Historic Marker Monday: How Cayo Hueso Became Key West

Historic Marker Monday: How Cayo Hueso Became Key West Host Michele O'Connor introduces the Fun in Key West podcast and this Historic Marker Monday episode focused on the origin of Key West's name, highlighted by a historic marker near Mallory Square. She explains how the Taíno word "cayo" (small island) passed through Spanish usage and into English as "key," and how "hueso" (bone) made the original Spanish name Cayo Hueso translate to "Bone Island." Michele shares theories for the island's bones, including Native American conflicts, shipwreck victims from the "graveyard of the Atlantic," and fishbone piles, noting settlers found large bone piles in the 1820s. She describes how American mapmakers misheard and simplified the name into "Key West," mentions Spanish speakers still use Cayo Hueso, and promotes self-guided walking tours, a Key West book club reading Pit Bulls in Paradise with an upcoming author interview, and a forthcoming map of historic marker locations. 00:00 Welcome to Fun in Key West 01:27 Historic Marker Monday Begins 01:46 Why Key West Has Its Name 03:39 Mallory Square Marker Hunt 06:10 Cayo to Key Language Shift 07:36 Bone Island Theories 10:05 How Cayo Hueso Became Key West 10:51 Cultural Blend and Fun Facts 13:34 Tours Book Club and Marker Map 16:45 Final Wrap and Next Time