Jacob Housman: The Wrecker King of Indian Key Who Nearly Rewrote Key West History

Brad Bertelli

January 16, 2024 | 9:00am-11:00am

Sail into historic exploration with historian Brad Bertelli aboard the luxury sailing catamaran Argo Navis

On Tuesday, January 16, Bertelli will lead an illuminating morning seafaring excursion presented by Key West Art & Historical Society aboard the luxury catamaran SV Argo Navis, departing from the dock at 0 Margaret Street at 9:00 a.m. and returning at 11:00 a.m.

Passengers will enjoy Bloody Marys, mimosas or non-alcoholic beverages along with lite breakfast fare as Bertelli explores some of the first New Englanders who settled in Key West.  One of those to arrive was Jacob Housman who historically ruffled the feathers of Key West’s elite, including the collector of customs and future mayor Fielding A. Browne.  In 1825, Browne attempted to have Housman arrested for breaking wrecking protocols. Housman’s response, published in the East Florida Herald, cemented animosities between Housman and the good people of Key West until he died in 1841. For a decade, he worked to create a competing wrecking village at Indian Key and to have it declared a port of entry. Had the Wrecker King of Indian Key been successful, it would have altered the course of Key West’s history.

This project is sponsored in part by the Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture and the State of Florida, with additional support provided by The Helmerich Trust and S/V Argo Navis.