Little Torch Key is an island in the lower

Florida Keys The Florida Keys are a coral cay archipelago located off the southern coast of Florida, forming the southernmost part of the continental United States. They begin at the southeastern coast of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and e ...

. U.S. Route 1 (also known as the Overseas Highway), crosses the key at about mile markers 28–29. It is immediately preceded to the northeast by

Big Pine Key Big or BIG may refer to: * Big, of great size or degree Film and television * ''Big'' (film), a 1988 fantasy-comedy film starring Tom Hanks * '' Big!'', a Discovery Channel television show * ''Richard Hammond's Big'', a television show present ...

, and is followed by

Middle Torch Key Middle Torch Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys. It is located between Ramrod Key and Little Torch Key. The southernmost tip of the key is on U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway), at approximately mile marker 28. Like the other Torch Key ...

to the southwest. A small island from Key West, Little Torch Key is home primarily to locals, living and working from

Key West Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island, it cons ...

. The island is also host to visitors who don't mind a commute to the popular destination of Key West. There are a few, but not many businesses on the island, including restaurants and lodging. Like all of the keys in the

Torch Keys The Torch Keys are three islands in the lower Florida Keys, consisting of Little Torch Key, Middle Torch Key, and Big Torch Key. Little Torch Key is the most populated of the three. The islands were named for their forests of Sea Torchwood (''Amy ...

, this key was probably named for the native torchwood tree, '' Amyris elemifera'' L. The north end of the key is the site of a former settlement which was abandoned in 1938 when the highway was relocated. Its most likely claim to fame is as a relatively frequent fishing destination for U.S. President Harry S. Truman. A Reuters story on February 14, 2009, named a resort there as one of the "Top 10 most romantic retreats".

Etymology

Little Torch Key was named after the torchwood tree and is just south of Big Pine Key.

References

{{authority control Islands of the Florida Keys Islands of Monroe County, Florida Islands of Florida