Stroll through the Key West Cemetery, the final resting place of some of the area’s most well-known personalities. These famous names are spread across an 8-hectare (19-acre) area that is dotted with more than 100,000 gravesites. That’s three times the population of the city today. Enjoy the cemetery’s peaceful atmosphere as you identify characters whose stories have helped shape the Florida Keys. Take in views across the town and look for the local wildlife that lives in the grounds, including iguanas and birds.
The cemetery that you see today was built in 1847 after a hurricane damaged the early graves that were originally on the site. Use the booklet offered at the cemetery entrance to learn more about the history of the graveyard and to locate some of the notable gravesites.
Find the graves of former Florida Keys residents such as Sloppy Joe Russell, a beloved barkeeper. Enjoy the humour of Betty Pearl Roberts, a local whose final words are emblazoned on her tombstone: “I told you I was sick”. The cemetery also features monuments to war casualties. Visit the U.S.S. Maine Monument, which is dedicated to the American soldiers who lost their lives on the ship in the Spanish-American War in 1898.
As you explore the solemn sites, admire the colour added by bouquets and flowerbeds. The cemetery boulevards are lined with purple bougainvillea. Venture deep into the graveyard to find the Jewish Cemetery. It is marked by a black archway surrounded by gumbo trees. Some of the tombstones in this section date as far back as the 1890s.
The Key West Cemetery is situated at the base of Solares Hill. Walk or come by bike from the town centre. Drivers will find free parking outside the cemetery entrance. Entry is free and the cemetery is open every day.
