June 26, 2019 – (Key West, FL). Get happy with the historian and learn the story of the Custom House
Raise a toast to Key West history with Key West Art & Historical Society Curator Cori Convertito, Ph.D., on Wednesday, July 10 from 4:30pm to 5:30pm during her popular “Happy Hour with the Historian” program at the BottleCap Lounge, 1128 Simonton Street, Key West. Enjoy a complimentary beer, wine or well drink while Convertito presents on the evening’s topic, “Custom Made: A History of the Custom House.”
Among the most architecturally significant buildings in Florida and a superb example of Richardsonian Romanesque Architecture (and the only one of its kind in the Keys), the Custom House was not always a museum. Completed in 1891 as a centerpiece of federal authority in the State of Florida, it originally housed the Collector of Customs, the Postal Service, Federal Courthouse and the Lighthouse 7th District Office, serving as Key West’s nerve center.
Now home to two floors of exhibits, the Society’s headquarters, and a collection of 30,000 archival documents and objects, its formidable history will fascinate and underscore the importance of its preservation.
Happy Hour with the Historian is limited to 60 attendees; reserve your spot now at kwahs.org/events— $8 for KWAHS members, $10 for non-members. For more information,contact Cori Convertito, Ph.D. at 305-295-6616 x112 or cconvertitofarrar@kwahs.org. Your Museums. Your Community. It takes an Island. (Image courtesy Key West Art & Historical Society).