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Monday, 04/28/03; Key West, Florida

 

Hello to all:

 

Another day in the southernmost city of the “lower 48.” We slept in late and met in our topical patio for breakfast. With no big rush, we left the motel at 0930 and walked a few blocks to visit the Key West Lighthouse Museum. The lighthouse is no longer in use, but it has been restored to its 1847 elegance. The tower is 86 feet high and contains 88 steps in a spiral staircase to get to the base of the light. A ladder of 10 more steps leads one to the light, itself. The Coast Guard decommissioned the lighthouse in 1969. Twenty years and some $265,000 later, it is as you see in the accompanying photos.

 

       

Left to right:  Key West Lighthouse; lighthouse keeper's home; view from top of the lighthouse.

 

We climbed the 88 steps and enjoyed the spectacular view of Key West and the surrounding water. As we were leaving, a much younger couple asked us if we had climbed to the top. When we said, “Yes,” the younger woman said, ‘Well then, I guess we could make it!” This gave us all a big laugh.

 

The lighthouse keeper’s home, built in 1887, has been turned into a very nice museum. Beside the house is a large cistern, which was, and still is, used to store rainwater for drinking. (The principal water supply is provided by a water main from the mainland of Florida.)

 

Across and down the street from the lighthouse, is the home where Hemmingway lived for several years. We decided to skip this in the interest of saving time, but were heard that the grounds are very pretty.

       

Left to right above:  Victorian home; cistern; Hemingway House

 

We boarded the Old Town Trolley (same as in San Diego) and rode around looking at all the wonderful places on the island and learning much of its history and culture: such as, that many men in the years before the Civil War made millions of dollars as salvagers of the many ships that foundered on these hostile shores; that at one time there was a thriving cigar industry here, which provided free housing to the Cuban exiles that rolled the cigars. (Those small houses today bring $300,000 for an unrestored house!)

 

Keith had left the windows of the Smith car rolled down, but the car covered to help dry out the upholstery. The heat of the day did much in this regard. Only the carpet still has the remnants of the storm. We expect that most of that will be dry tomorrow, or that the heat generated by the exhaust system will finish the job. Some time was spent on the cars fixing small items and tuning up the carburetor on the Olson car. We drove to the Southernmost Point and took some photos, as well as old Fort Taylor and the end of US-1. In today’s photos you will see an example of the fine old Victorian homes that comprise Old Town. There is a “new” town north of the “real” Key West made from spoils of dredging some years back. That area has all the newer and uninteresting buildings on it.

 

We had lunch while taking the trolley ride, so opted to bring in a pizza and eat on our patio.

 

Left to right: Pizza on the patio; Jo & Keith

 

Keith has been unsuccessful in making contact with the ISP’s computer. The call goes through, but the computer will not respond. Thus, this and yesterday’s letter, has been delayed.

 

Regards from,

 

The Dauntless Four

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