Meandering Joy: Harbor Walk at Historic Key West Seaport

When describing Key West, people often mention the sunsets at Mallory Square and walking along Duval Street and of course, visiting Hemmingway's home. These places are great, but for another look at Key West and its maritime history, I like the historic Harborwalk.

The original name of the Key West Seaport was the Key West Bight. A bight used in this instance refers to a bend or curve in the shoreline. The Seaport served as a base for many maritime activities. Four of the most notable are sponge hunting, shrimping, fishing for local markets, and fisheries for sea turtles.

Sponge fishing was a busy activity in Key West in the late 1800's and early 1900's. There were more than 100 sponging vessels employing around a thousand people during this period. In the 1940's the area became a tourist attraction as people gathered to watch as boatloads of sea turtles were unloaded for delivery to canning factories. It was usually the green turtles that were caught, stacked on their backs and kept alive in shallow pens in the water called turtle crawls until they were delivered to the turtle canning factories which surrounded the seaport .

In the late 1980's the pursuit of pink gold (shrimp) kept the area busy with over 500 shrimp boats as well as other commercial fishing vessels. Over time, shrimp boats and commercial fishing boats began to be based out of Stock Island or other islands in the Keys seeking cheaper harborage. Due to over sponging and turtle hunting, the supplies were greatly diminished and these activities have since been banished. The sea turtles became a protected species in the area in 1971. Due to the protected status, the population has increased.

By 1992, business at the seaport had diminished and the citizens of Key West became concerned that the history of this area might be lost if the seaport fell into disrepair or even worse was converted into resorts or hotels. It was decided that the city would acquire the seaport and develop it into the harbor walk by adding historical markers and improving the walkways. This proved to be a smart move for the city which is host to many tourists during the year. The area provides opportunity for any sea adventure imaginable and multiple restaurant choices to enjoy the local seafood.