The Unique Literary Legacy of Key West
From Tennessee Williams to Truman Capote, America’s southernmost point has long been a haven for creatives
Key West, the Florida island with the southernmost point in the U.S., has creative roots that run deep. The island became an escape haven for writers and artists beginning in the early 20th century.
Playwright Tennessee Williams said of the island:
“Key West had in those days a very authentic frontier atmosphere which was delightful”… “It’s the only place in this country where it’s warm enough for me to swim every day of the year. The sky is always so clear, and the water’s so blue.” *
Williams lived in a modest cottage, known as his “Tom Thumb cottage” for much of his life after his first visit at the age of thirty. With the construction of the Overseas Highway, the key became much more accessible to visitors in 1941.
There are still remnants of old Key West if you hunt for them. When you stroll its back streets, it’s possible to imagine Williams in a cottage like this one:
