Historic Marker Monday: The Forgotten Key West Salt Ponds

Historic Marker Monday: The Forgotten Key West Salt Ponds Host Michele O'Connor introduces the Fun in Key West podcast and, for Historic Marker Monday, explores Key West's largely forgotten 1800s salt-pond industry, when salt was essential for preserving food and enabling trade before refrigeration. Wealthy businessman and shipwreck-auctioneer Richard Fitzpatrick bought about 100 acres of southeast-end wetlands in 1830, built coral-walled drying pans with floodgates, and produced salt through tidal seawater and sun-driven evaporation, yielding typically 15,000–25,000 bushels annually and once 75,000. The venture was highly weather-dependent; Fitzpatrick left after about four years, though others continued until the Civil War disrupted production, which later resumed. A devastating 1876 hurricane washed away 15,000 bushels and effectively ended the industry. The historic marker stands at 2100 Flagler Avenue by Key West High School. 00:00 Welcome to Fun in Key West 01:26 Key West's Forgotten Gold 03:28 Historic Marker Monday Setup 04:45 Why Salt Mattered 06:27 Fitzpatrick Builds Salt Ponds 07:42 How Salt Was Made 09:42 Profit and Weather Risks 13:17 Civil War and Comeback 14:20 Hurricane Ends the Industry 15:08 Marker Location Today 16:07 Why This History Matters 17:29 Where to Learn More 18:47 Final Toast and Subscribe