The Southernmost Point USA

From: Dan F.

Sent: May 4, 2012

To: undisclosed recipients

Subject: Fw: The Southernmost Point USA

I want to visit here this summer.

The Southernmost Point
Possibly the most photographed site in Key West (even though the actual geographic southernmost point in the continental United States lies across the bay on a naval base, where you see a satellite dish), this is a must-see. Who wouldn't want his picture taken next to the big striped buoy that marks the southernmost point in the continental United States? A plaque next to it honors Cubans who lost their lives trying to escape to America and other signs tell Key West history.



A little history...


Cayo Hueso
Key West, ca. 1856
Cayo Hueso (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈkaʝo ˈweso]) is the original Spanish name for the island of Key West. Spanish-speaking people today also use the term Cayo Hueso when referring to Key West. It literally means "bone key". It is said that the island was littered with the remains (bones) of prior native inhabitants, who used the isle as a communal graveyard[7] or that the island was the westernmost Key with a reliable supply of water.[8]
Many businesses on the island use the name, such as Casa Cayo Hueso, Cayo Hueso Consultants, Cayo Hueso y Habana Historeum, etc.
In 1763, when Great Britain took control of Florida, the community of Spaniards and Native Americans were moved to Havana. Florida returned to Spanish control 20 years later, but there was no official resettlement of the island. Informally the island was used by fishermen from Cuba and from the British Bahamas, who were later joined by others from the United States after the latter nation's independence. While claimed by Spain, no nation exercised de facto control over the community there for some time.