Key West

For thousands of years, Key West and the surrounding islands were inhabited by various Native American tribes. The island's first recorded European contact occurred in 1513, when an expedition led by Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León circumnavigated the Florida Keys amid his voyage along the coast of Florida, though no permanent settlement was established. Over the following centuries, the island remained sparsely populated while passing between periods of Spanish and British control. Following the transfer of Florida to the United States in 1819, Key West rapidly developed into a major maritime center, with its strategic location along the Florida Straits and thriving wrecking industry helping make it one of the wealthiest communities in the United States during the 19th century.

Key West is the southernmost city in the contiguous United States and the westernmost island in the Florida Keys connected by highway, located about 130 miles (210 km) southwest of Miami and roughly 95 miles (153 km) north of Cuba.