Hemingway, Key West

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Shortly after he left Paris, legendary American author Ernest Hemingway decided to settle in Key West, Florida. In 1931, he bought one of the island's most sumptuous villas, located at the heart of downtown Key West, where he moved with his second wife Pauline and their two sons. He stayed there until the couple got divorced in 1940 (Hemingway's second marriage was not a happy one), at which point he decided to move to Havana.

Over the past few years I've had the chance to visit quite a few Hemingway-related sites around the world, so of course the first thing I wanted to do when we got to Key West was to visit his house. As it turns out, the visit was incredibly interesting. Our guide was a great story-teller and his enthusiasm was quite contagious! Even those who aren't familiar with the author will appreciate the architecture of the house, the lovely gardens that surround it, and of course the house's numerous cats! There are about 40 cats currently living freely on the estate, most of which are polydactyl (six-toed) cats, which is how we know they are descendants of Hemingway's own beloved Snowball. Another architectural feature that's worth mentioning is the garden pool, which was built at the astounding cost of $20,000 by Pauline, who pretty much spent her husband's entire fortune - without him being aware of it - seeing the project through. Hemingway fans also won't want to miss the chance of seeing the author's private study, which features several pieces of furniture that belonged to Hemingway, including an old typewriter. Even though the years he spent in Key West were some of the least prolific of his career, Hemingway did write the novel "To Have and Have Not" while he lived there.

The Ernest Hemingway home is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Admission is $12.50.

there is a beach by the Marriott hotel ,section is private the other farther is public. Snorkeling abound see the tourist office.
Earnest Hemingway house is very nice,and full of history. There is a small aquarium too. Mallory sq is nice, and the little train ride gives you an overview of all. Mel Fisher wreck is nice too,here is the official tourist site
http://www.fla-keys.com/keywest/

hope it helps, great area, used to go there on weekends while living not too far in FLA

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The house where Hemingway lived for about 10 years, is one of the most popular must sees. Make sure to book a guided visit. The house is not that old, nor special, but if you have a good guide, he tells some funny anecdotes, which makes the visit very enjoyable.
Typical are the numerous cats who are living in and around the house. People can pet them, but are not allowed to pick them up cause they are protected. They sleep on the bed, in the bathroom, on the pathways… they rule the house. Several are descendants of Hemingway’s polydactyl (six toed) cat. Very cute!

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Ernest Hemingway lived (and wrote) in Key West for over ten years from 1928. He called Key West home and took great please in and on the turquoise waters. Visiting his house is like taking a step back in time and visiting the rooms and gardens is a real pleasure. The house has beautiful wrap-around balcony and verandahs which offer lovely cooling breezes.

Take a walk through the gardens and the house and you will encounter some of the descendants of Hemingway's original cat; a number of these are, like the original, polydactyl (or many toed) so take the time to see if you can spot the ones with extra toes!!

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Built in 1851, Ernest Hemingway lived in this home for eight years, from 1931 to 1939. During this time, Hemingway wrote the final draft to A Farewell to Arms, and his classic short stories The Snows of Kilimanjaro and The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber.

Like the nearby Audubon House, a local sailor named Asa Tift, constructed the house of limestone. It is built on the second highest site on Key West, and its height and solid construction have allowed it to withstand numerous hurricanes. The unique house was the first on the island with indoor plumbing, the first with an upstairs bathroom with running water, and Key West's first swimming pool. Hemingway's wife Pauline bought the house at auction in 1931 for $8,000. Hemingway had the wall constructed in 1935 to ensure his privacy. After Hemingway's death the house and all its contents were sold, and only a single chandelier in the house today can be documented as once owned by Hemingway.

Hemingway was born in Illinois in 1899, and was an ambulance driver for the Red Cross in World War I, which was the inspiration for his work, A Farewell to Arms. Throughout his life he lived in Toronto, Chicago, Paris, Key West, Cuba, Wyoming, and Idaho, and was married four times. He not only served in the First World War, bu covered the Spanish Civil War and World War II as a news correspondent. In 1952, Hemingway won a Pulitzer Prize for his book, The Old Man and the Sea, and in 1954, he earned a Nobel Prize.

It was designated a National Historic Landmark on November 24, 1968.

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The house was built in 1851 by Asa Tift, a marine architect and salvage wrecker, and became Ernest Hemingway's home in 1931. The house still contains the furniture that he and his family used. Legend has it that Hemingway owned the home from 1931 until his passing in 1961. The Spanish Colonial style home was constructed of native rock from the grounds.

The pool at the Hemingway House was the first residential swimming pool built in Key West and at 65 feet long is still the largest. There used to be a diving board at the far end, which is 9 feet deep. The pool is filled from a saltwater well in the old smokehouse, a concrete, fern covered building near the pool. The pool, built in the late 1930's, cost $20,000. This price prompted Hemingway to take a penny from his pocket and press it into the wet cement of the surrounding patio and announce jokingly, "Here, take the last penny I've got!" That penny is still there.

Although we missed the tour we walked through Hemingway's home petting cats on the way. His personal touches still abound throughout the house, many of the unique furnishing are European antiques collected during their stay on the continent. The trophy mounts and skins were souvenirs of Hemingway's African safaris and numerous hunting expeditions out west. The author's presence can still be felt in his studio where he produced some of his most well known works. A very visible and living link to the past are the descendants of Hemingway's cats. The story goes that Hemingway made the acquaintance of a sea captain who owned an unusual six-toed tomcat. Upon his departure from Key West, the captain presented the cat to Hemingway. Today 60 cats that inhabit the grounds still possess the unusual six toes.

The home of famous writer Ernest Hemingway is located here in Key West. He wrote award-winning novels such as "The Old Man and the Sea". On the tour of his home, you will encounter a lot of cats, so make sure you're comfortable being around cats. Otherwise, this is a good museum to visit, especially if you are fond of Hemingway's writings.

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Ernest Hemingway lived and wrote here in the years 1930 - 39. The hurricane proof house on the highest point of the island was built from coral blocks that were cut from the property.
Hemingway bought it for $8,000.
He said: "It’s the best place I’ve ever been anytime, anywhere, flowers, tamarind trees, guava trees, coconut palms...."
It was in the living room that Hemingway worked on: Death in the Afternoon, Green Hills of Africa, To Have and To Have Not, which is about Key West during the depression, For Whom the Bell Tolls and his play The Fifth Column, in addition to many short stories.

The famous author owned the home until his death in 1961, today, his home is open for visitors and a popular spot for those visiting the city.
The house is a Registered National Historic Landmark where you can see among others an original Picasso, a lot of hunting trophies and some unusual souvenirs from his world travels.
Even if you are not a Hemingway fan, but a cat lover, the place is worth the historical tour at least for the almost 70 cats inhabited the grounds.

Ernest Miller Hemingway, Winner of the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature for his mastery of the art of narrative, most recently demonstrated in The Old Man and the Sea, and for the influence that he has exerted on contemporary style.

Open 9am - 5pm, daily
Admission fee: U$11.00