Key West Cemetery

A horrible hurricane that hit the island of Key West on October 11, 1846 disinterred most of the bodies in the original burial ground near Higgs Beach. So, a new location on higher ground in the center of Key West was chosen.  This area is called Solares Hill, and it is the highest point on the island. The new graveyard is located in a little residential area in Old Town on the appropriately names Passover Lane.

The cemetery sits on about 19 acres. There are approximately 100,000 people of all religions and walks of life buried here.  There is a Catholic section and a Jewish section of the Key West Cemetery. In addition, there are also memorials for the USS Maine and for those that fought in the Cuban Revolution.

The rich ordered huge stone monuments and grave markers. The poor have nothing more than a small tile. Some of the headstones are quite humorous with lines like, “I told you I was sick.” These markers are all a great example of the diversity of the island as well as its rich history. Today, there are about 100 residents a year interred here.

The Historic Florida Keys Foundation provides preservation services for the Key West Cemetery. And, the staff offers walking tours for visitors twice a week. Reservations are required. These tours raise funds for the preservation of the cemetery. However, you can also tour it on your own. The cemetery is open daily from 7 am to 7 pm in the summer and from 7 am to 6 pm in the winter. The cemetery’s main entrance and Sexton’s office are found at the corner of Angela and Margaret Streets.

The Key West Cemetery is also one of the stops on the Old Town Trolley tour.

For more information about things to do and see in Key West visit www.gotothekeys.com.

Island Genn – Your Key West Concierge

Island Genn

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