Southernmost point buoy, Painted concrete monument in Key West, Florida
Southernmost Point Buoy is a large painted concrete monument standing at the corner of South Street and Whitehead Street in Key West, Florida. The buoy-shaped structure rises approximately 12 feet (3.7 meters) tall and spans about 7 feet (2.1 meters) wide, with colored stripes in black, red, and yellow.
Key West city authorities erected this permanent concrete marker in September 1983 after earlier wooden signs at the site were repeatedly removed or damaged. The buoy became one of the most photographed locations in the Florida Keys.
The marker displays painted text reading 90 miles to Cuba, reminding visitors of the geographic closeness between the American mainland and Caribbean territories. Local vendors often set up nearby, selling souvenirs that reference this southernmost location.
Visitors form long queues throughout the day to take photos in front of the marker, with many people offering to photograph one another. The street corner sits near several parking areas and remains within easy walking distance from downtown Key West.
A small cement telegraph hut stands directly beside the buoy and once housed an underwater cable that connected Key West to Havana beginning in 1921. This link played an important role in communication between the United States and Cuba before modern technology became widespread.
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