The Cigar Man and The Bartender

Given that it lives on Key West, we should not be surprised that the Old Customs House comes with a story. This one involves too many fireplaces, not enough toilets, and a cigar-maker and a bar owner who probably should have stuck to cigar-making and bartending.

During the 1800's, Key West had become the most lucrative port in the state, producing more revenue than all of Florida's other ports combined. Consequently, in 1885, it was decided that a proper customs house should be built.

The U.S. Government awarded the project to the local firm of McDermott and Higgs, who promptly set to work building the foundation. Three years in, however, they hit a snag one night when McDermott got drunk and began running his mouth in a local bar. Before the night had ended, McDermott had handed over a large chunk of the building contract to the owner of the bar, a man named George Martin.

This did not sit well with McDermott's partner, Mr. Higgs, who promptly reported the whole sordid mess to officials in Washington, the end result of which was that the entire project was yanked from McDermott and Higgs and handed over to a local cigar maker named Augustine del Pino.

Adding insult to injury, del Pino gave the job of construction supervisor to the aforementioned owner of the bar - George Martin. Over the objections of the local U.S. official on the island, who predicted trouble and pointed out that a proficiency with cigars and booze was hardly a satisfactory prerequisite for municipal construction, the project forged ahead. (Welcome to Key West.)

And then they discovered that the building had no toilets and too many fireplaces.

Nevertheless, here we stand today, 132 years after they managed to drag the thing across the finish line. These days, the beautiful Richardsonian Romanesque brick building is one of Key West's most famous icons. It is also now home to the Key West Art and History Museum, and a favorite stop for tourists.

In true island fashion, it looks like the cigar man and the bartender had the last laugh after all.