What is the history behind Key West?

Key West, or Cayo Hueso (Island of Bones) was discovered by Ponce de Leon, named Las Martines and claimed by Spain in 1513. In 1815 Don Juan de Estrada granted Key West to Juan Pablo Salas for meritorious service to the crown. John W. Simonton, from Alabama, bought the island from Salas for $2,000 in 1821.



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When explorer Juan Ponce de Leon charted the islands of the Keys in 1513, he called them Los Martires (meaning “the martyrs”) because he thought they resembled men in distress. The more popular name, simply the Keys, is derived from the Spanish word Cayo (“small island”).

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The island of Key West lies at the end of the Florida Keys, about 150 miles southwest of Miami. The public-water supply for the island is provided by the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority Well Field near Miami.

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