Key West is an idyllic town rich with history, colorful people, spectacular sunsets and stunning architecture.

Pirates inhabited the island until they were driven out by the U.S. Navy in the early 1800s. Thereafter, a flood of Bahamians, Southerners and transplanted Northerners migrated to Key West. Many of those early settlers pursued wrecking ships and salvaged their cargoes. The career was so profitable that one wrecker, a Bahamian named William Curry, is said to have earned as much as a million dollars, making him Florida's first millionaire.

From the 1850s to the 1880s, Key West's economy underwent a number of changes and by 1890, Key West was touted as the wealthiest city in the nation. Key lime, tamarind, breadfruit and pineapple farms flourished and fishing, shark processing and sponge harvesting became big business in the Keys. Cigar makers from Cuba established factories in Key West and railroad tycoon Henry Flagler built an overseas railroad that delivered rich tourists from the North. However, Flagler's railroad eventually was swallowed by the ocean in a ferocious hurricane and the city went bankrupt in the Great Depression.

Key West made a comeback in the late 1930s with the construction of The Florida Keys Overseas Highway. This unique set of bridges reopened the gates of tourism and of prosperity. The year 1949 marked the beginning of the island's lucrative commercial pink shrimp harvesting industry.

Today, the gold in these islands is the stunning sunshine, beautiful blue seas, diverse residents and unique island culture. More than three million visitors arrive each year. And, for those who still are searching for the good life, or for Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth, or for the millions of dollars in gold that sunk off of the island's coasts, a world of wealth and opportunity awaits.