Not everything about Key West was disappointing. It did have a couple redeeming features, one being the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum. As you may have come to discover by now, if you’ve been following along with my little blog, is my love of architecture. One of the main reasons I travel is to visit places that have buildings somehow significant or historical, or by one of my favourite architects, or simply beautiful works of art. I love checking out the architecture style of each place I travel to. Buildings and architecture design inspire me in my graphic design work, my 9-5 career.
Now couple that with one of America’s most honoured and respected authors, and of course I’ll drive all the way to the Southernmost Point to see where he spent time living and writing. Though I’ll be totally honest here and tell you that I have never actually read any of his books. I’ve tried but they are just not my cup of tea. However, I do respect him and all he accomplished; for sure he lead a fascinating life.
Ernest Hemingway called Key West home for over ten years, and he wrote most of his significant works at his studio at the back of the house during that time. The tour guides are amazing and knowledgable with interesting facts and funny tid bits about Hemingway and his life at the home. I highly recommend taking a guided tour first, then taking more time to wander through on your own.
As for the house it’s quite interesting. It was built by Asa Tift from 1849 to 1851 using the limestone excavated directly from the ground beneath the structure, going down about 14 feet. The whole estate sits about 16 feet above sea level, the second highest point in Key West. It is speculated that Tift’s fourteen slaves did the construction on the house and that all the stone was cut by hand since there were no power tools in those times.
After Tift’s death in 1889 the house stood abandoned and boarded up till Hemingway and his wife at the time, Pauline, purchased it in 1931 for $8,000. What a steal!! Though Hemingway left for Cuba in 1940 never to move back in permanently, the house remained his till his death in 1961 after which his sons sold the estate.
It became a museum shortly after and now anyone can visit. And it’s still the largest residential property on the island. But today the only true residents are the polydactyl (six-toed) cats. About 40-50 live on the property at any given time. They are adorable and super chill and you can find them lounging around the grounds. There is even a cat cemetery in the gardens. So how did these cuties come to call the Hemingway House home? Well it seems that Ernest was as much of a cat lover as I am. He was given a white six-toed cat, Snow White, by a ship captain and some of the cats who now live on the museum grounds are descendants of the original cat. Creative as he was, Hemingway named all his cats after famous people and they have kept up the same tradition still today.
Other then the interesting history, the famous resident, and the adorable fur babies, the property also boasts beautiful gardens to stroll through and enjoy. It is the must see place in Key West. Just bring some allergy meds if you are allergic to cats! For more info about the House and Museum, hours and prices visit www.hemingwayhome.com
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