Key West - Florida's southernmost city 100 miles from the Florida mainland and 90 miles from Cuba. For centuries Key West was a base for fishermen, spongers, and pirates, but when it was sold in 1822 to Mobile businessman John Simonton it had no permanent residents. At about the same time cigar makers from Cuba, sponge fishermen, and salvagers of wrecked ships began to make Key West their permanent home boosting its population to 18,000 in 1888. Key West was not linked to the mainland until 1912 when Flagler's Overseas Railroad was completed.
