A Brief History
by Richard Adler
Bryan W. Newkirk was the first developer of Duck Key. He envisioned an island resort community, which would become the “Mecca of the Americas.”
Duck Key was an uninhabited island prior to the 1950s, an island that would be shared between a luxury resort and a secluded residential community. In earlier years there was a salt mining operation in the lowlands area. When Newkirk bought Duck Key it was a jumble of swamp and mangrove trees.
He paid $47,000 for the island and proceeded to spend millions developing it. In the process, millions of yards of fill were pumped onto the site, four miles of canal constructed, and the smaller residential islands within the island of Duck Key were created. In 1952, a wooden bridge connected Duck Key to the mainland and the major dredging and filling began.
Today, Duck Key has 376 homes and 250 lots, 70+ of which are now owned by Monroe County. There are three organizations that work on behalf of our island residents and property owners. In addition to the Duck Key Property Owners’ Association, Club Duck Key is a social club for residents who wish to join, and the Duck Key Security Advisory Board meets to review our security needs and advise the county on security matters.
Duck Key’s Arched Venetian Bridges
Bryan Newkirk Jr., the son of Lucille and Bryan Newkirk, developers of Duck Key and Robert Gene Otto are credited with designing Duck Key’s arched Venetian bridges that grace the canals after travelling through Europe at the father’s direction to look for ideas.
The bridges with their columned ballustrades and matching stonemason-carved railings were originally topped with concrete ornamental urns, pineapples, and baskets of fruits. The beautiful ornamentals seem to get damaged and " lost " from time to time. The Duck Key Property Owners Association replaced 23 of 64 bridge ornamentals in 1972. In recent years the Island Association have put pineapple ornaments on several of the bridges. Three of the four gracefully arched bridges which cross canals of Duck Key have a variety of pineapple ornamentation on bridge ballustrades.
Pineapple ornamentation is a traditionally greeting symbol of welcome. You will find pineapple ornamentation over the entrance to some home doorways and at the entrance gate to Hawks Cay.
Duck Key Beach
Below is an old postcard of Duck Key Beach. Duck Key Beach was an early name given to Duck Key by the developer and the beach faced the Atlantic Ocean. Old time residents of Marathon recall traveling by boat to Duck Key’s beach prior to the island’s development. Early residents of Duck Key crossed the pedestrian bridge to go to the beach.
Truman Bridge
Truman told reporters he planned to stay on Duck Key for two or three weeks or “as long as my money holds out.”
Picture shows President Truman walking with longtime friend Senator John Spottswood to the newly dedicated Truman Bridge on Duck Key.
Agreeing to having his name given to an "appropriate" landmark on Duck Key he said , "It's an honor to me . You're the ones taking the chance." The Truman Bridge spans the waterway separating Indies Island from the residences of Duck Key.
Gene Otto
Gene Otto was also instrumental in the design of the Venetian Bridges connecting the islands of Duck Key. Pictured below is an old 1960s postcard showing the Harbour Island Bridge. The Plantation Bridge can be seen in the background.
The Caribbean theme was the inspiration of Gene Otto, a widely known Key West artist. According to Otto, all the houses were to have "earth-colored tile roofs, with wide overhanging eaves like so many older houses encountered at Key West, Jamaica and other Caribbean islands." The first private residences built all kept to the West Indian architectural theme.
Newkirk formed the Florida Southern Land Company in 1956 and sold stock to raise money for the building of the Indies Inn. The Indies Inn opened in January 1960.
From left to right : Gene Otto, Mitchell Wolfson, Gloria Swanson, and unnamed protege of Swanson
Wooden Bridge at Island Entrance
By 1952 a wooden bridge connected Duck Key to highway U.S. 1 and construction took off with Alonzo Cothron of Islamorada as the principal contractor. The interconnecting canals were the source of landfill.
On January 2, 1953, the million dollar causeway from US 1 to Duck Key was officially opened for vehicle traffic. State Representative Bernie C. Papy was the master of ceremony.
Newkirk was smarter than other developers in the Keys and made all his canals through waterways so they could flush with the tidal changes. He carved out five islands, Indies, Centre, Harbour, Plantation and Yacht Club islands. There are about 10 miles of paved roads and four decorative stone bridges designed by Key West artist Gene Otto.
The Legacy and Spirit of Gene and Anne Otto at The Artist House
"Gene, as friends called him, studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Chicago and the Art Students League in New York before travelling to Europe where he developed a personal style decidedly his own. It was while painting and continuing his studies in Paris that he met Annette Parker, a native of Boston, who was studying music there at that time. They were married in Paris on May 3, 1930. After Anne finished her studies in Paris, the couple moved to New York for several years during which Anne performed at the celebrated Rainbow room at Rockefellar Center as an accomplished pianist. Several years later, the Otto’s moved back to Key West, where Anne dedicated her time to more domestic aspects of life at 534 Eaton Street, their home for the next 40 years. Gene died in 1974, and Anne two years later, but they live on in his art and in their beautiful and beloved house and garden. The spirit and the influence of Gene and Anne and the entire Otto family are still very much a part of the fabric and foundation of The Artist House, and the City of Key West as well. The building, antiques, garden, and “spirit” of The Artist House are a treasure for everyone to enjoy.
Over the years the Artist House has been the focus of several enchanting stories. We can’t vouch for all the stories but they have made the rounds in Key West and around the globe. Every so-called “encounter” was friendly and either involved the “spirit” of Anne or Gene’s stuffed doll and alter ego friend Robert, . . . .”
http://www.artisthousekeywest.com/about/key-west-hotel-history/
Bringing Neighbors Together
The DKPOA exists to maintain the beauty and public usability of the Duck Key Island and its waterways for the quiet enjoyment of its residents and visitors.