Art of Angela DeRiso

I was born on the island of Key West, Florida on July 24^th, 1984, and that was to be my home for the following decade and a half. It was an incredibly unique childhood compared to that of many others’. I lived by the sea in a culture steeped in rich traditions from the many kinds of people who made their home there. Key West was and is a home to Cuban, Spanish, and Haitian people along with many more from all over the world. At the time, it was a vibrant town with colorful locals and tourists.

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Cuban & Spaniard Roots

Cuba is 90 miles off the coast of Key West, and many of its people have settled there and built close knit communities. Some were refugees escaping from Castro’s regime. There are numerous Cuban bakeries and restaurants that feature many of the dishes I grew up with in my family home. Rish, flavorful food is a hallmark of Cuban cuisine.

My maternal Grandparents were both Cuban and Spaniard. My Grandmother came directly from Cuba as a 13 year old girl with her father, who I believe had dual citizenship at the time. She became a seamstress, and throughout my childhood she made my sister and I costumes by hand. She also taught my how to hand sew to mend sweaters and shirts.

My Grandfather was both Cuban and Spaniard, having some heritage going back to Spain. He served in WW2, and worked for the sheriff’s office, and then post office for many years before retiring.

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The Tropics & The Sea

If you’ve ever lived near a beach or any shoreline, you know the scent of salt and seaweed wafting on the air. Our weather was always mild with a sea breeze coming through. Barely a winter to speak of, just cooler at best during Christmas time. Key West is full of boat captains and their stories, charter boats catering to tourism experiences with either the reef, dolphins, or historical sites.

The Florida coral reef stretches 350 miles up the coast, boasting up to 40 species of coral and countless fish and invertebrates. The Keys are home to the only barrier reef in all of North America. As a child, I went on a field trip on a glass-bottom boat tour of the reef with my Grandfather. I still remember the vivid colors of fish and corals and that beautiful turquoise water. Barracudas hung in the water column like guards, watching us as we stared at them. It was an incredible place to see. That underwater world, ebbing and swaying with the tides, with every form of life you could imagine. I cherish those memories, both for the time I had with my Grandfather and seeing a special piece of the place I called home.

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Historical Sites

The Hemingway House & Polydactyl Cats

This residence was the famous writer Ernest Hemingway’s in the 1930’s, and was the first in-ground pool at the time. Construction involved digging straight into coral, very difficult and expensive. At over 80,000 gallons, it was an immense task to supply freshwater to fill it at the time.

The gardens are filled with tropical flora with Hibiscus flowers, orchids, caladiums, and more. I remember when I was very young walking out on the grounds, but the only thing that stuck out to me were the cats.

Hemingway cats are polydactyl, which means they possess an extra sixth toe on each of their front paws, but sometimes the back paws, too. The cats are thought to be descended from a white six-toed cat Hemingway was given by a ship captain. It’s theorized by some that all the cats in Key West may be descendants from that single cat.

There are nearly 60 cats living on the premises, and they are looked after by the museum staff and a veterinarian. While polydactylism isn’t a breed, it is a mutation that can show up in almost any cat. They come in all colors, sizes, and are generally healthy. They just happen to look like they are wearing mittens.

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Fort Zachary Taylor

Covering a total of 54 acres, the three story fort boasts the largest collection of Civil War canons in the U.S. Named after President Zachary Taylor in 1850, the Fort never saw hostile action during the war. Yellow fever and shortage of materials delayed its construction. It remained in Union hands during the war, and was completed 1866. It had impressive features for its time such as sanitation facilities that flushed with the tide, and a desalination plant. The Fort was utilized again in the Spanish-American War in 1889, where it was modernized to install more sophisticated weaponry. By 1947, the US turned over the Fort to the Navy, to maintain. In 1973, the site was designated a National Historic Landmark.

It’s also a spot I got lost as a young child.

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Southern Most Point

In 1983, a giant colorful buoy anchored to concrete was erected claiming to be the Southern Most Point of the United State. It isn’t, it’s actually Ka Lae of the Big Island of Hawaii. It weighs over 20 tons and has survived countless hurricanes and vandalism. Being born in 1984 myself, it was always a fixture in my mind, and tourists always used it for photo ops, and local merchants set up tables selling conch shells, and other trinkets. Before my time, it was a wooden sign, which was stolen more than once.

Mallory Square

In the 1820’s, Mallory Square was a social and commercial hub of the city. Ships would dock and unload their wares to merchants’ shops, and gossip would abound. In modern day, cruise ships roll in to dock and offload passengers to visit the cafes, gift shops, and events in the Square. Sometimes even military vessels have pulled into Mallory Square on occasion.

There is a man who trains cats to jump through a ring of fire, there is the Key West Aquarium, museums, restaurants, and live entertainment. There are also sunsets that are some of the most beautiful in the world, and people line up to watch the play of sun,color, and clouds. There are plenty photos of these sunsets, but seeing them in person is priceless.

The Key West Aquarium

This place was a big part of my childhood. I went with my family multiple times throughout the years I lived there, and loved seeing all the exhibits they had. The Nurse sharks and Moray eels were two of my favorite residents then.

Opening in 1935, the aquarium was the first open-air aquarium in the United States. Today it houses 250 fish, sharks, and 4 of the 5 sea turtle species native to the area. The aquarium has a touch tank which has sea stars, horseshoe crabs, sea urchins, and more. The facility is home to several sea turtles who can no longer survive in the wild, but help educate visitors on sea turtles and helping to conserve them in the wild. They also participate in conservation programs to help safeguard marine ecosystems that are unique and vital to the Florida Keys.

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Leaving for the Mainland

In 1998, my parents decided to leave for the mainland, as living expenses were increasing and my Grandparents had already moved up to Clearwater. While it was sad to go, I was ready to leave. Many of the places I used to love as a kid had been demolished and paved for condos or townhouses. I’d drifted from childhood friends, and my experience with school was nothing I’d miss. In central Florida, I was introduced to a wider array pf sights including wildlife, places, and people. It was a good change, and it gave my parents and I better opportunities whereas back home they’d dwindled.

While Key West was the place I grew up, it has changed so much I don’t recognize a lot of it. I can recommend visiting if you like unique historical sites, bars, novelty shops, and the sea. Living there is a challenge and many locals have moved out over the years. It primarily functions now as a tourist trap. It makes me sad in a way, but it is a microcosm of what has happened in many island destinations, and Florida in general. Over-development is an issue that can poorly affect locals and the preservation of land.

The locals, the land, and wildlife they depend on are a big part of what makes a place what it is. Unfortunately, it’s a fact that is often overlooked when big decisions are made. I enjoyed remembering and sharing this part of my life, and hope you enjoyed the read. Please share your hometown, as I’d enjoy hearing where other people have grown up.