During the golden age of sail, over 100 ships per day passed by Key West. The waters they were sailing were well known as some of the most treacherous in the world. On average, at least one ship per week would wreck somewhere along the Florida Reef.
The brave wreckers would watch the reef night and day from observation towers (some over 90′ high). They would also patrol the reef in their own small vessels. When a wreck was spotted, the cry of “Wreck Ashore” would echo all over the island as men scrambled to the docks to join the race to the reef. The first man to reach the wreck became the “wrecking master” who controlled the salvage operation and got a larger share of the prize. The goods salvaged from the wreck would later be sold at auction in Key West with the wrecking courts awarding anywhere from 25 to 50 percent of the profit to the wreckers, depending on how dangerous and time-consuming the salvage operation had been.
This Key West Museum combines actors, films and the actual artifacts from the 1985 discovery of the wrecked vessel Isaac Allerton, which sank in 1856.
Join master wrecker Asa Tift and his wrecking crew as he tells the story of how this unusual industry provided for the livelihoods of the early pioneers of Key West. You’ll climb the 65′ lookout tower and learn more about the wrecking industry and what Key West once like.
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