Thursday, May 2, 2024

Ernest Hemingway Home: His Last Penny & Six Toed Cats

ernest hemingway house in florida

In the bed of the river there were pebbles and boulders, dry and white in the sun, and the water was clear and swiftly moving and blue in the channels. Troops went by the house and down the road and the dust they raised powdered the trees. If you want to impress your friends, you can tell them six toed cats are also known as polydactyl cats. The house was originally built in 1851 in the Spanish Colonial style of architecture popular in Key West in those days. One of the most unique features of the grounds is the two-piece water fountain, the base of which was once a functioning urinal at Hemingway’s favorite Key West bar, Sloppy Joe’s Bar. When the venue moved locations in 1937, Hemingway remarked to the owner that he had spent enough money at the bar to own a small piece of it; in return, he was gifted the colorful, flower-patterned urinal.

The Outbuildings and Property Layout

The house has been preserved with much of its original furniture and artwork, giving visitors an idea of what life may have been like for Hemingway during his time there. It is a reminder of the many works he wrote while living in Key West, including To Have and Have Not, which was largely set in Key West. Nestled in the heart of Key West, Florida, the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum stands as a tribute to the literary giant’s profound legacy.

Our Cats

The town was reinvented by developers as a tourist holiday spot, which was terribly disappointing to Hemingway. The city government of Key West folded up, and control of the town was taken over by the Florida state government. New folks moved in who were inspired to make Key West an attractive tourist destination, bringing their noise, and annoying habits in the process. Ernest also liked to drink hard and sometimes strayed from his marriages when they became strained.

Museum is open everyday.

To construct the first in-ground pool in Key West, solid coral had to be excavated with picks and sledgehammers. The only pool within 100 miles, it measured 24 feet by 60 feet and was filled with 80,000+ gallons of salt water which had to be drilled because there was no running water (at the time). Jerry Joyce has been a Florida resident since 1988 and has lived in a variety of places in the South Florida area.

There he wrote the nonfiction Green Hills of Africa (1935), the novel To Have and Have Not (1937), and the short stories “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” and “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” (both 1936). This house-turned-museum at 907 Whitehead Street, which once brimmed with Hemingway’s creative spirit, now opens its doors daily to the public, offering guided tours and a glimpse into the author’s Key West lifestyle. Within these walls, Hemingway penned literary classics such as “A Farewell to Arms” and “To Have and Have Not,” the latter inspired by the surroundings of the Depression-era Florida Keys. The lush grounds, the preserved living quarters, and the intimate access to Hemingway’s personal artifacts all combine to celebrate the author’s enduring influence on literature and American culture. Ernest Miller Hemingway (/ˈɜːrnɪst ˈhɛmɪŋweɪ/; July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer and journalist. Best known for an economical, understated style that significantly influenced later 20th-century writers, he is often romanticized for his adventurous lifestyle, and outspoken and blunt public image.

ernest hemingway house in florida

Curator, 54 cats riding out Irma in iconic home - CNN

Curator, 54 cats riding out Irma in iconic home.

Posted: Fri, 08 Sep 2017 07:00:00 GMT [source]

“He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish,’’ is the first sentence. In addition to its historical significance, the Ernest Hemingway House also serves as a reminder of one of America’s most iconic authors and his lasting impact on literature. Throughout the year, the museum hosts various workshops and learning events to delve into specific aspects of Hemingway’s works. Scholars and literary experts lead these sessions, fostering a deeper understanding of literary techniques and historical contexts. The property layout includes several outbuildings that serve as functional extensions of the main house. These structures adhere to the home’s Spanish Colonial style and are strategically placed to maintain the integrity of the overall design.

History of the Hemingway Cats

ernest hemingway house in florida

We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future. The paintings, chandeliers, and other architectural details, which have been immaculately preserved over the years, foster a sense that time has magically stood still at the Hemingway house. Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips. One of the six-toed "Hemingway cats" at the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum in Key West. The Ernest Hemingway Home is located in Old Town Key West at 907 Whitehead Street, approximately 0.8 miles from Mallory Square.

The cats with extra toes that you find at the Hemingway Home in Key West are called polydactyl cats. Ernest Hemingway received a white six-toed cat named Snow White as a gift by a ship captain. Some of the cats that live on the ground today are descendants of the original cat.

Upon his arrival in Key West in April 1928, the first order of business was to locate the new Ford Roadster that Pauline Hemingway’s wealthy Uncle Gus had so generously purchased for the newlywed couple. Hemingway continued to travel throughout the 1930s for both work and pleasure. A two-month African safari in 1933 left him dangerously ill but provided both the inspiration for his famed short story “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” and trunks full of animal trophies, put on display in Key West. When Hemingway left to report on the Spanish Civil War in 1937, Pfeiffer decided to surprise him by building a pool, the first to be built on Key West. Hemingway, however, seemed less than pleased by the gesture — furious over the cost (more than $340,000 in today’s money), he threw a penny into the unfinished pool, noting that Pfeiffer might as well have taken his last cent.

When the Cuban revolution erupted in 1959, he moved to Idaho with Mary, where he stayed until his death. He wrote some of his best work, such as “To Have and Have Not” in his studio loft, located on the second floor in the carriage house just behind the main house. As Ernest wrote with pencils, his sister Sunny and his wife Pauline, would type his manuscripts for him. The home was built in 1851 and was lived in by Hemingway and his family from 1931 to 1939. Now a public museum, the two-storey Spanish Colonial house still retains its original limestone façade and reclaimed cheery yellow shutters.

All FHS Members receive our newsletter, The Society Report, a 10% discount at Florida Books and Gifts bookstore in Cocoa Village, and early notice of special events, including our Annual Meeting and Symposium. All FHS members receive our newsletter, The Society Report, a 10% discount at Florida Books & Gifts bookstore in Cocoa Village, and early notice of special events, including our Annual Meeting & Symposium. All FHS members receive our newsletter, The Society Report, a 10% discount at our Florida Books & Gifts bookstore in Cocoa Village, and early notice of special events, including our Annual Meeting & Symposium. About 50 cats lived on the property while Hemingway lived there, and the same number is maintained at the museum today. Hemingway was inspired by the folklore legend to begin collecting the polydactyl cats. A photo in the dining room of the Hemingway House and Museum shows the writer’s sons Gregory and Patrick holding Snowball, the first of the family’s six-toed cats.

Key West, Florida, offered Hemingway a retreat where he penned notable manuscripts. His time here included frequent visits to Sloppy Joe’s, a local bar, and his experiences in the Florida Keys and Cuba influenced many of his novels. Hemingway’s literary contributions included a distinctive style characterized by understated dialogue and a focus on stoic, masculine characters. His contributions to literature include classics like A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and The Snows of Kilimanjaro.

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