% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.

The ancestries most reported in 2000 were English (12.4%), German (12.2%), Irish (11.3%), Italian (6.8%), "American" (6.0%) and French (3.6%).

The number of families (as defined by the Census Bureau) declined dramatically in the last four decades of the 20th century. In 1960 there were 13,340 families in Key West, with 42.1% of households having children living in them. By 2000 the population had dwindled to 5,463 families, with only 19.9% of households having children living in them.<ref>[http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/11085788v1p11ch3.pdf Census 2000: Households of Key West, Florida]</ref>

As of 2000, 76.66% spoke [[English language|English]] as a [[first language]], while [[Spanish language|Spanish]] was spoken by 17.32%, 1.06% spoke [[Italian language|Italian]], 1.02% spoke [[French language|French]], and [[German language|German]] spoken as a [[mother tongue]] was at 0.94% of the population. In total, other languages spoken besides English made up 25.33% of residents.<ref>[http://www.mla.org/map_data_results&state_id=12&county_id=&mode=place&zip=&place_id=36550&cty_id=&ll=&a=&ea=&order=r Modern Language Association Data Center Results of Key West, Florida]</ref>

=== Evoluzione demografica ===

=== Etnie e minoranze straniere ===

=== Lingue e dialetti ===

== Cultura ==

http://keysarts.org/

[[File:Sloppyjoesbar.jpg|thumb|right|Famous [[Sloppy Joe's]] Bar at night]]

[[File:Chickenfamily.jpg|thumb|right|Free-roaming chicken family as typically seen on the streets of Key West.<ref>[http://www.timessentinel.com/opinion/local_story_082142842.html Free-roaming Key West chickens cause a squawk] ''The Zionsville Times Sentinel''. March 23, 2006. - URL retrieved January 16, 2010</ref>]]

[[File:Key West Sunset.jpg|thumb|right|Sunset seen from Key West; September 2005]]

[[File:Smathers Beach closeup.JPG|thumb|[[Smathers Beach]], the largest beach in the city]]

[[File:KeyWestFlaLighthouse.jpg|thumb|Key West Lighthouse, built in 1847.]]

[[File:PlazaHotelowaWkeywest.JPG|thumb|right|One of the many private beaches on the island, the Casa Marina, Flagler's grand hotel resort.]]

[[File:Key West FH000021.jpg|thumb|right|Sunset at Fort Zachary Taylor]]

Mary O'Shea's Glass Garden features fresh caught Key West Art, everything from dishes to fishes in her fused glass studio/gallery. Located in the famous Donkey Milk House in Old Town Key West.

[[The Studios of Key West]], founded in 2006 and based at the island's historic [[Armory (military)|Armory]] building, was established as a new model for an [[artist community]]. It comprises a dozen working studio spaces, a main exhibition hall, a sculpture garden, and several adjoining residences and cottages. Its programming continues to grow and includes an extensive series of creative workshops, free humanities lectures, cultural partnerships, and innovative ideas for artists and audiences.

[[The Florida Keys Council of the Arts]] serves as the primary cultural umbrella for [[Monroe County, Florida|Monroe County]], from Key Largo to Key West. A non-profit local arts agency, it makes grants, operates the Monroe County [[Art in Public Places]] program, sponsors seminars, and manages the on-line cultural calendar for the region. It also manages the County's Tourism Development Council arts marketing grants and serves as a leading advocate for cultural tourism in lower Florida.

Key West Contemporary Dance Company is a 501c3 nonprofit organization based in Key West, Florida. Composed of local and visiting professional dancers, it performs at various venues throughout Key West and rehearses at The CoffeeMill Dance Studio in Old Town.

The [[Tennessee Williams Theatre]] is a performing arts center, a civic center, and a community center. It is based at the [[Florida Keys Community College]].

The [[Key West Literary Seminar]], a celebration of writers and writing held each January, attracts an international audience to hear such writers as [[Ian McEwan]], [[Margaret Atwood]], [[Billy Collins]], and [[Joyce Carol Oates]].

The [[Key West Botanical Forest and Garden]] is an excellent, frost-free [[arboretum]] and [[botanical garden]] containing a number of "champion tree" specimens.

Nancy Forrester's Secret Garden is a one-acre (4,000 m²) garden resembling a lush, predominantly green rainforest. It is an exhibit of nature's artistry in a woodland garden.

The Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory opened in 2003<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=dBzC52hZyj4C&pg=PA308 Insiders' Guide to the Florida Keys and Key West - Victoria Shearer, Nancy Toppino<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and features a 5,000-square-foot (460 m²) glass-domed tropical butterfly habitat.

A permanent AIDS Memorial is at the White Street Pier.

The [[Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum|Mel Fisher Maritime Museum]] showcases gold, silver, and treasure recovered from shipwrecks around the world.

Some tourists mingle with the locals, shop, and dine at the Key West Historic Seaport at the Key West Bight.

The [[Key West Light|Key West Lighthouse and Keeper's Quarters Museum]] preserves the history of the Key West Lighthouse, built in 1847.

[[Nobel Prize]]–winning author Ernest Hemingway's former home is now open to the public as a museum, populated by as many as 60 descendants of his famous [[polydactyl cat]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hemingwayhome.com/HTML/main_menu.html |title=Home |publisher=The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum |date= |accessdate=2012-08-29}}</ref>

PrideFest is seven days of events, presented by the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Key West during the first week in June. The schedule includes the Pride Follies talent extravaganza; contests to select a Mr., Ms. and Miss PrideFest; parties; a tea dance; and the PrideFest Parade down Duval Street.

In 1979 the Key West Tourist Development Association, Inc., started [[Fantasy Fest]] to attract tourists at the traditionally slow time of Halloween, which is at the end of the hurricane season. Fantasy Fest regularly attracts approximately 80,000 people to the island and has become a huge success.

In June 2006 the Key West Gay & Lesbian Museum & Archive opened at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center at 513 Truman Avenue. Featured exhibits include a Tennessee Williams typewriter as well as an extensive collection of memorabilia and papers of [[Richard A. Heyman]], who was one of the nation's first openly gay mayors.

==Media==

The [[television station]]s received in Key West are the stations in the [[Template:Miami TV|Miami-Fort Lauderdale Designated Market Area]] with rebroadcast transmitters in Key West and [[Marathon, Florida|Marathon]]. [[Comcast]] provides [[cable television]] service. [[DirecTV]] and [[Dish Network]] provide Miami-Fort Lauderdale local stations and national channels.

The Key West area has 11 FM radio stations, 4 FM translators, and 2 AM stations. WEOW 92.7 is the home of The Rude Girl & Molly Blue, a popular morning zoo duo; Bill Bravo is the afternoon host. SUN 99.5 has Hoebee and Miss Loretta in the p.m. drive. Island 107.1 FM is the only locally owned, independent FM station in Key West, featuring alternative rock music and community programs.

The [[Florida Keys Keynoter]] and the [[Key West Citizen]] are published locally and serve Key West and Monroe County. The ''Southernmost Flyer'', a weekly publication printed in conjunction with the ''Citizen'', is produced by the Public Affairs Department of [[Naval Air Station Key West]] and serves the local military community.<ref>[http://www.abyznewslinks.com/uniteflkw.htm ABYZ listing of Key West newspapers]</ref>

===In popular culture===

Several scenes were filmed in Key West in the 1986 hit movie ''[[Running Scared (1986 film)|Running Scared]]'', starring [[Billy Crystal]] and [[Gregory Hines]], a film about 2 Chicago undercover police officers who decide to retire and contemplate opening a bar in Key West.

Key West served as the ___location for a number of scenes in the 1989 [[James Bond filmography|James Bond]] movie, ''[[Licence to Kill]]''.

The island was the setting for a 1993 TV series titled ''[[Key West (TV series)|Key West]]''.

Key West is featured in the FOX TV series ''[[Drive (TV series)|Drive]]''.

A level based on Key West is featured in the [[Sega]] arcade game ''[[Out Run]]''.

Key West is used as a destination city in the first stage of ''[[18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker]]'', also by Sega.

A number of songs have been written about Key West (Cayo Hueso). The song most associated with Key West is [[Margaritaville]] by [[Jimmy Buffett]] however the song "Margaritaville" was written in Fort Myers, Florida, but came to be synonymous with Key West due to the ties that Jimmy Buffett had to the city. The city never employed the use of the song for any marketing purposes and there is no statistical data that exist measuring the impact of the song on the city. Two events that seemed to bring the two together was the implementation of bed tax that allowed for a larger marketing budget for the tourist development council along with the popularity of Jimmy Buffett himself and his fans knowing of his ties to Key West. The only direct link to the economic effect the Buffett’s persona or songs has had on the city is that once a year since 1991 his fans flock to Key West for the Parrott Heads in Paradise convention usually held the first weekend in November.

[[John Cougar Mellencamp]] released a song in 1996 titled “Key West Intermezzo” that charted at #14 on Billboard charts.

[[Elizabeth Bishop]] spent time in Key West basing some of her poetry on her experience of it. See, for example, "A Norther&nbsp;– Key West" (1962)

=== Biblioteche ===

=== Scuole ===

http://keysschools.schoolfusion.us/

http://www.fkcc.edu/

[[Monroe County School District (Florida)|Monroe County School District]] operates public schools in Key West.

District-operated primary schools serving Key West Island include Glynn R. Archer Elementary School and Poinciana Elementary School. Gerald Adams Elementary School in the City of Key West serves [[Stock Island, Florida|Stock Island]]. Sigsbee Charter School is a K-7 school of choice, sanctioned by the District and serving predominantly military dependent children as well as children from the community at large. Admission to Sigsbee Charter School is limited and the waiting list is managed by a lottery system. Key West Montessori Charter School is a district-sanctioned [[charter school]] on Key West Island.

All of Key West is zoned to Horace O'Bryant Middle School and [[Key West High School]], located on Key West Island.

The main campus of [[Florida Keys Community College]] is located in Key West.

Key West has five public schools including Key West High School, Home of the Conchs, the only high school on the island. There is one public Middle School, Horace O'Bryant and three elementary schools, Glynn Archer Elementary, Poinciana Elementary and Montessori Charter School.

=== Musei ===

=== Teatri ===

=== Eventi ===

* [http://www.keywesthalfmarathon.com/ Key West Half Marathon & 5K Run, January 19, 2014, 7 AM]

* [http://www.premiere-racing.com/ Key West Race Week&nbsp;– international sailing event]&nbsp;– January

* [http://www.kwls.org/ Key West Literary Seminar]&nbsp;– January

* [http://www.iwffa.com/ Kelly McGillis Classic&nbsp;– Flag Football Tournament]&nbsp;– February

* Conch Republic Independence Celebration&nbsp;– April 23

* Taste of Key West&nbsp;– April

* Red Ribbon Bed Race&nbsp;– April

* Key West Songwriters Festival&nbsp;– April / May

* Survivors Party&nbsp;– May

* Queen Mother Pageant&nbsp;– May

* PrideFest&nbsp;– June

* Cuban-American Heritage Festival&nbsp;– June

* Hemingway Days Festival&nbsp;– July

* [http://www.keywestlobsterfest.com/ Key West Lobsterfest - August]

* WomenFest&nbsp;– September

* '''Bike Week'''&nbsp;– September

* [[Fantasy Fest]]&nbsp;– October

* Goombay Celebration&nbsp;– October

* [[Robert the Doll|Robert the Enchanted Doll]] Day&nbsp;– October 24

* Parrot Heads in Paradise Convention (aka Meeting of the Minds)&nbsp;– Oct. 30 to Nov. 3 (2013)

* Boat and Holiday Parade&nbsp;– December

== Persone legate a Key West ==

Molti famosi americani hanno scelto di abitare a Key West. Lo scrittore [[Ernest Hemingway]], il drammaturgo [[Tennessee Williams]], il naturalista [[John James Audubon]], il pittore [[Winslow Homer]] e il presidente [[Harry S. Truman]] sono stati abitanti dell'isola. La casa di Hemingway e quella di Truman, ''Little White House'', sono musei aperti al pubblico.

*[[Ernest Hemingway]], scrittore

*[[David Robinson]], cestista NBA

*[[Dick Vermeil]], Former Super Bowl Champion NFL Coach

*[[Vic Albury]], MLB pitcher

*[[Bronson Arroyo]], baseball player<ref>Shpigel, Ben. "[http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/20/sports/baseball/20mets.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/H/Hernandez,%20Orlando Arroyo Leaves the Mets Flailing]." ''[[The New York Times]]''. June 20, 2006.</ref>

* [[Jimmy Buffett]], musician<ref>Pooley, Eric. "[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,988920,00.html Still Rockin' In Jimmy Buffett's Key West Margaritaville]." ''[[Time (magazine)|TIME]]''. August 17, 1998.</ref>

* [[David Allan Coe]], musician<ref name=Brennan>{{cite book |last1= |first1= |authorlink1= |last2= |first2= |authorlink2= |author=Sandra Brennan |editor1-first= |editor1-last= |editor1-link= |others=Michael Erlewine |title=All Music Guide to Country|url= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |type= |edition= |series= |volume= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |___location= |isbn=0-87930-475-8 |oclc= |doi= |page= |pages=95–96|chapter= |chapterurl= |ref= |bibcode= }}</ref>

*[[Stepin Fetchit]], comedian (deceased)<ref>Strausbaugh, John. "[http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/12/12/features/bookmar.php Stepin Fetchit: The Life and Times of Lincoln Perry]." ''[[International Herald Tribune]]''. December 12, 2005.</ref>

* [[Mel Fisher]], treasure hunter (deceased)<ref>Pace, Eric. "[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D04EFD7143CF932A15751C1A96E958260 Mel Fisher, 76, a Treasure Hunter Who Got Rich Undersea]." ''[[The New York Times]]''. December 21, 1998.</ref>

* [[Robert Fuller (actor)|Robert Fuller]], actor

* [[Khalil Greene]], Major League Baseball Player

* [[Ernest Hemingway]], author (deceased)<ref name="Funbegins">Nickell, Patti. "[http://www.kentucky.com/163/story/531304.html Key West: The fun begins where the road ends]." ''[[Lexington Herald-Leader]]''. September 21, 2008.</ref><ref name="TennWill">"[http://edition.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/books/02/23/williams.festival.ap/ Key West fest honors Tennessee Williams]." ''[[CNN]]''. February 23, 2003.</ref><ref name="LastresortKW">"[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,912357,00.html Key West: The Last Resort]." ''[[Time (magazine)|TIME]]''. February 19, 1979.</ref>

* [[Calvin Klein (fashion designer)|Calvin Klein]], fashion designer<ref name="LastresortKW"/><ref>[http://photos.igougo.com/pictures-photos-l683-s1-p187465-Octagon_house_formerly_owned_by_Calvin_Klein.html Calvin Klein House - Key West]</ref>

* [[Mike Leach (American football coach)|Mike Leach]], college football coach <ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5006561 |title=Ex-Texas Tech coach Mike Leach expects return to coaching |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=2010-03-18 |accessdate=2012-08-29}}</ref>

* [[Stephen Mallory]], U.S. senator<ref>Crankshaw, Joe. [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB3639C6294EA42&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "Water District Chanded S. Florida."] ''[[The Miami Herald]]''. September 29, 1985. Page 2TC.</ref>

*[[Amber McDonald]], actress

*[[George Mira]], football player<ref>Effrat, Louis. "[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30F14FA3959137B93C5A91789D95F468685F9 Mira, Heralded Quarterback, Also Sought as Big League Pitcher; Miami star here for festivities All-America Back Puts Off Thoughts of Turning Pro to Finish College]." ''[[The New York Times]]''. December 7, 1962.</ref>

* [[John Patterson (infielder)|John Patterson]], MLB second baseman

* [[Boog Powell]], baseball player<ref>Distel, Dave. "[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6_sNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KXwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5432,2932004&dq=boog+powell+key+west Baseball Bat, Fishing Pole Both Valuable to Boog]." ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' News Service (via ''[[St. Petersburg Times]]''.) August 15, 1970.</ref><ref>Burke, J. Wills. ''The Streets of Key West''. ''Pineapple Press''. [http://books.google.com/books?id=LLtPnBVPo-wC&pg=PA200&lpg=PA200&dq=boog+powell+key+west&source=web&ots=jShouNsRT7&sig=epKt0MJk7SEdReCnC5kCQVYW8BU&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result 200].</ref>

*[[David Robinson (basketball)|David Robinson]], basketball player<ref>Whiteside, Larry. [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BG&p_theme=bg&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EADDEB51BE1AB90&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "Taking center stage David Robinson has wasted no time in winning star status."] ''[[The Boston Globe]]''. January 12, 1990.</ref>

* [[Shel Silverstein]], author, cartoonist and musician<ref>Bellido, Susana. [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB5CE1D8C72D95B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "Shel Silverstein, 66, Children's book author."] ''[[The Philadelphia Enquirer]]''. May 11, 1999.</ref>

* [[Shane Spencer]], MLB outfielder

* [[Randy Sterling]], MLB pitcher

* [[Harry S. Truman]], U.S. president (deceased)<ref name="Funbegins"/>

* [[Tennessee Williams]], author (deceased)<ref name="TennWill"/>

* [[John James Audubon]] (deceased)<ref name="Funbegins"/>

* [[Kelly McGillis]], actress<ref name="Funbegins"/>

* [[John Dewey]], philosopher and psychologist (deceased)<ref>Psycopaedìa. [http://www.psicopolis.com/psicopedia/dewey8.htm Psicopolis.com]</ref>

* [[Stuart Woods]], author<ref>Stuart Woods Official Website. [http://www.stuartwoods.com/html/bio.html stuartwoods.com]</ref>

* [[Paul Cotton (musician)|Paul Cotton]], musician

===Notable Key West natives===

*[[Bronson Arroyo]], baseball player

*[[Stepin Fetchit]], comedian

*[[Amber McDonald]], actress

*[[George Mira]], football player

*[[David Robinson (basketball)|David Robinson]], basketball player

*[[David Wolkowsky]], real estate developer and preservationist<ref>[http://real-estate-entrepreneur.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=210:david-wolkowsky-usa&catid=143:united-states-of-america ]{{Dead link|date=February 2013}}</ref>

===Notable Key West visitors===

* [[John James Audubon]], naturalist, painter, ornithologist<ref name="Famous Key West residents">[http://www.floridakeys.com/keywest/keywestarts.htm Famous Key West residents]</ref>

* [[Judy Blume]], children's author

* [[Jimmy Buffett]], musician

* [[Tom Corcoran (writer)|Tom Corcoran]], author

* [[Mel Fisher]], treasure hunter

* [[Ernest Hemingway]], author

* [[Calvin Klein (fashion designer)|Calvin Klein]], fashion designer<ref>[http://photos.igougo.com/pictures-photos-l683-s1-p187465-Octagon_house_formerly_owned_by_Calvin_Klein.html Calvin Klein House - Key West]</ref>

* [[Mike Leach (coach)|Mike Leach]], American football coach

* [[Alison Lurie]], novelist

* [[Stephen Mallory]], politician

* [[Kelly McGillis]], actress<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000534/news?year=2001 Kelly McGillis]</ref>

* [[James Merrill]], poet

* [[Diana Nyad]], First person to swim from Cuba to Key West, FL without a shark cage.<ref>Alvarez, Lizette (September 2, 2013). "Nyad Completes Cuba-to-Florida Swim". ''The New York Times''.</ref>

* [[John Dos Passos]], novelist<ref>[[John Dos Passos|Dos Passos, John]] (1966). ''The best times: an informal memoir''. New American Library.</ref>

* [[Boog Powell]], baseball player<ref>[http://www.nndb.com/people/686/000025611/ Boog Powell - Key West High School graduate]</ref><ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=LLtPnBVPo-wC&pg=PA200&lpg=PA200&dq=boog+powell+key+west&source=web&ots=jShouNsRT7&sig=epKt0MJk7SEdReCnC5kCQVYW8BU&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result Boog Powell - Key West High School graduate]</ref><ref>[http://www.vacationsmadeeasy.com/KeyWestandFloridaKeysFL/articles/HelpfulKeyWestVacationInformation.cfm Key West - Famous natives and residents]</ref>

* [[Thomas Sanchez (writer)|Thomas Sanchez]], author

* [[Shel Silverstein]], author

* [[Wallace Stevens]] - poet

* [[Keith Strickland]], musician, songwriter and founding member of [[The B-52s]]

* [[Michel Tremblay]], Canadian playwright

* [[Harry S. Truman|President Harry S. Truman]], U.S. president

* [[Tennessee Williams]], author

== Geografia antropica ==

=== Urbanistica ===

According to the Key West Association of Realtors (KWAR), Key West can be divided into four distinct areas: Old Town, Casa Marina, Mid-Town and New Town, with various neighborhoods in each area.

Duval Street, its famous main street, is a mere 1.1 miles in length in its 14-block crossing from the Gulf of Mexico to the Florida Straits/Atlantic Ocean.

The following is a list of the neighborhoods within the city limits of [[Key West, Florida]]:

[[Key West|Key West Island]]:

*[[Bahama Village]]

*[[Casa Marina]]

*[[Duval Street]]

*[[Key West Historic District]]

*[[Historic Seaport]]

*[[The Meadows, Key West]]

*[[Midtown (Key West)]]

*[[New Town (Key West)]]

*[[Old Town, Key West]]

*[[Poinciana Plaza]]

*[[Truman Annex]]

*[[Trumbo Point]]

*[[Upper Duval]]

*[[White Street Gallery District]]

Other Islands:

*[[Fleming Key]]

*[[Key West Golf Club]] (with Coral Hammock Condominiums, northern part of Stock Island)

*[[Sigsbee Park]] (Dredgers Key)

*[[Sunset Key]] (Tank Island)

====Old Town====

[[File:KeyWestMuseumofArtAndHistory.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Key West Museum of Art & History, formerly known as the Old Post Office and Customshouse]]

The original Key West settlement on the western part of the island is called "Old Town" and comprises the [[Key West Historic District]]. It includes the major tourist destinations of the island, including [[Mallory Square]], [[Duval Street]], the [[Truman Annex]] and [[Fort Zachary Taylor]]. It is where are found the classic bungalows and guest mansions.

Generally, the structures date from 1886 to 1912. The basic features that distinguish the local architecture include wood-frame construction of one- to two-and-a-half-story structures set on foundation piers about three feet above the ground. Exterior characteristics of the buildings are peaked "metal" roofs, horizontal wood siding, gingerbread trim, pastel shades of paint, side-hinged louvered shutters, covered porches (or balconies, galleries, or verandas) along the fronts of the structures, and wood lattice screens covering the area elevated by the piers.

=====Southernmost City=====

[[File:Southernmost point key west.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Monument marking the southernmost point in the continental United States accessible by civilians, located at the corner of South Street and Whitehead Street.]]

One of the biggest attractions on the island is a concrete replica of a [[buoy]] at the corner of South and Whitehead Streets that claims to be the [[Southernmost point buoy|southernmost point]] in the contiguous 48 states (see [[Extreme Points of the United States|Extreme Points]] for more information.) The point was originally just marked with a sign, which was often stolen. In response to this, the city of Key West erected the now famous monument in 1983.<ref>[http://www.vacationrentalskeywest.com/keywesthistory.htm Key West History]</ref> Brightly painted and labeled "SOUTHERNMOST POINT CONTINENTAL U.S.A.", it is one of the most visited and photographed attractions in Key West.<ref>[http://search.cityguide.aol.com/southflorida/entertainment/southernmost-point/v-62419 AOL Cityguide]</ref>

However, the marker is '''''not''''' located at the southernmost point in the continental United States, as discussed below:

*Whitehead Spit, on the [[Truman Annex]] property just west of the buoy, is the true southernmost point, but it has no marker since it is U.S. Navy land and cannot be entered by civilian tourists.

*The private yards directly to the east of the buoy and the beach areas of Truman Annex and [[Fort Zachary Taylor|Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park]] also lie farther south than the buoy.

*The farthest-south ___location that the public can visit is the seaward end of the White Street Pier.

*Florida's--and thus the [[CONUS|continental United States']]—true physically southernmost point is [[Ballast Key]], a private island owned by [[David W. Wolkowsky]], a wealthy developer, about {{convert|10|mi|km}} west of Key West. Although Ballast Key is located within both the Key West National Wildlife Refuge and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, signs on the island strictly prohibit unauthorized visitors.

Land on the [[Truman Annex]] property just west of the buoy is the southernmost point of Key West, but still not the southernmost point of the continental US, and it has no marker since it is U.S. Navy land and cannot be entered by civilian tourists. The private yards directly to the east of the buoy and the beach areas of Truman Annex and [[Fort Zachary Taylor|Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park]] also lie farther south than the buoy. The farthest-south ___location that the public can visit is the beach at the state park for a small entrance fee. Florida's true southernmost point is [[Ballast Key]], a privately owned island just south and west of Key West.

{{wide image|Panorama of a Key West beach in Florida.jpg|1200px|Panorama of a Key West beach.}}

The claim "90 Miles to Cuba" on the monument is only approximate, since Cuba at its closest point is {{convert|94|smi|km}} from Key West.<ref>[http://earth.google.com Google Earth<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

====Old Town/New Town====

[[File:KeyWestMuseumofArtAndHistory.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Key West Museum of Art & History, formerly known as the Old Post Office and Customshouse]]

=====Old Town=====

The original Key West neighborhood in the '''west''' (although perceived as south) is called "Old Town" and comprises the [[Key West Historic District]]. It includes the major tourist destinations of the island, including [[Mallory Square]], [[Duval Street]], the [[Truman Annex]] and [[Fort Zachary Taylor]]. It is where the classic bungalows and guest mansions are found.

Generally, the structures date from 1886 to 1912. The basic features that distinguish the local architecture include wood-frame construction of one- to two-and-a-half-story structures set on foundation piers about three feet above the ground. Exterior characteristics of the buildings are peaked "metal" roofs, horizontal wood siding, gingerbread trim, pastel shades of paint, side-hinged louvered shutters, covered porches (or balconies, galleries, or verandas) along the fronts of the structures, and wood lattice screens covering the area elevated by the piers.

=====New Town=====

The island has more than doubled in size via landfill. The new section on the '''east''' (perceived as north) is called "New Town." It contains shopping centers, retail malls, residential areas, schools, [[Baseball park|ball parks]], and [[Key West International Airport]].

According to the Key West Association of Realtors (KWAR), Key West can be divided into four distinct areas: Old Town, Casa Marina, Mid-Town and New Town, with various neighborhoods in each area.

=== Suddivisioni storiche ===

=== Suddivisioni amministrative ===

=== Area metropolitana ===

== Economia ==

http://www.keywestchamber.org/

== Infrastrutture e trasporti ==

La città è raggiungibile da nord attraverso la [[U.S. Route 1]].

=== Porti ===

Key West is a [[seaport]] destination for many passenger [[cruise ships]].<ref name=NYT122412>{{cite news|title=Key West Looks at Identity as It Plots Tourism Future|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/25/us/25cruise.html|accessdate=December 25, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 24, 2012|author=Lizette Alvarez}}</ref>

'''Port of Key West'''

[[File:Portofkeywest.jpg|thumb|The Navy Mole pier in Key West, showing two cruise ships docked.]]

The first cruise ship was the ''[[Norwegian Cruise Line|Sunward]]'' in 1969, which docked at the Navy's pier in the [[Truman Annex]] or the privately owned Pier B. The Navy's pier is called the Navy [[Mole (architecture)|Mole]].

In 1984, the city opened a pier right on [[Mallory Square]]. The decision was met with considerable opposition from people who felt it would disrupt the tradition of watching the sunset at Mallory Square.

Cruise ships now dock at all three piers.

Cruise Ship Statistics for 1994:<ref>''A Chronological History of Key West: A Tropical Island City'', Stephen Nichols</ref>

* Number of visits: 368

* Passenger count: 398,370

* City revenues from docking charges: $852,887

[[File:Portofkeywest.jpg|thumb|250px|The Navy Mole pier in Key West, showing two cruise ships docked.]]

The first cruise ship was the ''[[Norwegian Cruise Line|Sunward]]'' in 1969, which docked at the Navy's pier in the [[Truman Annex]] or the privately owned Pier B. The Navy's pier is called the Navy [[Mole (architecture)|Mole]].

In 1984 the city opened a pier right on [[Mallory Square]]. The decision was met with considerable opposition from people who felt it would disrupt the tradition of watching the sunset at Mallory Square. Cruise ships now dock at all three piers.

As of December, 2012 due to a narrow channel, larger cruise ships increasingly bypass Key West. A referendum will be held in Key West in the fall of 2013 regarding whether to request a feasibility study from the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers|Army Corps of Engineers]] for a $36 million project to dredge a wider channel. Economic benefits from visiting cruise ship passengers are substantial but not attractive to all Key West citizens as the daily presence of thousands of tourists from cruise ships affects the character of the city resulting in operation of facilities that cater to [[Hoi polloi|mass tourism]] rather than to a potentially more profitable and pleasant [[Luxury good#Socioeconomic significance|upscale clientele]]. There are also environmental issues as Key West is surrounded by coral habitat.<ref name=NYT122412 />

Cruise Ship Statistics for 2009<ref>Source, City of Key West Port Operations Office</ref>

*Passenger count: 859,409

=== Aeroporti ===

http://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/index.aspx?NID=105

The [[Key West International Airport]] provides [[airline]] service.

=== Mobilità urbana ===

== Amministrazione ==

Key West is governed via the mayor-council system. The city council is known as the city commission. It consists of six members each elected from individual districts. The mayor is elected in a citywide vote.

=== Consolati ===

=== Gemellaggi ===

== Sport ==

== Galleria fotografica ==

<gallery widths="200px" heights="160px">

File:Sloppyjoesbar.jpg|Famous Sloppy Joe's Bar at night

File:Polydactylcat.jpg|One of the more than 50 [[polydactyl cat]]s that live at the Hemingway house. This particular cat has seven (two extra) toes on each paw.

</gallery>

== Note ==

{{reflist}}

== Bibliografia ==

* Gibson, Abraham H., "American Gibraltar: Key West during World War II", ''Florida Historical Quarterly'', 90 (Spring 2012), 393–425.

== Voci correlate ==

*[[Florida Keys]]

*[[Parco nazionale di Dry Tortugas]]

== Altri progetti ==

{{interprogetto|commons=Category:Key West, Florida}}

== Collegamenti esterni ==

* [http://www.keywestcity.com/ Official City Website]

* [http://www.keywestchamber.org/ Chamber of Commerce Website]

* [http://www.keysschools.com/ Monroe County School District]

* [http://www.fla-keys.com/keywest/ Travel information]