Thank you so much for posting. I am a 5th generation Conch (People who are born in Key West are called Conchs) and I got tears in my eyes watching your video along with a rush of wonderful memories of my home before big business trashed our laid back slice of heaven. My family sponged, conched, turtled and fished for a living. Tennessee Williams house is just a few houses down from my Grandparents house on Duncan St. My friend Richie lived across the street from it too. Later in life I worked and Captained several boats from the docks at the Turtle Crawls. Sadly the working boats that were there have all been replaced with million dollar yachts and has become a giant tourist trap. My grandparents had a house built on stilts about ten miles offshore to the west near BoGran. This was the best place to grow up. We used to be able to play hide and seek in Fort Zachary Taylor. Thanks again for sharing your wonderful video.
I grew up in Key West, 1963-73 it was nice to watch this video along with some Cuban music, I can remember the smell of seaweed when the warm air would blow and my father cooking black beans and rice and Piccadilly seafood was abundant! He used to make a tomato based seafood stew,amazing!
The Key Ambassador is now a Hampton, the Key Wester is long gone (I have a little chunk of it somewhere from when they were tearing it down), but the Casa Marina remains. KW is still pretty cool, but it can't hold a candle to back in the day...IMO.
15:43 South Roosevelt before Smathers Beach was built in 1961. The Bridle Path is to the left (still there today). Their motel (Key Ambassador) was located at 3755 S Roosevelt Blvd, Key West, FL
I grew up there, but later than this video. What strikes me is that we did no know how poor we were compared to the rest of the country. Because the rest of the country was soooo far away. Before school started, we would drive up to Cutler Ridge Mall to ride the "moving stairs", aka escalators. I left in 1998. Went back in 2015, didn't recognize a thing. Although M&M Laundry still makes a great cafe con leche. Good times.
I used to help my grandfather catch them. I also worked and captained several boats that were docked behind the Turtle Crawls. Sadly even the Turtle Crawls is gone now too.
Thank you so much for posting. I am a 5th generation Conch (People who are born in Key West are called Conchs) and I got tears in my eyes watching your video along with a rush of wonderful memories of my home before big business trashed our laid back slice of heaven. My family sponged, conched, turtled and fished for a living. Tennessee Williams house is just a few houses down from my Grandparents house on Duncan St. My friend Richie lived across the street from it too. Later in life I worked and Captained several boats from the docks at the Turtle Crawls. Sadly the working boats that were there have all been replaced with million dollar yachts and has become a giant tourist trap. My grandparents had a house built on stilts about ten miles offshore to the west near BoGran. This was the best place to grow up. We used to be able to play hide and seek in Fort Zachary Taylor. Thanks again for sharing your wonderful video.
You're welcome, I hope to have a few more vintage Key West episodes in the future. Stay tuned.
I grew up in Key West, 1963-73 it was nice to watch this video along with some Cuban music, I can remember the smell of seaweed when the warm air would blow and my father cooking black beans and rice and Piccadilly seafood was abundant! He used to make a tomato based seafood stew,amazing!
The Key Ambassador is now a Hampton, the Key Wester is long gone (I have a little chunk of it somewhere from when they were tearing it down), but the Casa Marina remains. KW is still pretty cool, but it can't hold a candle to back in the day...IMO.
Poor turtles, but the fashion show seemed to be a real hit. Thanks RL
15:43 South Roosevelt before Smathers Beach was built in 1961. The Bridle Path is to the left (still there today).
Their motel (Key Ambassador) was located at 3755 S Roosevelt Blvd, Key West, FL
I grew up there, but later than this video. What strikes me is that we did no know how poor we were compared to the rest of the country. Because the rest of the country was soooo far away. Before school started, we would drive up to Cutler Ridge Mall to ride the "moving stairs", aka escalators. I left in 1998. Went back in 2015, didn't recognize a thing. Although M&M Laundry still makes a great cafe con leche. Good times.
00:00:43:21 - 00:00:49:17 - Smathers Beach, South Roosevelt Blvd
This was the Key West I first fell in love with. Sadly, like most things, it's become over commercialized and unrecognizable.
There were only working boats at the marina. No pleasure craft. You sensitive types must have gotten the willies when they showed the sea turtles.
I used to help my grandfather catch them. I also worked and captained several boats that were docked behind the Turtle Crawls. Sadly even the Turtle Crawls is gone now too.
1856 - they did that to people not just turtles.
If your talking about slaves our island stopped slavery well before 1865.