Surroundings

Dry Tortugas National Park is an archipelago of seven reef islands located around 65 miles southwest of Key West. They were so named by explorer Ponce de Leon due to the number of turtles (tortuga=turtle in Spanish) found on the islands. The "dry" part was added later, referring to the lack of fresh water on the islands. One of them, Garden Key, is home to the 19th century Fort Jefferson, built by the U.S. government to protect and control the Gulf of Mexico shipping channel. The fort operated as a prison for Union deserters during the civil war and also housed Dr. Samuel Mudd who was arrested as a co-conspirator in Abraham Lincoln's assassination. In 1992, George Bush changed the status of the site from the Fort Jefferson National Monument to the current park run by the National Park Service.Boat excursions to the Dry Tortugas leave from Key West.

Mallory Square / Dock, a former warehouse area, is now the location of a nightly sunset-watching ritual with live entertainment. Tourists gather on the dock to marvel at the often-praised sunset, as jugglers, vendors, musicians and other street performers create a carnival-like atmosphere. The area has become one of the tourist highlights of Key West, particularly in the late afternoon. However, at other times visitors may find there is little or nothing going on. Nonetheless, there are shops and other attractions located on and around Mallory Square.

Martello Towers is two brick fortifications, built in 1858 to protect Fort Zachary Taylor from the east. The fort was never completed and never saw hostile action although the eight-foot thick granite walls would have withstood artillery attacks. The central tower provides a spectacular panoramic view of the Atlantic coast of Key West.

Dating back to 1847, the headstones in Key West's cemetery mark the graves of more than 35,000 people. There is a monument to the sailors who died when the USS Maine sank in 1898 and another commemorating the Cuban martyrs who were killed during the 1870's independence movement.

ATTRACTION IS CLOSED.Perkins has items for travel at sea or to set up a nautical theme - brasswork, ships' clocks, models, charts, and books, plus jackets, shorts, hats, and foul-weather gear.