If you've ever seen one of those ceremonies where the mayor of a city gives some notorious notable the "key to the city", haven't you ever wondered how the key recipient knows which doorway to the city the key fits?
Like in New York. . . is it for the Lincoln Tunnel, the Holland Tunnel or the GWB (George Washington Bridge)?
If you get awarded the "key to the city" of Key West, there is no doubt, Mallory Square is your way in.
At first blush, you might think the HTA trolleys and trains in our left of sensible little city were our public transportation system. After all, at any given time, there are far more of them on the streets than our real city buses.
(yes, we have city buses too!)
But no, the HTA trolleys and trains are for the tourists.
Originating from Mallory Square, the trains run tour routes throughout the city while the trolleys pick up and deliver riders at "official" trolley stops strategically located near attractions, landmarks and, of course, shopping.
"Mary" is an old weather beaten and blistered replica of an 1850's era salvage vessel.
The wooden sailing ship has been run aground as decoration on Mallory Square since longer than I know.
Sadly, between the painted coconut and straw hat kiosks, the aquarium, shipwreck museum, conch trains and trolleys, hot dog vendors and the sponge warehouse (an overblown gift shop), not many people pay her much mind.
But me? I've got double trouble here. . .
I sail and, I aspire to be an historian if I ever grow up.
So Mary stands out for me.
Key West, of course, made it's bones on salvaging.
Ships sailing between Spain and Cuba would often run aground on the Florida reef.
Poor navigation, stormy seas and overloaded cargo ships, that were harder to control while tacking into the wind, were the main causes of the shipwrecks.
If the lookouts spotted a ship on the rocks, they'd holler " wreck ashore" and the salvage crews would man their boats, much like Mary, and race to the wreck.
The rule, as I understand it, was the first Captain to reach the wreck would be the"salvage master" and entitled to the lion's share of the plunder. Plunder which, after it was hauled back to town, could be either kept by the salvage master or
sold at auction.
In the early 1800s the Navy came to town and soon after that, Key West became an official U.S. port of entry. That drew more cargo ships directly here and more ships meant more wrecks and by about the time of the American Civil War the wrecking industry had made Key West the richest city in the United States.
Inevitably, with Yankee ingenuity being what it is, more lighthouses were built, nautical charts and navigation techniques were improved; and all that meant, less wrecks.
By and by, as the salvage industry faded, it was replaced by sponge harvesting and cigar making and those are stories for another time. But I can't imagine either was ever as lucrative as salvaging.
Key West's "golden age" was over.
Today Key West is a tourist economy (also not as lucrative as salvaging) and there sits Mary, weather beaten and blistered with chickens roosting in her hold; a strangely romantic reminder of a better time.
One last thing. . .
I've added a movie link; "Reap the Wild Wind" is all about Key West wreckers.
It stars Paulette Goddard, Ray Milland and John Wayne.
Released in 1942, it was produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille (so you know the cinematography is first rate).
Some scenes get a little sappy (hell, it's an old movie) but you don't need to sit through all 2 hours of the story to get the overall flavor of Key West's golden age of salvaging.
Back in about 1940 a cast of local thespians and some Navy dudes came together to form the Key West Players.
For 20 years, the troupe would stage productions wherever they could find space around town and sometimes even on Navy ships that were stationed in Key West during
World War Two.
Then in 1960, with the help of Tennessee Williams, the Players got hold of an old and run-down ice warehouse, built in the 1880s, on Mallory Square.
They renovated the warehouse, transforming it into an intimate 150 seat theatre.
The Key West Players finally had a permanent home.
They christened it, the WaterFront PlayHouse.
These days, when the sun sets, the curtain rises at the
not-for-profit venue for a regular schedule of theatrical, dance and musical performances during "season" that features our pool of local talent as well as internationally
known performers.
I've been there many several times and if you're local and like live performance art, you can see what they've
got cooking at. . .
The WaterFront PlayHouse
I'm guessing it was two years after I came to live in Key West before I saw my first proper sunset, (and by proper I mean, lounging out on the Gulf shore for the hour or two it takes to watch the day turns to dusk as the sun sinks into the sea).
You see, the second or third thing I did when I got to town was land a job in the at the Citizen (and for my out-of-towner readers, that's our local daily newspaper, the Key West Citizen).
Anyway the gig was from 4pm - 12am so, I'd be inside while the sun took it's ride.
After I'd finally freed myself of that mess I thought, "living in Key West and not seeing sunsets was as take it all for granted as living in New York City and not visiting the Statue of Liberty." So from every angle I could think of: Mallory Square, Fort Zach, Sunset Key or a barstool at Schooner Wharf. . .
I filled my head with sunsets.
"It's a beautiful time of day", I thought, "small wonder all these folks come down to see it."
Ever since I've made it a point, at least once or twice a week,
to find my way to the west edge of our island
at the end of the day.
Its been such a "to die for" beautiful day today I thought I'd reprise this video I shot and put together on a very similar day a couple of years ago.
Enjoy. . .
Early on in my new life in paradise, we were having cocktails at the Pier House beach bar and I asked my friend Dave about the two islands just a few hundred yards off Mallory Square. He called the one with the elegant homes on it "Sunset Key" and the other, undeveloped spit of land, "Christmas Tree Island".
I learned later that both were man made islands of sediment deposited at each site while the Navy was dredging Key West Harbor (c.1900). Originally, Sunset Key was called Tank Island but at that point Christmas Tree Island had no name at all. Long about 1925, a Public Health Service steamer called Wisteria sank where it was moored just off the island. The wreck was eventually salvaged and hauled off but the name "Wisteria", stuck with the island as sort of a tragic reminder.
Still, for many of us, it'll always be Christmas Tree Island.
I've been out there a time or two and think it's kind of nice. Peaceful and quiet, a great, seemingly exclusive view of sunset and easy enough to imagine as a nature preserve.
All the same, every so often some consortium of developers and/or local politicians get the hot and hornies to build homes out there. What I've noticed during the times when that happens is, those people stop saying "Christmas Tree" and only call it "Wisteria" Island.
I imagine that's intentional, as it sounds easier to sell the over development "Wisteria Island" than it would be, looking like some kind of Scrooge wanting to bring that kind of chaos to "Christmas Tree Island".
I don't pretend to know the ins-and-outs of who wants to do what and when, or the wheeling-and-dealing that goes on, directed at getting it done; but I do have to ask why.
It seems like almost every other house in Key West has a "For Sale" sign on it, people are walking away from their mortgages and/or being foreclosed on and even the last big development project, "Harbor House" down at the bight, is dead in the water.
Our ecology is already horribly strained, realtors aren't selling very much of anything and homes that are already built are vacant. Why would anyone think there was any further benefit in building anything else?
I'll admit, the concept of "greed" has always been a tough one for me to get my mind around but "common sense" I've got a pretty good handle on.
It just seem far more sensible from any number of perspectives (except maybe the developer's) to work within the already existing infrastructure.
JesusGod!! When is enough, enough?
When two of my most favorite sights to see come coincidentally juxtaposed, just at the moment I'm there to catch them, I take it as a small but gracious gift from God.
For my money, there are few sights more graceful than a gaff-rigged schooner under full sail nor more calming than the confident composure of a pelican.
I was on my way from where I'd just been and heading toward somewhere else when these few moments came together.
A kid with a camera looking for photo-ops, the Adirondack II on a starboard tack and the brown pelican between them just watching it all go down.
An unexpected confluence of island creatures.
Turn a blind eye and you miss the moment. Miss the moment and you miss the memory.
Our lives are made of moments, strung together end to end for as long as we care to keep breathing. At the end of the day, what else do we have but memories of how great it was
to be here.
. . .and speaking of memories, here's one from "The Golden Trashery of Ogden Nashery". . .
"A curious bird is the pelican.
His bill can hold more than his belly can.
He can hold in his beak enough food for a week,
but I'm damned if I know how the hell he can."
If it's true that "a picture is worth 1,000 words", I'm guessing this might be the longest post I've ever written.
"big sky"
"halie & matthew"
"surreal sunset"
I'll admit that outside of offering helpful directions now and then or the occasional "where're you from" afternoon small talk at the Green Parrot, I don't have very much direct contact with our tourist visitors to Key West. But, always the artist (and an open minded one at that) I spent a little time with our visiting brothers and sisters last weekend.
Their Key West is an alternate reality to be sure. They come for some fun, too much time in the sun, a "cheeseburger in paradise" and by sunset they're back on the boat that brung 'em, leaving a little of their hard earned in their wake.
Say what you like, I've come away thinking it's a win-win for everyone.
(and yes, there was only one tune that could do it all justice)
click arrow to start video. run time, 4:14
I've spent most of the day, this so far sunny Sunday, out and about shooting footage and stills for yet another Key West the Blog Video Feature. ( if you've missed some of the others, I'll leave a few links at the end of this post)
Anyway, as you might expect, I ended up with some serendipitous stuff that fell under the heading of yesterday's theme of mapping one's travels. Since the feature won't be finished for a few days I thought I'd post these odd bits in the meantime. . .
Greene Street
Ann Street
Pier B
Front Street
Mallory Square
South Street & Whitehead
Duval Street
(click arrow to start video. run time 42 secs.)
Additional Videos, if you care to. . .
FANTASY FESTIVITIES
PEACE VIGIL
CASA DE LA NAVIDAD
If you've ever seen one of those ceremonies where the mayor of a city gives some notorious notable the "key to the city", haven't you ever wondered how the key recipient knows which doorway to the city the key fits?
Like in New York. . . is it for the Lincoln Tunnel, the Holland Tunnel or the GWB (George Washington Bridge)?
If you get awarded the "key to the city" of Key West, there is no doubt, Mallory Square is your way in.
I'm guessing it was two years after I came to live in Key West before I saw my first proper sunset, (and by proper I mean, lounging out on the Gulf shore for the hour or two it takes to watch the day turn to dusk as the sun sinks into the sea).
You see, the second or third thing I did when I got to town was land a job in the at the Citizen (and for my out-of-towner readers, that's our local daily newspaper, the Key West Citizen). Anyway the gig was from 4pm - 12am so, I'd be inside while the sun took it's ride.
After I'd finally freed myself of that mess I thought, "living in Key West and not seeing sunsets was as take it all for granted as living in New York City and not visiting the Statue of Liberty." So from every angle I could think of: Mallory Square, Fort Zach, Sunset Key or a barstool at Schooner Wharf. . . I filled my head with sunsets.
"It's a beautiful time of day", I thought, "small wonder all these folks come down to see it."
Ever since I've made it a point, at least once or twice a week, to find my way to the west edge of our island at the end of the day.
click the cartoon to enlarge
rocky and daisy-mae seemed entirely unimpressed by the banter between the dancing bear and the british queen. . .
"lord he was born a ramblin' man. . ."
(so quoted for the old allman brother's tune he was singin' at the time i took the picture)
The little sculpture garden at Mallory Square features bronze busts of people who have been directly or peripherally influential in key west's history.
From poets, presidents, politicians and pirates
to writers, wreckers, nuns and nurses. . .
if they've played a part in key west's notorious past,
they've been BUSTED!
click on the logo to visit . . .
Mallory Square is the place where all the pilgrims go to watch the sunset every evening. Mostly it's a pier chock full of gift shops and kiosks where all those who are temporarily enamored with the mechanics of nature can buy a keepsake tchotchke that they can carry home and have to dust once a week.
