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Key West is the southernmost point in the continental United States, and it is as well know for Ernest Hemingway as sunset celebrations. It was originally settled by the Spanish, who calle the island ‘Cayo Hueso’, which means Island of the Bones, as the treacherous reefs nearby sank many ships before the lighthouse was erected. When the English came in, ‘Cayo Hueso’ evolved into Key West.

Many famous artists and writers have called Key West home, including Ernest Hemingway, Thornton Wilder, Robert Frost, Tennessee Williams and James Audubon. The island declared its independence as the “Conch Republic” in 1982 to protest a federal roadblock which blocked the one access road – US 1 – to Key West. That certainly raised media attention enough to stop the government, but to this day, many islanders still fly the ‘Conch Republic’ flag.

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