Key West, Southernmost Point, Southernmost Southernmost house ect.

While on our Trolley rides we were entertained by the guide/ drives telling us stories, both fact and fiction about Key West. In 1982 the United States Border Patrol set up a road block and inspection point on US 1 and county road 905 the only two roads connecting the Florida Keys with the mainland, in front of the Last Chance Saloon.  Vehicles were stopped and searched for narcotics and illegal immigrants.

Now the Key West City council complained repeatedly about this inconvenience to tourist and residences. When their complaint went unanswered, and attempts to get a court order failed, as a form of protest Mayor Wardlow and the council declared Key West’s independence on 4/23/1982. According to them, the government set up the equivalent of a border station as if they were a foreign nation, they might as well become one. They took the name Conch Republic and immediately declared war against the US (symbolically breaking a loaf of stale Cuban bread over the head of a man dressed in a navel uniform, quickly surrendering to the same gentleman one minute later and asked for one billion dollars in foreign aid.  There are many more chapters to this story, all quite funny. They have a flag and everything. This did create a lot of media attention and the road block was lifted, but people here claim dual citizenship US and Conch Republic.

Tom and I walked down to the Southernmost tip took pictures then caught the trolley to start the return trip to our car. 

There was a long line for people to
have their pictures taken next to this. I finally just
snapped a few, have no idea who this person is.

These are the antenna the navel station has pointed
towards Cuba. 

Southernmost church

 Strabel was so enamored of Key West and its unique history that she built a house there following the sale of her story To Reap the Wind 1940. The house, located at 400 South Street, was described by Strabel, not without argument, as the southernmost house in the United States. It remained a popular site for visitors to the island until its demolition and replacement by a larger house.
You can not see the house for the high wall, but it is a Bed and Breakfast (very Pricey)

.The first Southernmost House was constructed in 1896 as a family home for Dr. Jeptha Vinning Harris and his wife Florida Curry Harris. They took great pride in their magnificent ocean front home, building ti with the utmost attention to detail and the finest materials that would withstand treacherous hurricanes and lightening storms. The couple enjoyed hosting guest yet valued their privacy. Florida did not want guest sleeping in her house so the original structure had only one bedroom. The Doctor had three "guest" houses built to accommodate overnight visitors