the conch republic

http://www.miaminicemag.com/images/easyblog_images/508/conch-republic2.jpg

Just some quick fun history:



April 23, 1982. Key West secedes from the United States. Conch Republic. No, for real. Well not for real, but the tongue and cheek protest was over legitimate concerns, a U.S. Border Patrol roadblock and checkpoint, which was a huge inconvenience to residents and really hurt tourism. Obviously, 1982 was crazy in South Florida, between the Mariel Boat Lift and Cocaine Cowboys smuggling, the Border Patrol was set up to search for narcotics and illegal immigrants. Mayor Dennis Wardlow was named Prime Minister, he declared war on the United States, surrendered one minute later, and immediately applied for one billion dollars in foreign aid. From this, the tourism boosting Conch Republic was born.


J.Azze

CulturePatricia Azzeguest editor, history, the keys