Apr 18, 2026
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