World's Best Hotel Travel Deals

Parasailing in the Florida KeysLocated 150 miles from Miami at the western terminus of the Florida Keys, Key West has been a thriving community for more than 170 years. The first settlers, who came from South Carolina and St. Augustine, arrived in 1821 with the transfer of Florida from Spain to the United States. In the mid-19th century prosperity in Key West was based on the thriving maritime salvage business. The construction in the 1840s of Forts Zachary Taylor and Jefferson and the U.S. Naval Station helped boost the economy, and strengthened the strategic importance of Key West. It was the only Southern port held by Union forces throughout the Civil War and during the Spanish-American War, was one of the United States' most significant naval bases. The city has also an important cigar-making center, boosted by the large number of Cuban refugees on the island. The arrival of Henry Flagler's railroad in 1912 promoted the development of the Keys, and the easy access to mainland Florida was a catalyst for the early development of the tourism industry. Key West continued to be of importance as a strategic naval base through the 1960s and today is a busy resort city.

For more on Key West, visit DiscoverFloridaKeys.com

 

Latest Hotel Specials
Click here to tell someone about this site!
Links Travel Humor Weather
For Last-Minute Deals on Travel! If you're a serious traveler, you'll appreciate Magellan's Catalog.

Copyright © 1997-2002 WorldsBestDeals.Com All Rights Reserved.
Legal Notice    Privacy Statement
Contact WorldsBestDeals.com