These Old Houses
Quintessential Experiences: The Pelican Path
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The beautiful "Parlor" room at the Artist House Key West hotel.
RELATED LINKS
City Guide Key West
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Despite decades of tropical storms, voracious termites and intermittent poverty, a large number of lovely historic homes remain standing in Key West. Many date to the 19th century when the island was a thriving seaport and cigar manufacturing center. While most of these old houses are private residences and are not open to the public, their fanciful exteriors provide a nice setting for leisurely strolls through the island's less commercialized quarters.
The Pelican Path, a brochure published by the Old Island Restoration Foundation, outlines a self-guided walking tour past several dozen noteworthy homes in the Old Town district. Pick up a free copy at the Key West Chamber of Commerce office in Mallory Square (305-294-2587) and spend a few hours savoring the island's idiosyncratic architectural smorgasbord of gingerbread trim, wide verandas, decorative ironwork, vented shutters, neoclassical pillars, wraparound porches and lush tropical landscaping.
A few of these 19th-century homes are open to the public as museums, and some have been converted into stylish B&Bs, among them the Artist House , the Blue Parrot Inn, the Chelsea House , the Conch House, the Cypress House, the Heron House, the Island City House, Marrero's Guest Mansion and Palm Court.
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