A Look Back at Fiesta Key Island

Fiesta Key is an island in the Florida Keys connected via Causeway to US 1 at mile marker 70, where it was first recorded as Jewfish Kay in the 1870s.

In 1934 as part of FDR’s New Deal job program, World War I veterans were brought to the Keys to build a series of concrete automobile bridges between Lower Matecumbe and No Name Keys. The bridges would replace the automobile ferries navigating the highways water gaps between the upper and lower Keys.   The first bridge project would have connected lower Matecumbe Key to Jewfish Bush key.

The incredibly powerful 1935 Labor Day hurricane ended that plan.   The eye of the category 5 hurricane crossed directly over the island with wind speeds of 200 mph killing almost 500 people throughout the Keys, including 260 World War I veterans working on the Overseas Highway.

With a 18 to 20 ft storm surge an ill-fated rescue train sent to save the vets was swept right off the tracks, wasting away Henry Flagler’s railroad to Key West.

After the hurricane, Leon Goetz began developing the island and called it Goetz Key.   In 1938 when a new and improved Overseas Highway opened the island became directly connected to the mainland.

According to a July 30th 1939 article in the Miami News, Goetz spent $15,000 improving the island by clearing the land and building a harbor, dock and a dwelling.

In 1941 the Miami Herald began advertising the island as Goetz Key, tropical island for sale, the 30 acre Island was priced at $25,000, with a two-story concrete coral-rock house,  deepwater harbor, airfield and a private beach.

The island was sold to the Greyhound Corporation in 1946, where their goal was not just bring tourists to the island for a bite to eat at a bus stop,  but to make the island a tropical getaway destination.

After building a bus terminal and  restaurant capable of seating 125 people, a motel followed and the island was called Greyhound Key.

The little island resort offered boat rentals, charter fishing, shuffleboard and more.   Eventually the Greyhound Corporation sold the island to Campgrounds of America in 1966 and the name was changed to Siesta Key.

Although no longer owned by KOA the place is fantastic.   You can bring your own RV or rent one of theirs, oceanfront cottages, beach bar happy hour, restaurant, saltwater pool, jacuzzi, white sand beach. fishing, snorkeling, whatever you want right off Route 1.