Military Influence on Key West History from Early 20th Century to Today

Rodney Richardson, Independent Researcher with Mel Fisher Maritime Museum

February 7, 2024 | 9:00am-11:00am

On Wednesday, February 7, Richardson, an independent researcher with the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, 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 Richardson explores the connections and influence of the military’s presence on the development of Key West and how it contributed to geopolitical events in the Caribbean and beyond. Topics of exploration are the founding of Naval Air Station Key West, Contributions during WWII, Training and Testing events in the 1950s, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Mariel Boatlift of 1980, Counter Drug Interdictions from the 1980s to today, and some cinema trivia regarding military movies filmed on location in the Florida Keys

About the Presenter:

Rodney Richardson, a native Floridan and retired Marine Corps Officer, holds a Masters in Strategic Studies from the Naval War College in Newport, RI and a Masters in Museum Studies from the University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. He currently works at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum as an independent researcher

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.