Architecture
How to read a Key West house
Cigar maker’s cottages, Bahamian-influenced conch houses, Classical Revival homes and the eyebrow house: what Key West’s historic house styles tell you about a property and its renovation.
By Kate Baldwin, Key West native ·
Walk any Old Town street and you’re reading more than a century of island history. Most of these houses were built of wood by local builders for a hot, wet, windy climate, long before air conditioning. Their shapes tell you when a street was built, who it was built for and what owning the house will involve today.
The conch house
“Conch house” is the local name for the island’s traditional wood-frame home, shaped by Bahamian building traditions. Look for houses raised on piers to let air move underneath, metal roofs, louvered shutters and porches built for shade and breeze.
The cigar maker’s cottage
When cigar making was one of Key West’s major industries in the late 1800s, small, simple houses went up quickly for workers. Many are narrow single-story or story-and-a-half cottages set close together. Today they are some of Old Town’s most charming homes, and some of the most carefully renovated.
The eyebrow house
The eyebrow house is a Key West original: the front roofline extends forward over the second-floor windows, shading them like a brow. The design keeps upper rooms cooler, at the cost of a little light and view.
Classical Revival and Victorian homes
Wealthier families built larger homes with columns, wide verandas and decorative woodwork. These are the grand houses of Old Town, and the ones where restoration work is most involved.
What it means if you buy one
In Key West’s historic district, exterior changes go through the Historic Architectural Review Commission (HARC). That protects the streetscape, and it means windows, siding, roofing, additions and even some fences need approval.
Before buying, look at the age and condition of the wood, the piers and foundation, the roof and the electrical and plumbing. Ask which past work was permitted. Kate can connect you with inspectors and contractors who know historic houses.
General information only, not legal, tax, insurance or engineering advice. Rules change; verify the specifics for any property with the appropriate professional.