The 200th anniversary of Key West’s first permanent settlement will be marked by a series of events commemorating March 25, 1822, when U.S. Navy Lieutenant Matthew Perry raised the American flag over the island and established U.S. sovereignty over the Keys.
Key West’s bicentennial festivities run March 19–30 and feature several public programs and historical presentations. A highlight is the Key West Maritime Historical Society’s donation of Perry’s original logbook, which records his voyage to the island aboard the U.S.S. Shark. The logbook will be placed in permanent safekeeping at the Monroe County Public Library’s Florida History Department in Key West.
© Key West Art & Historical Society
Events include a re-enactment of Perry’s flag-raising ceremony at Mallory Square. Ceremonial activities will also feature the dedication of a granite time capsule intended to be opened in 50 years, and the selection of four local children who will serve as youth ambassadors for Key West’s 250th anniversary.
A free outdoor screening of the documentary Key West: Come as You Are: 200 Years of History and Culture is set for the Fort East Martello Museum on South Roosevelt Boulevard. The film offers a cinematic look at two centuries of island life, culture and transformation.
The bicentennial is also the focus of the ongoing Key West 200 exhibit at the Key West Art & Historical Society’s Custom House Museum, on display through Dec. 11. The exhibit brings together rarely shown artifacts that trace the island’s industries and commerce, migration patterns, transportation, architecture, cultural life and community development. It places local milestones such as the Civil War, the Great Depression and World War II in the context of Key West’s evolving story.
© Key West Art & Historical Society
Additional programs scheduled through March and year-round include monthly film screenings at Tropic Cinema spotlighting movies shot in Key West, guided historic and architectural walking tours, public lectures and presentations, and harbor tours that explore the island’s maritime heritage.
Together, these events and exhibits aim to celebrate Key West’s rich history, preserve important artifacts and engage residents and visitors in the ongoing story of the island as it moves beyond its bicentennial year.