06/09/2026
Why was Key West once one of the richest cities in America?
It wasn’t ci**rs.
It wasn’t tourism.
It was shipwrecks.
In the 1800s, ships sailing through the Florida Reef regularly ran aground on the coral. When they did, local captains known as Key West wreckers raced out to rescue crews and salvage cargo. The business was so profitable that, for a time, Key West became one of the wealthiest cities in the country.
To help prevent wrecks, the government eventually built Sand Key Lighthouse about six miles offshore — a tall iron tower that still stands over the reef today.
It’s one of the most interesting pieces of history sitting just outside Key West.
👉 Read the full story here:
https://f.mtr.cool/llbrxgbwjw
And if you’d like to see Sand Key and the reef from the water…
👉 Book a private charter aboard Still Dreamin’
CasualMondayCharters.com