- History of Walker's Key
- By Jerry Wilkinson
-
The author has very little documented
or historical information of
Walker's
Key, also known as Little Conch Key.
The first mention he finds of the use of the name Conch Keys is by F.
W.
Gerdes in his Reconnaissance of the Florida Reefs and All the Keys
in 1849. His quote is "The first islands between Duck Key and Viper Id.
[Long Key] are named Conch Keys." No doubt this included Walker's Key,
or Little Conch Key, which is the smaller Key farther west and shown
more
or less in the center. It was about three (3) acres of size. For a better
chart
of its location, Click Here.
-
- Today's Walker's Island is shown above.
Four extra
acres and a causeway
have been added. The island is about 100 yards oceanside of the highway
at about MM 62.2.
-
- Walker's Island remained public domain
until 1946 when
the state put
it up for sale. Paul Walker purchased it for $6,000 and barged a
cottage
over for a starter home. The Walkers used it as a weekend place until
1951
when he made it his full time residence. Above is a newspaper clipping
photo of the Walker's and man's best friend.
-
- Walker built five cottages to rent and
water pipeline
shown above. His
guests parked on the highway and were ferried to and from the island
with
a barge made of 48 steel drums powered by an outboard motor. Later, a
causeway
with a more permanent water line and electric power were added.
Hurricanes
Donna in 1960 and Betsy in 1965 washed out the causeway.
- Additional information about Walker's Key
is
sought. I do note that J. P. Walker and a Gregory Pappas
are in the 1964 phone book and listed under Marathon. For an address,
Walker is listed as "Walker's Island" and
Pappas "Little Conch Key."
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