1985 Baeza Pictorial View of Key West, Florida

A vibrant pictorial promotional view of Key West, Florida, prepared in 1985 by Ron Baeza, highlighting the island's businesses while also paying homage to its history and culture. The map celebrates Key West informat secession from the United States as the Conch Republic.

A Closer Look

Oriented towards the east-northeast, this piece provides a colorful yet detailed overview of the island's businesses, public institutions, and attractions, including restaurants, art galleries, shops, and hotels. Historic sites such as Fort Zachary Taylor, Fort East Martello, the Key West Lighthouse, the Southernmost Point (in the Continental U.S.) Marker, and the Ernest Hemingway House and Museum are also labeled. Additional advertisements are included for seaplanes, parasailing, and cruises in the waters and air around the island.

The Conch Republic

The Conch Republic was humorously proclaimed on April 23, 1982, in Key West, Florida, as a tongue-in-cheek response to a U.S. Border Patrol roadblock on U.S. Route 1 that severely disrupted traffic and hurt the local economy. Frustrated by the federal government's actions, Key West's mayor, Dennis Wardlow, symbolically declared independence for the Florida Keys, naming the new 'nation' 'the Conch Republic. This secession was followed by a playful 'attack' on a U.S. Coast Guard vessel using stale Cuban bread, after which the Conch Republic 'surrendered' and requested foreign aid from the U.S. Though entirely satirical, the Conch Republic has since become a cherished symbol of the quirky and independent spirit of the Florida Keys, celebrated annually with a festival that draws visitors from around the world. It remains a humorous reminder of the community's creative protest against bureaucratic overreach.

Publication History and Census

This map was prepared by Ron Baeza. One example is noted in the OCLC at the University of Florida.