Fogarty Mansion (Fogarty House) facts for kids
The Fogarty House is a beautiful old home in Key West, Florida, United States. You can find it at 227 Duval Street. It's so important that it has its own special sign, Key West Historic Marker 18.
Contents
The Story of the House
Building a New Home
The first house on this spot was built in 1875 by Charles Curry. Sadly, this original house was destroyed in a big fire in Key West in 1886. But Charles Curry didn't give up! He rebuilt the house in 1887, and that's the building we see today. Charles was the son of William Curry, a very important person in Key West. Many of William Curry's children built large, fancy homes, just like this one.
The Fogarty Family's Mark
After Charles Curry passed away, the house was bought in 1900. It was a wedding gift for his daughter, Corinne, from her husband, Dr. Joseph Norman Fogarty.
Dr. Fogarty is the person the house is named after today. He was the mayor of Key West for six years. He was mayor when the amazing Overseas Railroad first connected Key West to the Florida mainland in 1912. This railroad was a huge deal for the island! Dr. Fogarty was a well-known and important person in Key West. He often used his home to host special events.
For example, in January 1912, he held a big party for Henry Flagler. This party celebrated the completion of Flagler's Overseas Railroad. Later that year, in December, Dr. Fogarty hosted William Howard Taft. Taft was the President of the United States at the time. He stopped in Key West on his way to see the Panama Canal. Another former president, Grover Cleveland, also visited the Fogarty House.
What the House Is Today
After the Fogarty family was no longer there, the house started to get old and worn out. But in 1971, John and Dolly Dedek bought it. They lovingly restored the house and turned it into a restaurant called the Fogarty House 1875 Restaurant.
Today, the historic house is home to Fogarty's Restaurant and the Flying Monkeys Saloon. Inside the Flying Monkeys Saloon, you can see a unique artwork. It was created by a famous Key West artist known as Captain Outrageous.
