"Papas" house

Sometimes Alan has to humor Bev and do the tourist thing- especially if it involves cats.

 So while on a day trip to Key West they spent some time at “Papa” Hemingway’s House.  www.hemingwayhome.com   

Everyone knows that Hemingway is famous for (among other things, like his books, marriages and larger than life persona.) the six toed cats that lived at his house.  The house is currently home to 40-50 of the polydactyl (six toed) cats, some of whom are reportedly descendants of the original Hemingway cats. 

 

This guy is appropriately sitting on a book about Key West!

 

 

 

 

 Yes we know the signs say don’t touch the cats, but seems some were just naturally attracted to Bev and one even jumped in her lap! 

 

The house was built between 1849 and 1851 by Asa Tift, originally from Groton CT. The estate is 16 feet above sea level and is the second highest point of ground on the island of Key West! Hemingway purchased the property in 1931 for $8,000 for back taxes due to the City.  He and his wife Pauline lived there for 10 years until they divorced and he went to Cuba. Pauline lived there until her death in 1951.  Hemingway died in 1961 and his sons sold the property to a local named Bernice Dixon for $80,000 at a silent auction. In 1968 Bernice moved to another home and the property was opened as a museum and memorial to Hemingway. Her family continues to operate the museum for this National Historical Landmark.    

A unique feature of the property is the pool built in 1937-38.  It was the first in-ground pool in Key West. It is 24ft wide by 60 ft long and 10 ft deep- and was laboriously dug into the solid coral. Very expensive and very unique at the time. 

 

 

The grounds are lush and many of the Hemingway’s furnishings remain in the house.  A nice place to visit for a look back into the life and times of an interesting man- as long as you like cats!  A visit might even encourage you to read (or re-read with a new perspective) some of Papa's books- especially one like "To Have and Have Not" a novel about Key West during the depression.