Duval Street
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Duval Street () is a downtown commercial zoned street in
Key West, Florida Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida, at the southern end of the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Sigsbee Park, Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Islan ...
, running north and south from the
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...
to the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
, just over 1.25 miles in length. It is named for William Pope Duval, the first territorial governor of Florida. Duval Street was designated a "Great Street" in 2012 by the
American Planning Association The American Planning Association (APA) is a professional organization representing the field of urban planning in the United States. APA was formed in 1978, when two separate professional planning organizations, the American Institute of Pla ...
. The beautiful Bahamian and Spanish influenced Victorian Mansions of Duval Street have been well preserved through local preservation efforts starting in the 1960s. On the Atlantic Ocean end of Duval Street there is a mix of early Key West Victorian mansions and bungalows dotting the neighborhood. Art galleries, boutiques, inns and bodegas line the wide sidewalks. Although this end of Duval is more residential and less filled with tourists, the sidewalks still bustle with activity. One block west of the southern terminus of Duval Street is the buoy marker for the southernmost point in the United States; it is close to the Southernmost House, a Victorian mansion built in 1896. A favorite of both
Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Subsequen ...
and author
Ernest Hemingway Ernest Miller Hemingway ( ; July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer and journalist. Known for an economical, understated style that influenced later 20th-century writers, he has been romanticized fo ...
, the building was restored to its formal beauty and opulence with a $3 million renovation in 1996. Duval Street well represents the cultural influence of Key West’s proximity and cultural ties to Cuba. Many Cubans immigrated to the area beginning in the late 1860s. At one time, the many cigar stores on Duval gave the city the moniker "Cigar City USA." There are many pleasant outdoor cafes to enjoy another Cubano influenced product, " Cuban Coffee", which is espresso made from roasted Cuban Coffee beans with a heavy dose of sugar. At the north end, tourists from the cruise ships that dock at the Port of Key West, or Mallory Square, are often seen traversing Duval Street's many shops in the afternoon looking for souvenir trinkets and cheap T-shirts. The streets are congested with Pedi cabs, trollies, bikes, mopeds, cars, and the Conch Train all adding to the touristy feel of this heavily visited end of Duval. Near the northern end of the street is Mallory Square. Historic Mallory Square is the center of Key West’s waterfront. The City of Key West and Duval Street share their beginning along this deep harbor waterfront. On certain nights, the gulf shores of Duval Street often vibrate with a carnival like atmosphere that lasts until dawn and beyond. In fact, the ritual has a name known to tourists and residents as the “Duval Pub Crawl.” Duval is the location of many famous restaurants and bars, including
Sloppy Joe's Sloppy Joe's Bar is a historic American bar in Key West, Florida, located at the corner of Greene and Duval Street since 1937. A frequent haunt of famous writer Ernest Hemingway, it is now home to the annual Hemingway Days celebration and it ...
, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, which is the original, Fogarty's Restaurant, Bar and Bakery, "The Flying Monkeys Bar", The Bull and Whistle, Rick's Cafe and Irish Kevin's bar, Bourbon Street Pub and Aqua. Tour outlets book the “Duval Pub Crawl” activity and provide knowledgeable guidance for the tourist wishing to visit and imbibe at the famous drinking establishments, for a fee. A 1967 National Park Service survey of Historic American Buildings designated 18 buildings as historic. A full six blocks were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. Further protection for this historically significant street has been created through the City’s, “Historic Architecture Guidelines,” approved in 2000, which sets standards for construction on Duval Street. Duval Street is also a neighborhood within the City of Key West. It is defined as the area on either side of Duval Street, and includes the area to the north of Front Street, containing Wall Street, Mallory Square and the Port of Key West.


References

{{Coord, 24.553735, -81.801265, type:landmark_globe:earth_region:US-FL, display=title Neighborhoods in Key West, Florida Roads in Key West, Florida Tourist attractions in Key West, Florida