NOTED HISTORIAN DR. REX CURRY on Bahamian Currys, Curry Key, & Lake Curry

CURRYS IN THE BAHAMAS, CURRY KEY, LAKE CURRY
DOCTOR REX CURRY
Noted Historian Dr. Rex Curry

Noted Historian Dr. Rex Curry on Curry Mansion & Lake Curry, Curry Key, Bahamas Currys, Key West

The Curry family helped settle and develop the Bahamas and Key West when government there was nearly non-existent (read more at the end). Visit the Currys in the Bahama Islands and on Curry Key there http://rexcurry.net/curry-bahamas.html Many of the early residents of New Plymouth Cay and other Bahama Islands migrated to Key West, Florida. They sailed with their Bahama homes on barges in the 1830's. William Curry, Florida's first millionaire, was a 15 year old boy when his family made the move from Green Turtle Cay. As late as 1912, 60% of the residents of Key West were Bahamian seafarers. Key West and New Plymouth fly each others flags to celebrate the Sister City relationship. Key West is the Sister City to New Plymouth, Bahamas. Key West opened a sculpture garden modeled after the Sculpture Garden of New Plymouth.

Curry Building in Nassau Bahamas & Dr. Rex Curry

Curry House Building in the Bahamas

An early Curry residence, the Curry House Building, is located on Shirley Street, Royal Victoria Compound, Nassau, Bahamas.

Enjoy the Junkanoo Festival in the Bahamas. Read about Rex Curry, leader of Fox Town Group Bahamian Junkanoo group in Abaco, Bahamas. http://www.junkanoo.com/junkanoo/leaders/rex_curry.html Festival parades are held here in the Bahamas twice a year, the 1st in January and 26th of December. The parades showcase Bahamian culture in three forms: Music, Art and Dance.

There is controversy about the origin of Junkanoo. Historians have offered differing explanations for the festival's start. The most common explanation is that the word “Junkanoo” comes from the name "John Canoe." According to the Junkanoo website: "John Canoe was an African prince and slave trader operating on the Gold Coast in the 17th century. He was said to have outwitted the English and subsequently gained control of Fort Brandenbury. Therefore, the Dutch and English alike feared him. However, to the slaves, he was a hero and was worshipped and idolized by them. Those slaves who were brought here to the Bahamas kept up this distinct form of worship."

In the 1930’s, sponging was the number one industry in the Bahamas, and probably in Key West. http://rexcurry.net/sponges.html
The government has destroyed conchs in the Conch Republic of Key West. The big secret in Key West is that there are no conch fritters and no conch chowder made from Florida conchs. They are usually imported Bahamian conchs. http://rexcurry.net/ecoconch.html

Curry House & Curry Mansion in Key West with Dr. Rex Curry

Curry House, Key West

Whenever you are in downtown Key West, visit or stay at the Curry Mansion, and tell them Dr. Curry sent you (directions below). Members of the Curry family have lived in Florida since before 1857. You'll love the libertarian lifestyle of the Keys. The Curry Mansion (home of Florida’s first millionaire capitalist) is on Key West's local tour and you can stay there on visits http://rexcurry.net/curry-mansion.html and try to see Curry Key near the Everglades at the south end of Florida. There is a tour of historic Key West that includes the rich history of Curry Capitalists. Enjoy the famous Key Lime Pie as it was first created in the mansion's kitchen at the turn of the century by the Curry's cook, Aunt Sally!

The grand manor was named for William Curry, a penniless Bahamian immigrant who made his fortune reputedly as a salvager -those heroic fellows who rescued shipwrecked travelers in Florida's pirate-infested waters around the Bahamas and Key West. It was an example of private police and rescue. After moving from the Bahamas Islands, Curry attained status as Key West's first millionaire and began building the Mansion in 1855.

In addition to the Curry Mansion, Key West also boasts the historic Curry House at 806 Fleming Street. The Curry House is a Bed and Breakfast. The house was built in New Plymouth, Bahamas and shipped to Key West.

Whenever you are in Tampa, Florida be sure to enjoy Lake Curry in the upscale River Grove neighborhood. http://rexcurry.net/Curry-Lake.html

RexCurry.net maintains articles by the noted historian and anarcheologist whose predecessors helped develop Key West back when Florida’s government was nearly non-existent.

Articles on Anarcheology http://rexcurry.net/anarchaeology.html

How government destroyed Conchs in the Conch Republic (Key West) http://rexcurry.net/ecoconch.html

How government is destroying reefs in Key West http://rexcurry.net/reefs.html

How to best serve Key West and the Everglades http://rexcurry.net/everglades.html

Key Lime Pie from the Curry Mansion & Dr. Rex Curry

Support the study of Key West Capitalism and Key West Capitalists and preserve economic freedom for the Conch Republic.

The architectural details of the Curry Mansion are common to wreckers, incorporating elements of many ports-of-call: the widow's walk of New England, the ornate trellises and balustrades of New Orleans and the columns and colonnades of the Deep South. Curry's son Milton completed the Mansion in 1899, furnishing it with the 18th-century antiques and Victorian pieces gracing the parlor today.

The imposing entry is paneled in bird's-eye maple, handwrought spindles and Tiffany glass sliding doors. A formal dining room is staged with Haviland china and faux replicas of the Curry family's original solid-gold Tiffany flatware. An 1853 Chickering piano, reputedly most recently of Henry James's Newport home, sits in the music room.

The Curry Mansion Inn is adjacent.

Nestled alongside the original 1899 Curry Mansion, the Inn offers 28 elegant, romantic rooms. Most open onto a sparkling pool and are surrounded by the lush foliage of the Curry Estate. The Inn was voted - The Best Bed and Breakfast in Key West in 1996, as well as one of the nation's top ten Bed and Breakfasts by INNovations' National Network Services.

The Curry Mansion Inn is at 511 Caroline Street Key West, FL 33040
Phone: 1-800-253-3466 or 305-294-5349 or Fax: 305-294-4093

IN THE BAHAMA ISLANDS ---
Abaco Beach Resort / Boat Harbour Marina
P.O. Box 511
Marsh Harbour, Abaco, Bahamas
No. of Rooms: 58
Manager: Terry Curry
Phone: 242-367-2158, 800-468-4799 (U.S.)
Fax: 242 367-2819

Grand Cay
Island Bay Front Hotel
c/o Walker's Cay Hotel
Walker's Cay, Abaco, Bahamas
No. of Rooms 15
Manager: Roosevelt Curry
Phone: 242-359-4476, 242-359-4990 (via Operator)

Curry Hammock State Park http://rexcurry.net/curry-hammock-state-park-us1nb-upper-florida-keys.jpg Curry Hammock State Park

Curry Hammock State Park http://rexcurry.net/curry-hammock-state-park-us1nb-upper-florida-keys.jpg Curry Hammock State Park

U.S. 1 ventures into Curry Hammock State Park on Fat Deer Key. Curry Hammock boasts stands of mangrove trees and palms along a group of small islands east of the Marathon built-up area.

TIMELINE
1902 An explosion destroys the Curry and Sons Ice and Electric plant.

1896 William Curry, a Key West wrecker and merchant, dies as Florida's richest man.

1853 William Curry builds the first marine railway in Key West capable of hauling large craft. Sand Key Light, the second lighthouse constructed of iron screw pilings, is completed.

1848 First house arrives from the Bahamas. The home was built on Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas and brought to Key West aboard a ship. Another hurricane washes away Sand Key and destroys the new lighthouse and the lightkeepers quarters.

1843 The first big fire in Key West history starts in F. A. Brown's Warehouse. Brown was a successful wercker and merchant and a partner of William Curry. Key West's first fire engine is ceremoniously pushed off a pier after it fails to pump water needed to put out a fire at Brown's Warehouse.

1829 First Post Office in the Keys. Mail is delivered about once a month from Charleston, SC. Key West's oldest house, now the Wreckers Museum is built for Richard Cussans of Nassau, Bahamas, by ship carpenders. Key West is first platted by William Whitehead.

1828 Island of Key West is incorporated as a city. Federal court is established in Key West.

1824 United States Marines arrive in Key West.

1823 Monroe County is created and named after President James Monroe.

1822 John W. Simonton purchased Key West from Juan Pablo Salas for $2,000. Lieutenant M. C. Perry arrives in Key West aboard the USS Shark to take possession for the U. S. Government. The U. S. S. Alligator, a 12 gun schooner, runs aground on Caryford Reef. The crew tried to refloat the ship, but failed. They finally burned the ship and allowed it to sink on Alligator Reef.

1820 The first female English settler, Ellen Mallory, arrives in Key West.

1819 The United States establishes a territorial government in Florida.

1818 John Whitehead, one of the original owners of Key West, visits the island for the first time. Fishermen construct a settlement on Key Vaca.

1815 Key West is granted to Juan Pablo Salas by Don Juan de Estrada.

1783 England is unable to maintain a presence in the area and Spain reclaims Key West. In 1984, Taylor reports the occurrence of historic resources in the form of olive jar sherds, pottery, and copper Curry Key and Bradley Key, in Florida Bay. These were most likely left by early Spanish explorers.

1770 H. M. S. Carysford runs aground at Carysfort Reef. The ship sustained little damage and was able to sail away.

1763 England invades Cuba and Spain trades Florida for Cuba.

1748 H. M. S. Fowey runs aground off Cape Florida.

1744 H. M. S. Looe, a British warship, runs aground on Looe Key.

1733 The Spanish Plate Fleet encounters a hurricane off the Keys. At least 18 ships are lost.

1700 The Henrietta Marie, an English slaver sinks in the Keys.

1622 The Neustra Senora de Atocha, the flagship of the Spanish treasure fleet, sinks off the Marquesas Keys with tons of gold, silver and gems aboard.

1513 Ponce de Leon Sailed past the Keys, but did not go ashore. He called them Los Martires.

Curry Key, Florida http://rexcurry.net/curry-key-florida-rex-curry-rexcurrdotnet.JPG Curry Key, Florida

Curry Key, Florida Keys, Rex Curry Kinfolks

Curry Key, Florida http://rexcurry.net/curry-key-florida-rex-curry-rexcurrdotnet.JPG Curry Key, Florida
Curry Key, Florida http://rexcurry.net/curry-key.JPG Curry Key, Florida

Curry Key, Florida Keys, Rex Curry, Kinfolks, Key West

Curry Key, Florida http://rexcurry.net/curry-key.JPG Curry Key, Florida

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