KEYS READS
ESSENTIALS
Where is
Bum Farto?
MM 50-60
KEYS CRAWL
THE LEGEND OF
HAPPY JACK page 29
ROBERT THE DOLL
May 2015
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this issue
8
Essentials: Keys Reads
10
Southernmost Appeal: Robert the Doll
14
Island Charm: Bum Farto; Cloaked in Mystery
20
Local Flavor: Crawling the Keys, 10 Miles at a Time
29
Rewind: Happy Jack
34
Essentials: Mermaid Academy
Experience the Best in Boats
and Service at Caribee
Publisher’s note:
Across the world there are extraordinary stories passed
down from generation to generation. Some will always live as
tall tales, true legends of lore that merely existed in the minds
of our ancestors.
Other stories are grounded in truth. The many myths and
legends that are part of the Florida Keys tantalize us with
possibilities of whether hauntings exist or if treasure is indeed
buried somewhere in the Keys.
In this edition of unwind magazine, we will explore some
of the more amazing legends from around the Keys—legends
that prove that more often than not, sometimes truth is
stranger than fiction.
We bring you the unsolved mystery of former Key West Fire
Chief Joseph “Bum” Farto, a legend so compelling that the story
is debated in coffee shops and watering holes 40 years later.
We also bring you the legend of Happy Jack Thompson and the
infamous Robert the Doll, characters that took up residence
in the lower Keys and elicited their own kind of questions and
speculation.
Finally, we take another 10-mile Keys crawl into the heart of
the Keys in our recurring feature, “Take 10 and unwind”.
Enjoy this edition, and remember to
always find time to unwind!
THE FLORIDA KEYS
A Special publication produced by the
Keynoter Publishing Company
Publisher: Richard Tamborrino
Creative Director: Emily Pulis
Sales & Business Development Manager: Valerie Serra
Advertising Coordinator: Joanne Pulis
Production Manager: Todd Swift
Contributing Writers: Alyson Crean, Ellen T. White,
Jana Vandelaar
unwindFloridaKeys.com | 305-743-5551
P.O. Box 500158, Marathon, FL 33050
Cover Photo: Bum Farto, courtesy of Monroe County Public Library
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A
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AND
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T
A
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the Bes
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ESSENTIALS
Keys
READS
KEY WEST - HISTORY OF AN ISLAND OF DREAMS
by Maureen Ogle
The city’s real story—told by Maureen Ogle in this lively and
engaging illustrated account—is as fabulous as fiction. Since
the city’s pioneer founders battled Indians, pirates, and
deadly disease to the second half of the 20th century, when
bohemians, hippies, gays, and jet-setters began influencing
the scene—Key West has stood at the crossroads of
American history. $24.95, at Key West Island Books in Key
West, or visit kwislandbooks.com
UNDYING LOVE by Ben Harrison
A mesmerizing true story of obsessive love that spirals
into madness. Count Carl von Cosel, was a Key West
radiologist, who developed an obsession for one of his
patients. Upon her death in 1931, he had an above ground
mausoleum built for her. Within 2 years he had taken
the body home... where he attempted to reanimate and
ultimately preserve her. What makes Undying Love so
special are the interviews Ben conducted with those old
enough to have known the story participants and the way
things were in Key West during the 1930s. The book also
includes eight pages of compelling, unforgettable photos.
$14.95, at the Harrison Gallery in Key West, or visit amazon.
com for an e-book.
CHARLOTTE'S STORY: A FLORIDA KEYS DIARY
1934 & 1935 by Charlotte Arpin Niedhauk
A spell-binding true account of how a
young couple managed to carve out a life
for themselves on an isolated Florida Keys
island (Elliot Key) in the mid-1930s. $17.95,
at Hooked on Books in Tavernier, or visit
hookedonbooksfloridakeys.com
THE FLORIDA KEYS - VOL 1 & 2 by John Viele
The stories of hardy pioneers and their
predecessors (A History of the Pioneers, Vol 1)
and harrowing tales of bloodthirsty pirates; and
wayward privateers (True Stories of the Perilous
Straits, Vol 2), are recounted, many for the first
time, in this book. $14.95 each, Crane Point
Museum and Nature Center in Marathon, or visit
www.pineapplepress.com
ROBERT THE DOLL by David L. Sloan
In 1904, a doll was given as a gift to a young boy in Key
West, Florida. The boy gave the doll his own name Robert - and the two became inseparable. The doll was
blamed for many things, and "I didn't do it - Robert did
it" became a catchphrase in Key West. People heard the
doll giggle and saw the doll move without help from any
human. Voodoo was suspected. $19.95, at the Fort East
Martello Museum in Key West, or visit www.robertdidit.com
GHOSTS OF KEY WEST by David L. Sloan
Key West’s past comes alive with thirteen incredible
stories of the southernmost ghosts. From Victorian era
spirits returning to claim what is rightfully theirs, to ghosts
of cigar makers, pirates and wreckers, Ghosts of Key West
beautifully captures the true spirit of Florida’s second
oldest city. $14.95, at Key West Island Books in Key West,
or visit kwislandbooks.com
8
unwind | May 2015
From a cozy island cottage to a luxurious waterfront estate...
Let us show you!
SOUTHERNMOST APPEAL
origin of the 40-inch-high creation to
the German toymaker, the Steiff Co. The
more likely story of the doll's arrival in
Key West, Sloan says, is a trip that Otto's
mother took to Germany in 1904.
“Although he's wearing a sailor suit
now,” Sloan says, “the doll was actually
dressed as a harlequin when it was
created. It's a very rare doll.”
The sailor suit, Sloan says, was one of
many outfits Gene used to dress Robert
up with when they played.
Though Sloan's extensive research
concludes that there was likely no
angry servant that infused the doll
with evil, he does believe it's possessed.
Like many people who meet the creepy
visage at the museum, Sloan says he's
felt it transform from an inanimate
object to “a real feeling that there's
something in there.”
“You can almost feel the eyes begin
to sparkle,” he said. “There are a
number of spirits working there.” Sloan
blends a unique skill set as an avid
historian, writer and ghost hunter.
t
i
d
i
d
t
r
e
b
Ro
RARE DOLL PURPORTEDLY STILL HAUNTS
WRITTEN BY Alyson Crean
SAILOR SUIT
While Robert the
Doll was dressed
in many outfits by
Gene Otto, it was
this sailor suit that is
his permanent attire
today.
HAUNTING
CONNECTION
Interestingly, this is
Gene photographed
in his own sailor suit
just after the turn of
the century.
10
unwind | May 2015
doctor, received the doll as a gift in
Dorian Gray had a portrait. Key West
1904. The boy split his own name,
artist Gene Otto had a doll—a doll that
calling the doll Robert and retaining
continues to haunt Key West even
his middle name Gene for himself. The
though Gene died in 1974.
two became inseparable. But when
The Otto family left behind a legacy
something went
of fine art, music
wrong, Gene
and architecture,
Once he was put on exhibit,
always blamed
but the mothhis doll.
eaten woolen doll
cameras and electronic
now residing in
devices malfunctioned
the East Martello
ROBERT DID IT.
in his presence.
Museum at 2501
Popular legend
S. Roosevelt Blvd.
contends that an
is likely the most well-recognized
angry servant, laid off by Dr. Otto, gave
memorial of the distinguished Key
Gene the doll, replete with a powerful
West family.
voodoo spell.
According to legend, Robert Gene
Author David Sloan, in researching his
Otto, the youngest son of a prominent
2014 book “Robert the Doll,” traced the
PHOTOS COURTESY OF The Key West Art & Historical Society & Monroe County Public Library
GREEN GENE
Unfortunately,
An accomplished
the doll's legend
painter whose
has grown to the
prowess may have
point that Gene
been minimized by
the doll legend, an
Otto's art is often
older Gene Otto
overlooked. He
with one of his fine
studied fine art
works of art.
in Chicago and
New York and
was an accomplished painter. He met
a successful concert pianist, Anne
Parker, and they married in Paris in
1930. Shortly after, Dr. Otto died and
the young couple moved to the family
home in Key West, the Eaton Street
Artist House.
“Sadly,” Sloan says, “Robert has
overshadowed what a brilliant artist
Gene was.”
David Eyer, Junior Warden for St.
Paul's Episcopal Church, remembers
Gene as a parishioner.
“They called him Green Gene,” he
said, noting that as a child, Gene would
color everything green. In fact, Eyer said,
he is surprised there were no leftover
crayon marks in the church itself.
Sloan recalls discovering a green
suitcase in the attic of the Artist House
when he was researching his book,
another talisman to Green Gene.
BUT BACK TO THE LEGEND.
When Gene went off to school,
Robert the Doll was packed away in the
attic. Years later, when Gene brought
his bride back to the family home, he
reportedly discovered his old friend and
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Robert, leaving
him in his
window seat.
When she
moved to
another home,
she took Robert
with her but eventually donated him to
the Key West Art and Historical Society.
Robert resided at the Custom House
on Front Street for many years before
being moved to the East Martello, a
gallery designed by Gene Otto, where
he continues to raise goose bumps on
museum visitors.
As a professional ghost hunter and
the founder of a Key West ghost tour,
Sloan believes he knows the origin of
several of the spirits that continue to
animate Robert. He believes Gene Otto's
is just one of the spirits that manifests
itself in Robert.
“Be careful of the objects you
possess,” he says, “or one day they'll
possess you.”
FAMILY HOME
The Otto family
residence at 534
Eaton Street,
where Robert and
Gene reunited in
the 1930s.
brought him out of storage.
Legend has it that strange things
occurred once Robert and Gene were
reunited. Guests would hear the doll
move or giggle softly. Anne so disliked
Robert that she insisted Gene put him
back in the attic. Instead, he placed
Robert in the third-floor turret to gaze
out the window at passersby.
When Gene died in 1974, Myrtle
Reuters bought the gorgeous Queen
Anne-style home and befriended
CONNECT WITH ROBERT
Fort East Martello Museum
3501 S. Roosevelt Blvd. in Key West
Robert currently resides at the Fort
East Martello Museum in a gallery
designed by his original owner,
Gene Otto. The
Museum is open
to the public daily
(except Christmas)
from 9:30 AM –
4:30 PM.
Admission is $9
for adults ($8 with local ID), $5 for
children and students and free for kids
under 6. For additional information
visit: www.kwahs.org/visit/fort-eastmartello
For the most up-to-date information
about Robert and activities at the
Museum, follow him on Facebook
www.facebook.com/RobertTheDoll
and on Twitter www.twitter.com/
RobertTheDoll
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ISLAND CHARM
Where is
Bum Farto?
ACCUSED FIRE CHIEF
VANISHES INTO THE BLUE
WRITTEN BY Ellen T. White
Back in the day, meaning
the '70s, buying drugs in
Key West was “as easy as
walking in and ordering
a meal,” according to one
detective.
STRIKING
Farto even had
his own signature
matches.
14
unwind | May 2015
The last time Eddie Castro laid eyes
on Key West Fire Chief Joseph “Bum”
Farto, he was driving up White Street in
a rented red LeMans. The date—Feb. 16,
1976—would become significant. Farto
was headed to Miami for a meeting, his
wife later reported, and had promised
to return later that night. Instead, he
vanished into thin air.
In his trademark rose-tinted glasses,
Farto had been doling out hugs and
handshakes at a fire department
fundraiser the day before.
“When I think back, he might have
been trying to say goodbye,” says
Castro, a fire department driver who
later became chief himself, “but he
was like that, you know—always the
politician—so it's hard to say.”
When he disappeared, Farto had
been suspended from his job and
was out of jail on $25,000 bail on a
conviction for one count of selling
marijuana and two for cocaine,
dispensed on fire department property.
Back in the day, meaning the '70s,
buying drugs in Key West was “as
easy as walking in and ordering a
meal,” according to one detective, “and
cocaine as common as key lime pie.”
Florida's then-governor, Reuben Askew,
wanted an end to it.
Farto was brought down with 19
others, including the city attorney,
in Operation Conch, an elaborate
sting orchestrated over six months
in a cooperative effort by the Florida
Department of Law Enforcement, the
PHOTOS BY Bert Budde & COURTESY OF Monroe County Public Library
May 2015 | unwind
15
ISLAND CHARM
ODE TO BUM
A small shrine
in his honor still
resides at the Key
West Fire Dept.
WEARABLE ART
This collector's
item is part of the
current exhibit.
16
unwind | May 2015
stick—to part with their pocket change.
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
“Even then he knew how to manipulate
and the Dade County Organized Crime
people into getting his way.”
Bureau. Twenty-eight agents booked
From nozzleman to captain, Farto
themselves into the Key Wester Motel,
was anointed Key West Fire Department
posing as karate enthusiasts in town for
chief in 1964. His efficiency on the job
a match. In a single day, they swooped in
was praised. He was legend, however,
and made arrests. Farto was nabbed that
for those rose-colored glasses, the flashy
morning getting into his lime-green Ford
clothes and jewelry, and the lime-green
LTD, which was duly confiscated as fire
wheels with the distinctive gold-plated,
department property.
spread-eagle hood
A true Key West
ornament. His
character, Joseph
His front license plate
front license plate
“Bum” Farto was
identified him as “El Jefe,”
identified him as
born on July 3, 1919.
“El Jefe,” Spanish
He grew up in the
Spanish for “chief,” as
for “chief,” as if
house just short of
if anyone needed to be
anyone needed to
the corner of Duval
reminded.
be reminded.
and Green streets,
“When Bum
behind Sloppy Joe's,
walked into a room, it felt like everything
then the Victoria Restaurant. His father
stopped,” remembers Alex Vega, who
Juan, a Spanish immigrant, owned the
signed on with the fire department just
Victoria, which touted the “best yellowtail
as Farto was suspended as chief. Bum
in town.” But young Farto had no interest
inspired fear. “He was someone who
in following his father into the restaurant
knew how to get things done and who
business. He idolized the men in uniform
definitely bended the rules, but he was
at the fire station next door.
no drug dealer in my opinion.”
“He was a regular little bum,” says
Word on the street was that Bum had
Castro, explaining that Farto always
been framed. Hey, not that his record was
managed to get the firemen—who
squeaky clean. He'd already beat a rap for
bestowed the nickname that would
ISLAND CHARM
TAKEN AWAY
Farto's beloved limegreen wheels are
impounded.
“irregularities” involving the use of fire
department money some years earlier.
The City Commission recommended his
firing, but the Civil Service Board threw
out the charges. Conveniently, Farto's
nephew was the board's chairman.
Still, in the drug culture of Key West,
“Bum was more of a hanger-on,” says
Tom Hambright, the Key West library's
historian who had dealings with Farto
back when he worked as a security
officer in the Navy. “He knew everybody
and what was going on, but he wasn't a
player himself.”
In the sting that brought him down,
Bum was lured by a gold ring and chain
that an undercover agent offered on a
trade, cocaine for bling.
“They knew their target, and agents
appealed to his weakness for gold,”
BUSTED
FBI agents
escort Farto
after his arrest.
Hambright says. What's more, trial
transcripts clearly show that Farto had
difficulty scoring and delivering the
goods, even offering to buy the ring from
the agent for cash when it came down
to it. For his transgressions, Farto was
looking at a possible 31 years in prison.
He disappeared before his sentencing.
A few weeks after Farto's
disappearance, that rented red LeMans
was found abandoned in the Little
Havana section of Miami. Did the
powerful Tampa mafia, whose long arm
extended to the Keys, put out a contract,
afraid that Farto would make a deal for
a reduced sentence in a swap for inside
information on their operations? Or
did a Columbian cartel get to him? Key
West's citizens speculated.
In a popular theory that still
circulates, Farto unwittingly delivered
cash to his Mafia executioner believing
he was buying his one-way ticket to
safety in South America.
“Where is Bum Farto?” asked a
T-shirt in bold red lettering, printed
within days of his disappearance.
Singer Jimmy Buffett wore his in
concerts. Today the shirts are a
collector's item. The Jimmy Hoffa-like
enigma continues to pique collective
curiosity. A Facebook page, a Twitter
feed and a song by Key West minstrel
CALLING CARD
El Jefe's business
cards can still be
seen on display at
the Key West
Fire Dept.
his way around to the other side of
Ben Harrison all allude to the mystery.
the stands, the Bum look-alike had
At the Key West Firehouse Museum,
disappeared. Was it Farto in the flesh?
they keep vigil, with a display that
Or a case of an overactive imagination?
includes Farto's desk, phone, ashtray and
“Where is Bum Farto is a question
a smattering of photos and uniforms.
that will never be answered,” says
On that February day in 1976, it's
Castro, although by now, Farto would
possible that maybe, just maybe, Farto
be 96 years old, so there's a good
boarded a plane to Costa Rica, where he
chance he's no longer alive. “He always
lived out his days in quiet anonymity.
liked to be the center of attention,”
Says Vega, “I used to believe he never
adds Castro—so he
made it off Florida
would surely relish
until a friend came
They knew their target,
all the speculation
back from a vacation
and agents appealed to
that surrounds his
in South America
name nearly 40
with a story about
his weakness for gold.
years later.
how he'd seen Bum.”
“Like a potato,” to
As Vega's friend
paraphrase Ben Harrison's YouTube ode
told it, he recognized Farto sitting high
to Farto, “he's still hot.”
up in the stands at a cattle auction in
Costa Rica. But by the time he made
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[email protected]
18
unwind | May 2015
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LOCAL FLAVOR
CATCHING AIR
oTHErside
Adventure Park
provides wake
boarders a chance to
really test their skills.
HAMMOCK TIME
White sands & blue
seas are the perfect
backdrop at Glunz
Ocean Beach Hotel.
Fabulous Dinner Specials
& Great New Appetizers
Local’s Appreciation Lunch
Saturday
The Original and Still Best Early Arrival Menu
5:00 pm to 6:00 pm Daily
Prime Rib
Friday and Saturday
Live Music Throughout the Week
SUNDAY BRUNCH
All-You-Can-Eat (Through Mother’s Day)
$2 Bloody Marys $2 Mimosas
TAKE 10 AND UNWIND
WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHED BY Jana Vandelaar
In our ongoing series chronicling the Keys 10 miles at a time, we've reached the
heart of the Florida Keys — mile markers 60 to 50.
Most people, including locals, drive through these 10 miles like a racehorse
with blinders on, focusing only on the final goal at the end of the road, completely
unaware they are passing right by a golden treasure chest. Although it's virtually
impossible to point out all of the sparkly gems found inside these 10 miles, this
issue of Unwind reveals some of the most colorful ones.
59.2: Keys Cable
If you want to feel your heart pound
with excitement, this first stop should
not be missed.
Although this exhilarating
sport —wakeboarding at
5
cable parks—is well-known
9
in some big cities, the
personalized attention offered by
Keys Cable at oTHErside Adventure
Park fits in perfectly with the Keys
lifestyle. It offers a
standard course that
is surprisingly easy
enough for kids as
young as 4 to get
in the water with a
wakeboard (for snow
enthusiasts, it looks
similar to a snowboard)
ICONIC ROADSIDE
and hold onto a handle
PHOTO OP
with a cable that takes
At Dolphin Research
Center MM 58.9
them skimming over
the water like a human
20
unwind | May 2015
speed boat. It's perfect for anyone, as
it can be amped up as skills increase,
complete with a small ramp.
For more experienced riders, a
separate cable has advanced features
with larger ramps and a rail. Rental
gear is available but wakeboarding
enthusiasts are welcome to bring their
own equipment. This park splashes the
old pool parties out of the water.
58.9: Dolphin Research Center
If dolphins melt your heart, this is
a must. The history of this place goes
back to the 1940s when a commercial
fisherman, Milton Santini,
established Santini's Porpoise
Training School, using dynamite
5
to make deep lagoons in
9
which his dolphins could
play. His favorite dolphin, Mitzi, helped
him recover from a broken back and
she eventually starred in the original
"Flipper" movie in 1963.
The Dolphin Research Center has
come a long way. Families and their
dogs (it's pet-friendly) can spend all
day enjoying interactive programs like
Trainer for a Day, Meet the Dolphin,
Hug a Sea Lion, etc., and kids can cool
off at the sprayground. They even have
special programs for weddings and
marriage proposals, where a dolphin
delivers the ring.
The Dolphin Research Center is not
only educational; it's about memories
that will last a lifetime.
58.0: Grassy Key Outpost
This convenient location warms your
heart and soul with both a quaint store,
which is surprisingly well
stocked, and a restaurant with
5
a varied menu that includes
8
gluten-free options.
The tuna club (raw ahi tuna on
sourdough bread) and the BLT (with
fried green tomatoes) are its top sellers.
Don't get too full, because the Outpost's
butterscotch creme brulee barely beats
out its molten lava cake. It is so good
no one wants to share. Whoever said
convenience means lower quality
hasn't been to the Grassy Key Outpost.
5
7
57.8: Rainbow Bend
Resort/Hideaway Cafe
Everyone has heard of
finding gold at the end of
the rainbow, but at the Rainbow
Bend Resort, the treasures are cozy,
Our private and spacious dining room features
cathedral ceilings and glass doors overlooking
tropical landscaping. A perfect place for
your special day or event. Birthday Parties,
Weddings, Corporate Events. Call for details
(305) 743-0100
700 W. OCEAN DR. MM 54
KEY COLONY BEACH
20
YEARS
People’s Choice Award Marathon’s Best Restaurant!
LOCAL FLAVOR
Lunch and Dinner
Fresh Fish Served Daily
Happy Hour
Every Day 4p-6p
T E R?
G OT B U T O O K
C
L
WE’L TCH!
YO U R C A
(305) 743-4849 | 401 E. Ocean Dr.
Key Colony Beach, FL 33051
www.cabanabreezes.com
Free pick up / Drop off in KCB!
In addition to our
beautiful oceanfront
patio dining and bar, we
have an Air Conditioned
dining room for your
comfort.
LIVE MUSIC
Entertainment is not
in short supply at
Sparky’s—with local
band High Tide.
playing regularly.
Welcome to the
LOR •E• LEI
Restaurant & Cabana Bar
DRUNKEN
GUMMIES
For adults only
at Leigh Ann’s
Coffee House on
Key Colony Beach.
Beach/Waterfront Dining: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Featuring the best Seafood, Live entertainment
nightly and Full Bar Service until Midnight
Breathtaking views
for the nightly
Sunset Celebration!
Look for the Mermaid! MM 82, Islamorada
305-664-2692 | loreleicabanabar.com
oceanfront rooms. Guests receive a
complimentary breakfast every morning
and the use of one of their Boston
Whaler motorboats for half a day. It's
like opening a box of Lucky Charms and
finding a real boat to play with.
Tucked behind the resort is the
Hideaway Cafe, a local favorite. You
feel like Robinson Crusoe as you climb
the stairs, surrounded by exotic palm
trees to find the coveted restaurant
overlooking the water.
It is known for having delicious
steaks — "the biggest steak this
side of Texas". During our visit, four
women were enjoying a mother/
daughter luncheon. While the fun
daughters raved about the extensive
yet reasonable wine list, the mothers
(in their late 80s and longtime Keys
residents) told us loving family stories
spent at the Hideaway Cafe throughout
the years. Make your own memories
and bring the entire family. After all,
kids love tree houses, too.
54: The Island Fish Co.
OASIS
Serving up gourmet
food along with
sundries at the
Grassy Key Outpost.
If boating to a tiki bar in the Keys
makes your heart sing, the Island Fish Co.
is your place. The refurbished
dock, bar and restaurant almost
5
have a Frontgate catalog edge
4
but somehow still manage to
PHOTOS BY Jana Vandelaar & Valerie Serra & COURTESY OF High Tide
keep the essential Keysy vibe. Breakfast,
lunch and dinner are all delicious, but do
not go there without experiencing the
key lime colada.
54: Key Colony Beach
Originally called Shelter Key, this was
a low-lying, uninhabited 97-acre island
until a short, rotund, jolly man
named Phil Sadowski decided
to dredge around the island
5
in the early 1950s. This clever
4
man eventually managed to
increase the size and height of the
island to six feet above sea level and
began development.
He was also smart enough to petition
to incorporate the island in 1957, and
after the 11 freeholder families living
there at the time all voted in favor
of incorporation, it officially became
known as the city of Key Colony Beach.
Today, this thriving island, or city, is
connected to the Overseas Highway by
a long causeway appropriately named
after the man who made his dream
come true—Sadowski Causeway. Key
places on this dreamy island are:
Sparky's Landing is known for its
incredible wings and amazing fish
tacos, but honestly, everything looks
heavenly. As a matter of fact, the
customers were hard to understand as
May 2015 | unwind
23
LOCAL FLAVOR
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unwind | May 2015
special events, receptions, birthdays,
graduations, etc., with glass doors
overlooking the city's Par 3 golf course.
The darling city park is tucked in
between the Key Colony Inn and City
Hall, completing the area's picturepostcard setting.
The Glunz Ocean Beach Hotel has
a breathtaking view of the turquoise
ocean next to its powder-white sandy
beach. Before they owned it, the Glunz
family enjoyed the property for three
generations while it was a timeshare. A
few years ago, they decided to purchase
the place, renovate it and re-open it as
a hotel so everyone would be able to
experience the enchanting beauty of
this long-kept secret.
Cabana Breezes is the property's
waterfront restaurant/bar, offering
seating both inside and outside where
you can enjoy one of the many choices
on the varied menu (the lobster bisque
was perfection).
53: Aquarium Encounters
This is not your typical aquarium.
Wooden walkways lead you to many
FISH ON!
The Marathon Lady
offers one of the
best group fishing
charters anywhere.
ORDER UP
Unique dockside
dining and drinks at
the Island Fish Co.
DIVE ON IN
Captain Hooks has
been providing
tourists & locals with
fun-filled charters for
over 50 years.
attractions — live feedings, encounter
programs and a nursery for baby nurse
sharks. The Tide Pool Touch
Tank has an awesome "star"
fish available everyday for
5
celebrity photos, but actual
3
television stars from the
show "Tanked" filmed an episode at
Aquarium Encounters in October 2014.
They designed a plexi-glass wall
where divers can swim on one side with
the calmer fish while feeding predator
fish (sharks) on the other side through
the feeding holes. Aquarium Encounters
— the Keys newest attraction — will be
around for a long time.
53: Captain Hooks Marina and
Dive Center
If you see a pirate sitting in a bright,
yellow boat on the roof of a building,
you've found Captain Hook's
Marina and Dive Center.
Anything that can be done
5
on the water can be done
3
from there: Fishing, diving,
paddleboarding, you name it.
Laughter and energy abounds after
DINING DELIGHT
Johnny, Jackie &
George purveyors
of delicious food at
Fish Tales.
SALUDE!
Get in line for a
coveted espresso
martini at the Key
Colony Inn.
PHOTOS BY Jana Vandelaar, Richard Tamborinno & Valerie Serra & COURTESY OF Fish Tales
they raved about this restaurant with
their mouths still full.
A popular local band, High Tide, plays
every Saturday night and the marina/
ocean view tops it off as one of the best
restaurants around.
Leigh Ann's Coffee House replaces
the commercialized Starbucks with a
homey feeling and equally delicious
coffees. Its customers return for the
French Toast and Eggs Benedict but the
famous "drunken gummies" really stick
to your hearts (gummy bears soaked in
wine-based vodka).
Sunset Park is the favorite location
for many sunset weddings but just as
gorgeous in the daylight hours, complete
with a pagoda and a romantic, long dock
framing one side of the endless ocean.
The fact that it's also a dog park is the
best doggie treat money can't buy.
The Key Colony Inn is in the heart
of Key Colony Beach and surrounded
by beautiful landscaping. The popular
restaurant has locals standing in line
and its espresso martini is definitely
one of the factors for its popularity.
The inn's private dining area hosts
SHARK
ENCOUNTERS
Aquarium Encounters,
gives visitors a chance
to get up close and
personal with a variety
of sea life.
every boat returns and it is contagious.
The professional, loyal employees
are to blame for all of this happiness,
which explains Captain Hook's success
for more than 50 years.
53: Marathon Lady
The Marathon Lady's
tiny booth seems quietly
unobtrusive, but its 73-foot
party boat is only one reason the
Marathon Lady has become an icon of
Marathon. Another family favorite, it
offers honest prices and honest fun.
5
3
53: Fish Tales
MAKING MEMORIES
Memories that last
a lifetime are often
created at the
Hideaway Cafe at
Rainbow Bend.
It is not a fish tale if you've heard
Fish Tales embodies the heart and
soul of the Florida Keys. This
fish market and restaurant is
family-owned and operated
5
by German descendants,
3
which means three German
beers on tap at all times and a kickin'
Oktoberfest celebration throughout
October with a special menu featuring
schnitzel, sauerbraten and even a
chicken, bacon and cheddar brat
perfected by one of the owners.
During the rest of the year, ask any
local and you'll get a different favorite
but a few of their standouts include
their white lobster bisque, fried fish
burrito and the Johnny's Rambler fish
sandwich (ask for the hogfish.) Wrap it
up by enjoying one of the homemade
"Desserts by Nadia." A favorite birthday
splurge for locals is the coffee ice
cream mud pie drizzled with chocolate
and whipped cream.
Cinderella's magic stopped at
midnight, but Fish Tales closes at 6:30, so
get there early.
A Key Largo Landmark f� Over 25 Years!
Both restaurants specializing in fresh seafood and fresh ﬁsh
from local commercial ﬁsherman ﬁlleted daily on premise
Open Daily!
Lunch 11:30 am to 4 pm
Dinner 4 pm to 10 pm
102401 Overseas Hwy
305.451.4665
Enjoy �e nautical atmosphere of �e Fish House Restaurant
& Seafood Market, An au�entic Keys dining experience
Enjoy �e tropical atmosphere of The Fish House
Enc�e Restaurant and Sushi Bar!
Tropical Outdoor Dining • Lounge Dining
Indoor Dining • Live Entertainment
Restaurant & Sushi Bar
Open for dinner 5 pm
Reservations
305.451.0650
LOCAL FLAVOR
THAT FUNKY
MONKEY
The Brass Monkey
has been a favorite
watering hole for
locals for 30 years.
5
2
52: EAA Air Museum &
Bi-Plane Tours
Don't overlook the small
Florida Keys Marathon Airport,
especially if aeronautics is in your heart.
Enjoy free admission into the EAA Air
Museum, which is packed with Keys
aviation history. They also allow visitors
to go inside an old military-era DC-3 and
see where Princess Grace of Monaco sat
during her flight to Houston. Kids can
play on a flight simulator and pretend
they are flying around the Keys.
Overseas Aero Tours offer rides in a
classic bi-plane. More than likely this
will be your only opportunity to ever sit
in front of the pilot. You can check this
exhilarating experience off your bucket
list while spotting manatees and turtles
from the air and relive this experience
with pictures of a lifetime.
50: Brass Monkey
These 10 miles wouldn't be complete
without including the Brass Monkey Bar
and Liquor Store. The Brass Monkey is
like a favorite uncle who is loved
despite his questionable taste in
clothing because he always has
5
great stories to tell.
0
The front of the building
(like that favorite uncle) looks dubious,
making your heart skip a beat or two.
But the minute you step inside, the
Family owned and operated since 1972
Seafood Market and Backyard Café
Key Largo
Islamorada
Marathon
305-451-1500 305-664-4637 305-289-5670
Big Pine
Sugarloaf
Key West
305-735-4322 305-745-1856 305-292-2923
www.c21Schwartz.com
Seafood Market Hours:
Mon. thru Thurs. 7am-5:30pm
Fri. thru Sat. 7am-7pm
Fresh seafood selections and
Fresh seafood soups & salads.
We FedEx - “From the shore
to your door”
305-451-3782
Backyard Cafe Hours:
Mon. thru Sat. 8am-8pm
Dockside dining or carry out
Try our signature Lobster BLT!
Live Music – Fri. & Sat. 6-8pm
305-451-3784
1313 Ocean Bay Dr. MM 99.5
Key Largo Fl 33037
www.keylargofisheries.com
FLYING HIGH
Get a view like no
other from the
biplane at Overseas
Aero Tours.
fun-loving locals embrace you and soon,
you're hearing crazier stories than your
uncle's. The 30-year-old family-owned
bar is packed with faux monkeys and
loyal customers who have literally
grown up dancing to Freddie Bye, a
guitarist who has played there for more
than 20 years and, more importantly, is
considered family to most.
These 10 miles are full of
wonderfully complex choices. Anyone
would fall in love if they slowed to a
stop, took those blinders off and saw
the beauty hidden in the heart of the
Florida Keys.
REWIND
THE LEGEND OF HAPPY JACK
WRITTEN BY Richard Tamborrino
PHOTOS COURTESY OF Monroe County Public Library
ON THE MAP
Happy Jack Key,
so named after the
Lower Keys settler
circa 1849, is located
three-quarters of a
mile northwest of
Sugarloaf Key.
28
unwind | May 2015
In a time when much of the Florida
Keys, the Lower Keys in particular, were
largely uninhabited, there was a peaceful
tranquility that engulfed the region.
Birds would fly high above the water
and occasionally pause
and rest on mangrove
branches. The tides
would roll in and out,
occasionally washing
wooden planks ashore —
sad reminders of failed
voyages in these largely
unchartered waters.
There was also as
much mystery and
legend as there was
history in the early 18th Century. At that
time, pirates had been raiding American
shipping in the Atlantic and using the
Keys as one of several points to hide
themselves and their treasure. Black
Caesar, an African pirate who would
serve on Blackbeard's crew, was thought
to have buried a sizeable treasure on
what is today Elliott Key.
It remained that way
well into the early 19th
Century. Key West was
well established with
its seaport and fishing
industry. The Lower
Keys, which includes
Big Pine and Sugarloaf
Keys, took longer to be
established.
One of the earliest
settlers in the
Lower Keys was Jonathan Thompson,
affectionately nicknamed Happy Jack by
a close circle of friends. He was described
as the "Robinson Crusoe of the Keys"
WHISKEY
LOVER WAS
AN EARLY
SETTLER OF
LOWER KEYS
HEROIC EFFORT
Friend and neighbor
William Baker tried
valiantly to save
Happy Jack's life,
as depicted in this
illustration.
May 2015 | unwind
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May 2015 | unwind
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REWIND
BUILDING THE KEYS SINCE 1981
Local Knowledge and Expertise
JOHN ESSLINGER
State Certified General Contractor
Cell 305-664-6665
Office 305-664-8900
[email protected]
www.islandvillaconstruction.com
DEATH RECORD
St. Paul's Episcopal
Church in Key West
has documented
Happy Jack's death.
in an 1856 edition of Putnam's Monthly
Magazine, Vol. VIII, July to January 1857.
He lived in the Keys in the 1840s but he
was no pirate.
He had predominantly settled on
Sugarloaf Key, establishing a plantation
on the eastern shore of that key, which
produced "various tropical fruits and
excellent sweet potatoes," detailed in
John Viele's book "The Florida Keys: A
History of the Pioneers"
Happy Jack avoided convention and
civilization, explaining to a large degree
why he had become one of the first three
pioneers of Sugarloaf Key. Originally a
sailor and later part of a band of brothers
that included Jolly Whack, Paddy Whack
(no give a dog a bone?) Red Jim and Lame
Bill, Happy and his group were content to
meander all through the Lower Keys and
Paddleboard/kayak adventures
UNRIVALED quality, commitment and satisfaction every time!
81681 Old Highway, Islamorada, FL 33036
DEER NIBBLER
Key deer nibbling
on local crops
ultimately led to
Happy Jack's demise.
live off the land.
While little is known about the group,
one thing was documented: They shared
in their love of whiskey and the only
place to score their liquor was in the
more bustling Key West, a 20-mile sail
away. As rumor has it, Happy and his
crew reluctantly turned to traveling
SWIM WITH THE FISH
sailors to fetch their whiskey from the
Southernmost City. Upon the sailors'
return, Happy would pay them with a
gold coin.
No one knows where the gold coins
came from and many were deeply
curious about both their origin and
just how large a supply of these coins
CGC #A57773
Happy Jack possessed. Friend and
neighbor William Baker, one of few
close to Thompson, had long been
considered the only one to have learned
the whereabouts of the coins. But even
though Baker had sought the hiding
place of the coins, Thompson never
revealed it and even took great care to
avoid detection when he would secretly
go off in the woods to retrieve payment
for those helpful sailors.
Happy Jack's death in 1858 was
essentially by his own doing.
1-866-726-8259 • SantaMariaSuites.com
1401 Simonton Street • Key West, FL
As is the case today, the Lower Keys
were populated by indigenous deer
that would often nibble on local crops.
To protect those crops, Happy Jack built
a 19th Century version of a trip-wire SMS007 Ad 4C 3.5938x2.3282 1
booby-trap, traps that were essentially a
string connected to a gun, with the string
stretched across the deer trail.
Forgetting exactly where the traps had
been set, Happy Jack and William Baker
Idania B. Lizano
accidentally tripped the string while
Mortgage Banker
walking one day. Even though both men
NMLS: 346368
were hit, and despite a heroic effort on
Cell: 321.914.5159
Baker's part to transport Thompson by
Fax: 888.222.2747
boat to Key West for treatment, Jack's
9300 S. Dadeland Blvd.
[email protected]
injuries were far more significant and he
Suite 500
www.fembi.com
Miami, Florida 33156
eventually died from those wounds.
Story remains and historical facts are
scant regarding Happy Jack's life and
death. The death records at St. Paul's
Episcopal Church in Key West have the
following entry that reads, "May 2, 1858
'Happy Jack' name unknown about 60
years old." Supposedly, there was a
[email protected]
tombstone in the Key West Cemetery,
long since disappeared, that read, "Died
by accident, John Thompson, May 1st,
1858, a native of England."
Upon Jack's death, many, including
descendants of William Baker, would
scour what is known today as Happy Jack
Key, looking for the purported gold coins.
Happy Jack's treasure was never found.
GET AWAY, GET IT ALL.
For a Purchase or Refinance,
6/26/13
Call Your Hometown
Mortgage Banker
Let's go Fishing!
A Keys Resident for 35 Years
Paddle yourself to a better place.
Enjoy paddleboard and kayak rentals and eco tours
from one of our 2 locations. See wildlife up close,
cruise down a mangrove tunnel or hang out
in the bay and just relax. Our 2 locations
guarantee the best conditions for your paddleboard
or kayak experience. Also available: Eco tours,
sun set cruises, and paddleboard yoga.
Prices as low as $20 for fun on the water!
PADDLE! the Florida Keys/PADDLE 88
90773 Old Hwy. Tavernier
88000 Overseas Hwy Islamorada
(305) 434-5930
www.paddlethefloridakeys.com
Experience the Florida Keys
Newest Attraction.
Swim with the fish...
Feed the sharks...
Meet the rays...
Touch small sea creatures.
Fun for all ages!
Open 7 Days a Week - 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Aquarium Encounters
11710 Overseas Hwy - MM 53 - Marathon
(305) 407-3262
www.FloridaKeysAquariumEncounters.com
The 73’ Marathon Lady offers the finest
Party Boat Fishing in the Florida Keys!
Our crew is famous for their courtesy
& friendly assistance in helping
YOU CATCH FISH!
Locally Owned & Operated since 1958!
SNAPPER ~ GROUPER ~ MACKEREL
Marathon Lady Docks
U.S. 1 at Vaca Cut Bridge
Mile Marker 53
Marathon, FL
305.743.5580
www.MarathonLady.net
EARLY RECORD
The 1854 edition of
the Putnam Monthly
was one of the first
American magazines
to chronicle the
Lower Keys.
WE LOVE FEEDBACK!
3:18 PM
ESSENTIALS
Mermaid
TALES
Participate: $25 for an hour long class at Hawk's Cay Resort on Duck Key (tails and fins are provided). Or
dive-in and purchase your own tail for $109. Visit www.TheMermaidAcademy.com for full details.
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unwind | May 2015
RENOVATE
Whether sirens or selkies, The Little Mermaid or Splash — these mythical creatures have always intrigued
and captivated sea lovers. Seriously, what Keys kid hasn't dreamt of propelling themselves through the
water with a monofin and tail? Now those dreams can be realized with The Mermaid Academy at Hawk's
Cay Resort—where they fulfill the fantasy of transforming people young and old into a mermaid, merman
or shark (they've even had a 92 year-old great great grandmother participate). Participants learn the
proper way to swim, stand and land while diving for treasure and navigating through hula hoop courses.
MAINTAIN
The Mermaid Academy
BUILD
REPAIR
DESIGN
MAINTAIN
We Create and Maintain Your Tropical Paradise
(305) 367-2005
1A Barracuda Lane Key Largo, FL
www.reeftropical.com
May 2015 | unwind
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