Key West
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| The Cuban-American community has contributed a lot to shape the cultural and the political growth of Key West and the Florida Keys, with language, food, music, dance, and more.. The Cubans may have been the very first settlers in Key West. The very first Cubans to come to The Florida Keys were fishermen, who fished in the waters more then 100 years before the permanent settlers. The first Cubans to actually immigrate to Key West were cigar makers, who worked at a small cigar factory, set up by William Wall in 1831. By the early 1870s the community expanded enough to have a newspaper, El Republicano, and San Carlos Hall was built for education, meetings and plays. In 1876 Key West elected a Cuban Mayor, and in 1884 a Cuban was elected to state legislature. This was a reflection of the growing Cuban community. Key West was home of planning, raising funds, and organizing for unsuccessful revolts in Cuba, from the 1800s to 1898 up to the Spanish American War. In 1892, Jose Marti came to Key West, to organize the Cuban Revolutionary Party. The "filibusters" a secret expedition was to carry arms, troops, and ammo to Cuba. Following this in 1892 many Cubans went back to their homeland. Many of them became important in anew Cuban government. |
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San Carlos Institute Founded in 1871 by Cuban exiles, the San Carlos Institute was established to preserve the language and traditions of the Cuban people. Dubbed "La Casa Cuba" by legendary poet and patriot Jose Marti, the San Carlos Institute helped unite the Cuban community in Key West. It operated as an integrated school until the mid 1970s. The Institute was reopened on January 3, 1992... One Hundred years to the day after Jose Marti's first visit. Today the San Carlos Institute is a Museum, Library, School, Art Gallery, Theater, and Conference Center. Located in Old Town Key West: 516 Duval St. Key West 305-294-3887
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Key West / Cuban Cigars William H. Hall founded the very first cigar factory in the United States in 1831. For more then 70 years the cigar factory contributed greatly to the economy of Key West. The factory was located between Duval and Fitzpatrick Streets. The business ran successfully until its fiery fate in 1857. Due to the Cuban revolution from Spain, many Cuban cigar makes moved to Key West and imported Cuban Cigars, the first was Vincent Martinez Ybor, who moved his business from Havana, Cuba to Key West with a lot of success. He names his cigar factory "El Principe De Gales." This was followed by a number of other Cuban cigar businesses popping up around the island. By 1876 there was 29 factories with about 2,100 employees. Today the cigar business is one of the most profitable in Key West. And is one of Key West, claim to fame. |
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