View source for Key Largo

{{Short description|Island in the upper Florida Keys archipelago}}
{{about|the island|other uses|Key Largo (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox islands
| name             = Key Largo
| native_name      =
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| image_name       = Key Largo, FL 33037, USA - panoramio (3).jpg
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| image_caption    = Key Largo
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| pushpin_map             = Florida#Caribbean
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| pushpin_map_caption     = Key Largo
| coordinates      = {{coord|25.0865|-80.4473|type:isle_region:US-FL_source:OSM|display=it}}
| etymology        = 
| location         = [[Gulf of Mexico]]
| grid_reference   = <!-- UK only -->
| archipelago      = [[Florida Keys]]
| waterbody        = [[Florida Straits]]
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| country         = {{USA}}
| country_admin_divisions_title      = State
| country_admin_divisions            = [[Florida]]
| country_admin_divisions_title_1    = County
| country_admin_divisions_1          = [[Monroe County, Florida|Monroe]]
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[[File:Sunsetkeylargoflotida.jpg|right|thumb|December sunset, Key Largo]]
[[File:Beautiful Florida sunset.JPG|right|thumb|Sunset, Key Largo]]

'''Key Largo''' ({{langx|es|Cayo Largo}}) is an island in the lower [[Florida Keys]] archipelago and is the largest section of the keys, at {{convert|33|mi|km|0}} long. It is one of the northernmost of the Florida Keys in [[Monroe County, Florida|Monroe County]], and the northernmost of the keys connected by [[U.S. Route 1 in Florida|U.S. Highway 1]] (the [[Overseas Highway]]). Three [[census-designated place]]s (CDPs) are on the island of Key Largo: [[North Key Largo, Florida|North Key Largo]] (near the [[Card Sound Bridge]]), [[Key Largo, Florida|Key Largo]] (roughly {{convert|8-9|mi}} from the island's southernmost point) and [[Tavernier, Florida|Tavernier]] (at the island's south end). As of 2020, these three CDPs have a combined population of 16,408. None of Key Largo is an [[Municipal corporation|incorporated municipality]]; it is governed, at the local level, by [[Monroe County, Florida|Monroe County]].

Key Largo is connected to the mainland of [[Miami-Dade County, Florida|Miami-Dade County]] by two routes, the first being the [[Overseas Highway]]—the southernmost portion of [[U.S. Route 1|U.S. Highway 1]]—which enters Key Largo at Jewfish Creek (near the middle of the island) before turning southwest. The second route is via Card Sound Road, which connects to the northern end of Key Largo and runs southeastward, connecting with [[County Road 95A (Escambia County, Florida)|County Road 905]], which runs southwest and joins U.S. 1 at about [[Milestone|mile marker]] 106. These routes originate at [[Florida City, Florida|Florida City]] on the mainland.

Key Largo is a popular destination for many. It has been dubbed the "Diving Capital of the World" as the living [[coral reef|coral reefs]], a few miles offshore, attract thousands of [[scuba diving|scuba divers]], [[fishing|sport-fishing]] enthusiasts and scientific researchers each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flkeys-diving.com |title=All About Diving in the Florida Keys, Florida Keys Scuba Diving |publisher=Flkeys-diving.com |date=1997-07-01 |access-date=2015-06-26}}</ref>

Key Largo's proximity to the [[Everglades]] also makes it an ideal starting point for scientists, [[kayak]]ers and [[ecotourism|ecotourist]]s, among others. Automotive and highway pioneer (and [[Miami Beach, Florida|Miami Beach]] developer) [[Carl G. Fisher]] built the [[Caribbean Club]] in 1938 as his last project.

Key Largo is situated between [[Everglades National Park]] to the northwest and [[John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park]], the first [[underwater park]] in the United States, to the east. The latter state park protects part of the [[Florida Reef]], the only living coral [[Coral reef#Barrier reef|barrier reef]] in the continental United States. Barrier reefs are critical to coastal communities and environments as they are able to dissipate up to 97%<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Coastal Protection - Florida's Coral Reef |url=https://floridascoralreef.org/topics/coastal-protection#:~:text=Because%20of%20the%20reef's%20ability,damage%20and%20loss%20of%20life. |access-date=25 April 2024 |website=www.FloridasCoralReef.org |quote=...Because of the reef's ability to dissipate 97% of wave energy from storms and hurricanes, its conservation is critical to the protection of Florida's coastline and interconnected communities. Florida's Coral Reef buffers adjacent shorelines from wave action and prevents erosion, property damage and loss of life. The reef also protects the highly productive wetlands along the coast as well as ports and harbors and the economies they support. Florida's Coral Reef provides $675&nbsp;million in flood protection benefits to the state each year. The continued protection of Florida's coastline and wetlands is vital.}}</ref> of the oceanic wave forces exerted during [[Tropical cyclone|hurricanes]] and other tropical storms, with the reef serving as a protective buffer against flooding further inland. The barrier reef itself provides over $675&nbsp;million in [[storm surge]] protection annually.<ref name=":0" />

==History==
When Europeans first arrived in the Florida Keys in the 16th century, the area was uninhabited or only sparsely inhabited by indigenous peoples such as the [[Calusa]] and the [[Tequesta]]. The earliest description of the area and its inhabitants was by [[Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda]], a survivor of a shipwreck who lived among the Calusa people from 1549 to 1566.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.pbmnh.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/P._Ferdinando__A_Translation_History_of_Fontaneda__2010.pdf|title=A Translation History of Fontaneda|author=Peter Ferdinando|journal=The Florida Historical Quarterly|volume=89| issue =  2|date=2010|pages=210–251|publisher=Florida Historical Society|jstor=29765167}}</ref> The earliest reference to Key Largo is found on a map prepared in 1639 by Dutch cartographer [[Johannes Vingboons]], in which it is named ''Caio des 12 Leguas'' (islet of twelve [[League (unit)|leagues]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4920.lh000300/?r=0.32,0.02,0.125,0.077,0|title =Map of the complete island of Cuba|website = [[Library of Congress]]}}</ref> Some time later, it was named ''Cayo Largo'' — meaning long islet — by Spanish explorers.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://keys.fiu.edu/gazetteer/00000238.htm |title=Key Largo |date=3 September 2006 |website= |access-date=12 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060903000221/http://keys.fiu.edu/gazetteer/00000238.htm |archive-date=3 September 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1770, Dutch surveyor [[Bernard Romans]] reported that the area was uninhabited, although evidence was found that indigenous people visited the area from time to time.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://digitalcollections.fiu.edu/tequesta/files/1975/75_1_02.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2021-12-12 |archive-date=2020-07-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715051525/http://digitalcollections.fiu.edu/tequesta/files/1975/75_1_02.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> By the end of the [[Seminole Wars#Third Seminole War|Third Seminole War]] in 1858, the area was under control by the United States government, though it remained largely uninhabited. In 1870, a post office was established at "Cayo Largo" (in the current Rock Harbor area). It closed and another was opened called "Largo" in 1881. Additional post offices opened in Planter in 1891 and Aiken in 1895.<ref name= hkl>{{cite web|first=Jerry|last=Wilkinson|title= History of Key Largo|url=https://www.keyshistory.org/keylargo.html|website=Keyshistory.org|publisher=Historical Preservation Society of the Upper Keys|access-date=16 November 2017}}</ref>

The island gained fame as the setting for the 1948 film ''[[Key Largo (film)|Key Largo]]'', but apart from background filming used for establishing shots,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040506/locations|title=Key Largo Filming Locations|publisher=IMDb.com|access-date=2015-06-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://goflorida.about.com/cs/floridakeys/a/keys_keylargo.htm |title=The Florida Keys: Key Largo |publisher=Goflorida.about.com |access-date=2015-06-26 |archive-date=2015-04-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404075339/http://goflorida.about.com/cs/floridakeys/a/keys_keylargo.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> the film was shot on a [[Warner Bros.]] sound stage in Hollywood.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moviediva.com/MD_root/reviewpages/MDKeyLargo.htm |title=Key Largo |publisher=Moviediva.com |access-date=2015-06-26}}</ref>  After the film's success, pressure from local businesses resulted in a change in the name of the post office serving the northern part of the island, from "Rock Harbor" to "Key Largo", on June 1, 1952.  After that, every resident north of [[Tavernier, Florida|Tavernier]] had a Key Largo address and the postmark read "Key Largo".<ref>{{cite web|author=Jerry Wilkinson |url=https://www.keyshistory.org/keylargopage2.html |title=keylargopage2 |publisher=Keyshistory.org |access-date=2015-06-26}}</ref>

==Geology and geography==
The island of Key Largo is an exposed, fossilized remnant of a coral reef formed during a period of higher sea level and then uncovered and eroded during a subsequent [[ice age]]. The highest elevation is a slight ridge forming the spine of the island, which rises to about {{convert|15|ft|m}}.

The island's [[Substrate (marine biology)|substrate]] is called [[Key Largo Limestone]]; in many places, [[fossil]]ized corals are visible at the surface.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mrdata.usgs.gov/geology/state/sgmc-unit.php?unit=FLPSk%3B0|title=Key Largo Limestone|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128203338/https://mrdata.usgs.gov/geology/state/sgmc-unit.php?unit=FLPSk%3B0|archive-date=November 28, 2021|website=USGS|access-date=May 8, 2019}}</ref> Solution holes, which are pockets dissolved in the limestone by acidic rainwater, form shallow depressions in the land. The natural shoreline of the island is generally rocky. A slippery, gray, limestone-based clay called "[[marl]]" is the shoreline and near-shore soil. No natural sand beaches occur on the island. Inland, decomposed vegetation forms a rich, acidic humus soil up to about 6 in (15 cm) thick, topped by "[[leaf litter]]". The soil supports a diverse flora of herbaceous plants, woody shrubs, and hardwood trees.

==Climate==
Key Largo has a [[tropical savanna climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Aw]]). Frost has never been recorded on the island. Key Largo enjoys close to 3,000 hours of sunshine annually.

{|
|-
|{{climate chart
|  Key Largo
| 19| 20| 34
| 18| 19| 78
| 22| 24| 48
| 24| 26| 149
| 24| 27| 274
| 25| 28| 282
| 26| 28| 302
| 28| 28| 213
| 25| 28| 211
| 24| 25| 111
| 23| 24| 95
| 21| 23| 43
|float=left
|clear=left
|source = <ref name = "nasa">{{Cite web|url= http://neo.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/dataset_index.php|title= NASA Earth Observations Data Set Index|access-date= 30 January 2016|publisher= NASA|archive-date= 11 May 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200511075542/https://neo.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/dataset_index.php|url-status= dead}}</ref>
}}
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite news |magazine= South Florida History Magazine |date= 1989 |issue= 3 |last= Lassman |first= Valerie |title= Key Largo letter drop |url= http://historymiamiarchives.org/pdfs/sfh-1989-3.pdf |pages= 12–3 |via= [[HistoryMiami]] |access-date= 2017-11-16 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190412185529/http://historymiamiarchives.org/pdfs/sfh-1989-3.pdf |archive-date= 2019-04-12 |url-status= dead }}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Key Largo, Florida}}
* {{wikivoyage-inline|Key Largo}}
* [http://www.fla-keys.com/keylargo/ Official Tourism Site]

{{Monroe County, Florida}}
{{Florida Keys|state=collapsed}}
{{Florida county seats}}
{{Florida}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Islands of Monroe County, Florida]]
[[Category:Islands of the Florida Keys]]
[[Category:Islands of Florida]]
[[Category:Key Largo| ]]