Nov. 26 - The Biggest and Richest City in Florida - Welcome to Key West - a podcast by 43 Keys Media

Location, location, location. It's the cry of any good businessman. In 1825, the Federal wrecking act prescribed that all property record in US waters be taken to a US port of entry. It was in 1828, that Key West was designated one of these us ports of entries. POS grew from a desolate Island into a bustling city within just a few years. Eventually Congress acknowledge Simonton as the owner of the island and Key West incorporated twice, once as a city, and then as a town, Congress created the Superior Court of the Southern District with Admiralty power.

Judge James Webb was its first judge, but his successor William Marvin will probably be most remembered. He was the one that authored the Law of Wreck and Salvage and later it was a provisional governor of Florida. At the close of the Civil War. In 1832, Key West reverted to a charter type city government.

It was during this time that John Whitehead's brother William surveyed this city in 1929, Southern was the Secretary of the Navy hints Southern Street and eaten was the Secretary of the Army hints eaten Street. William Duvall was the first territorial governor of florida hence we have the famous Duval street.

Wrecking could provide quick monetary rewards. One of the early Charleston settlers in Key West was Richard Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick was a 30 year old when he arrived in Key West and he became the only authorized auctioneer for wrecking property before the 1928 wrecking bill. Reportedly, in one year, he made around $10,000 thousand dollars and auction hearing fees alone that would be equivalent to $280,000 today.  

Two years after the aforementioned 1928 events, the Census of 1830revealed Key West population was 517; the year before 150 acres were mapped out as a town with 64 blocks these early settlers to Key West or primarily from the New England states, not from the Bahamas. Key West grew as a maritime military and County community.

Five years after Monroe County was established Key West was incorporated and became the county seat. The population at that time was less than 600 people, and the main industries by 1830 were salvaging the shipwrecks on the reef and fishing.

By 1845, Florida was granted state it was during the American Civil War, while Florida succeeded enjoying the Confederate States of America. That Key West remained in the Union hands because of the naval base. Fort Zachary Taylor, which is still standing today was constructed between 1845 and 1866, and it was an important Key West outpost during the Civil War. But as a result of the wartime population increase, Key West just continued to grow.

Monroe County's population by 1870 was 5657 and only 641 with outside of Key West. During the late 1800s, the economy of Key West was changing from ship salvaging to cigar production. Construction of the lighthouses along the reef made the waterway more navigable and contributed to the decline in the number of ships. During this time, there was a large number of refugees that had escaped from Cuba. These refugees brought over with them their skills enhance rolling cigars.

By November 26, 1890, the population of Key West had soared to nearly 18,800 residents, and it claimed to be the biggest and the richest city in the state of Florida. At the height of the cigar industry. in Key West. There was approximately 200 cigar factories producing 100 million hand rolled cigars annually.

However, manufacturing competition from Tampa and Ybor City put an end to Key West hand rolled cigar industry. By 1930 today, you can still visit one of these cigar factories, but now it's actually home to the county offices Fort Monroe County. It's the gado building. If you come to Key West You can also visit for Zachary Taylor and enjoy the beautiful area and some snorkeling and all the outdoor activities that a normal state park would have.

And that is what happened today in Key West history.

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