Wisteria Island facts for kids
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Wisteria Island in the lower Florida Keys, about 600 yards northwest of downtown Key West, Florida
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 Wisteria Island
Location in Florida
Wisteria Island
Location in Caribbean
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Gulf of Mexico |
| Coordinates | 24°34′04″N 81°48′39″W / 24.5678°N 81.8108°W |
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| State | Florida |
| County | Monroe |
Wisteria Island, also called Christmas Tree Island, is an island in the lower Florida Keys. It is owned by the United States government and no one lives there. The island is about 590 meters (645 yards) northwest of Key West, Florida. It is also about 260 meters (280 yards) north-northeast of Sunset Key.
Wisteria Island is about 10.6 hectares (26 acres) in size. Its nickname, Christmas Tree Island, comes from the many Australian pine trees that grow there. Many boats where people live, called liveaboard boats, are often anchored near the island.
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Exploring Wisteria Island's Past
Wisteria Island was formed in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It was created when the U.S. Navy dug up the bottom of Key West harbor. This process is called dredging. The dirt and sand from the dredging were piled up, first creating Sunset Key (also known as Tank Island). Later, more dredging created Wisteria Island.
In 1925, a ship named Wisteria sank and burned near the island. This ship was used by the United States Public Health Service to clean things. Before that, it was a light tender for the United States Lighthouse Service. Even though the ship was later removed, the island kept its name as a reminder.
Early Island Owners
In the 1930s, a state representative named Bernie Papy bought the island from Monroe County for $3,000. From the late 1930s to the early 1940s, the island was home to a "shark camp." This camp grew into a business owned by Thompson Enterprises. They harvested sharks for their skins, which were used to make clothing. These clothes were sold to places as far away as China.
In 1956, Papy sold the island to a group called Wisteria Corp. This group wanted to build shops and homes on the island. In 1967, Wisteria Corp. sold the island to F.E.B. Corporation of Key West. Benjamin Bernstein, a local real estate developer, planned to build homes there. At that time, the island was about 21.5 acres (8.7 hectares). F.E.B. also bought about 150 acres (61 hectares) of the bay bottom around the island from Monroe County.
Efforts to Develop the Island
In April 2007, Roger Bernstein, who owned F.E.B., asked the city of Key West to make Wisteria Island part of the city. The island was then considered part of Monroe County. If it became part of Key West, more homes could be built there because Key West had different building rules.
On May 1, 2007, the Key West City Commission voted to approve this idea for the first time. However, many people in the public did not like the plan. They started gathering signatures for a petition to stop the high-density development. By July 10, 2007, they had collected over 3,000 signatures.
At a meeting that evening, F.E.B. decided to withdraw its request to make the island part of Key West. People who opposed the plan then said they would ask for a public vote in the October 2007 city elections. This vote would show if the city supported stopping the development. However, the idea for the vote was later dropped.
After the development plan failed, Key West Mayor Morgan McPherson suggested that the city buy the island. He wanted to protect it as a natural area. This idea was discussed but eventually put aside.
Who Owns Wisteria Island Now?
In November 2011, the United States Department of the Interior (DOI) announced that the federal government actually owned Wisteria Island. They said the island had been managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for almost 50 years.
At first, the DOI thought the island did not belong to the government because it was made from dredged material, not naturally formed. But later research showed that presidents had signed orders in 1908 and 1924 to save the island for Navy use. Then, in 1962, another order transferred ownership from the Navy to the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Under Florida law, F.E.B. could ask for a refund for the property taxes they had paid on Wisteria Island. However, they could only get back taxes paid for the last two years.
Images for kids
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Wisteria Island in the lower Florida Keys, about 600 yards northwest of downtown Key West, Florida
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Wisteria Island from above, showing its shape and surroundings.
