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Our cemetery even had its 15 minutes of fame on TV when it was highlighted in a PBS documentary called, "A Cemetery Special" on October 26, 2005. This documentary showed how old and new traditions blend in fascinating ways, and how cemeteries connect to our modern-day culture. The connections of the Key West Cemetery to our modern-day island can be seen in many ways besides the colorful characters and their humor.
The people buried in the Key West Cemetery reflect our modern-day culture of acceptance and diversity. The current motto of Key West is "One Human Family," and in the cemetery you will see graves side-by-side of Catholics, Jews, Protestants, and those of questionable faith. You will see the penniless buried next to millionaires as well as graves representing all races, colors, and creeds. One visitor's video gives you a preview.
One section of the Key West Cemetery is labeled, "A los martires de Cuba" and contains the graves of Cuban freedom fighters. Another section contains the graves of Confederate Navy sailors, and a special section holds the remains of those killed on The Maine when it was sunk in the Havana Harbor in 1898.
The cemetery was originally located at Whitehead Point, but was destroyed in a hurricane in 1846. The new cemetery was located on higher land at the foot of Solares Hill which is now part of Old Town. It covers 19 acres and holds the remains and memories of 100,000 people. I'm sure there are some incredible and fascinating memories among them!
An African-American cemetery was dedicated near the original cemetery location as a memorial to the slaves who died on ships prior to the Civil War. Both cemeteries are preserved by The Historic Florida Keys Foundation. You can take a walking tour of the Key West Cemetery on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well as a self-guided tour any day. Maps are located at the front entrance of the cemetery. There is also an online map that has additional information about some of the people buried there.
A walk through the final resting place of many who created the unique history of Key West is worth the time. I'm also ready to take the time to show you many options to create your perfect current fun resting place in Key West - - give me a call. Jimmy Lane 305-766-0585.