Key West, Florida
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2022-08-25 11:46:08
Key West, Florida
Geographical location
Key West, Florida, is the southernmost city in the Florida Keys of the United States. It is located on Key West Island at the southwest end of the Florida Keys at the east entrance of the Gulf of Mexico. It is located on the north side of the west entrance of the Florida Strait. County jurisdiction, but also the county seat. It is about 207 kilometers away from Miami in the northeast and 170 kilometers away from Havana, Cuba in the southwest. It has an important strategic position. Key West is the southern end of U.S. Route 1 and is the southernmost city in the continental United States. It covers an area of 19.2 square kilometers and has a population of 25,478 (US census in 2000)，sports fitness .
Key West Island is a coral island, about 7.2 kilometers long, 3.2 kilometers wide, and only 2.1 meters above sea level. Tropical maritime climate, hurricane in summer. Average temperature: about 29.3°C in August, about 21.6°C in January, the annual average temperature is 25.7°C, and the annual precipitation is about 1000 mm. There are tobacco, seafood processing and other industries, and tourism is also prosperous. All fresh water in the urban area is supplied by local desalination plants. There are about 200 kilometers of sea-crossing highways connecting the Florida Keys to the mainland, all the way to Miami. There is Key West International Airport in the southeast of the city. The Port of Key West is located in the northwest of the island, with the barriers of Tank Island and Westeria Island outside the harbor. Ships often enter and exit from the main channel on the south side and the northwest channel. The water depth of the main channel is 9.1 meters to 10.4 meters, and the tidal range is less than 0.3 meters. There are naval air stations, naval anti-submarine forces, coast guards, naval hospitals and diving schools.
Key West is a well-known tourist destination, the departure point for many luxury cruise lines, and the island is home to the vacation residence of U.S. President Harry Truman. The island is also known as a gay paradise.
The southernmost port city in the continental United States, a naval base. Early Spanish sailors found human bones here, so it is called "Bone Island". In 1922, the United States bought it from the Spaniards, and then immigrants from Florida, Cuba, the Bahamas and other places settled here and gradually developed into a town. In the mid-19th century, it was used as a coast guard base and naval warehouse, and was built as a naval station at the end. Before and after the First World War, a naval aviation base and a submarine base were built here. In the early days of World War II, the base was temporarily closed and reopened in 1942. During the "Caribbean Crisis" of 1962, the base's ships and aircraft participated in reconnaissance and blockade activities. In 1982, the US government decided to build a new home port here for large missile patrol hydrofoils.
After entering Key West, a lively and casual atmosphere blows. There are various souvenir shops, hotels and coffee houses on the small streets in the city. The most popular one is a restaurant, which is known as the southernmost building in the United States. As many as 17 US presidents have visited here. Although the hotel has only 13 rooms, the asking price is as high as $129 to more than $200 a night, and the price will be even more expensive in the peak winter season.
Along Duval Street all the way to the southernmost point of Key West, one will see a painted "Southernmost Point" sign like a big spinning top, which is only 144 kilometers from Cuba across the sea. According to records, Cuban national hero Jose Martí lived in the United States for 15 years. In 1895, he led the Cubans against the Spanish colonists, and took the lead in commanding and participating in the battle, and finally died on the front line. It is said that Marty's uprising instructions were sent back to Cuba from Key West in a cigar.
long bridge across the sea
Driving to Key West is a unique experience. Driving along the No. 1 Highway, there are more than 200 kilometers along the way. In many places, the land is only as wide as the road, and there are vast oceans on both sides of the road. There are many bridges along the way to connect the islands that are too far apart. The longest bridge is 11.2 kilometers, and people can see the magnificent sight of the long bridge crossing the sea from a long distance. As early as 1905, Key West was the most populous city in Florida, and building a smooth traffic route became a very important project. At the time, the American industrial tycoon Henry Flagler made a grand blueprint, and he decided to build the railway all the way to Key West. This section of the cross-sea railway is 204 kilometers long and is completely connected by a long chain of small islands. The whole project was arduous and huge. The hurricanes at sea destroyed the built railway again and again. After 7 years of hard work, Flagler's dream came true. He also took his own train to this small city in the middle of the ocean. There, the 80th birthday celebration was held for himself. Since then, the long, narrow sea passage has led countless tourists to the Gulf of Mexico to Key West to watch the sunset, and has become a fixture for many Miamiers.
Hemingway House
Hemingway is one of the most famous writers in America, and many of his works, such as The Snows of Kilimanjaro, were completed in the small town of Key West. The Hemingway House in Key West was built in 1851 and is located on Whitehead Street in the small town.
Across the street is a tall lighthouse that not only guides ships at sea, but also helps Hemingway, the often drunk great writer, find his home.
Come to Hemingway's former home in Key West, and you'll find another hobby of the writer - keeping cats. Hemingway is said to have kept around 50 cats here, and although he left in 1940, the tradition has survived, with dozens of cats still occupying the site.
Conch Republic flag
On April 23, 1982, Key West declared its independence and established the Conch Republic. A minute later, the Conch Kingdom surrendered to the U.S. Navy and the Republic disintegrated. So far, the city still retains the name of "Conch Republic" and celebrates "Independence Day" once a year. The country's "national language" is: "We seceded where others fail.
