Key West (Images of America)

Much more than the typical vacation destination, Key West combines a free-spirited ambiance with magnificent coral reefs, a unique historic legacy with an enduring artistic sensibility. For centuries, explorers and adventurers, immigrants and entrepreneurs, artists and wanderers have come to the island oasis, and today Key West, a city like no other, is home to them all. Through hurricanes, fires, labor strikes, and the tourism boom, the community of Key West has sustained a unique way of life and attracted a wide variety of people to its shores, including such famous figures as writers Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams, President Harry Truman, and musician Jimmy Buffett. Whether strolling through the downtown historic district, searching eclectic shops for one-of-a-kind treasures, enjoying a piece of key lime pie, or participating in the look-alike contest during Hemingway Days, Key West offers endless opportunities for pleasure. The landmarks, the people, and the continuing story of Key West are the entertaining subject of this new photographic tribute.