It’s a Sign: Recovered, Rebuilt Key West Iconic Sign to be Unveiled

A beautifully painted, refurbished sign that previously welcomed Key West visitors to “Paradise USA,” missing after Hurricane Irma and then returned, will be unveiled in Key West Tuesday, May 1, at 12 noon at the triangle at the entrance to Key West.

The welcoming sign is repaired with a new conch shell, palm tree and sunset, and now features the names of all three Rotary Clubs: The Rotary Club of Key West, the Key West Sunrise Club in the Conch Republic, and the Sunset Key West Rotary Club. Each Rotary Club contributed to the cost of repair.

“We’re glad to have the sign back, it has been refurbished beautifully, and now the new sign will welcome everyone to Key West,” said Rotary Club of Key West President Albert Gonzalez.

The original sign, a gift for Key West from the Rotary Club of Key West in 2006, costing $8,000, was taken after Hurricane Irma made landfall on Sept. 10.

Alert residents took pictures of the truck that drove the fallen sign out of Key West, capturing the license tag of those who took the sign, and put that picture on Facebook. Rotarian Jill Cranney-Gage filed a police report, and City of Key West Police Chief Donie Lee, a Rotary member, worked with Lee County police to recover the sign.

The iconic sign was returned to Key West, no questions asked, and Rotary initiated repairs, due to hurricane damage. Southernmost Signs in Key West refurbished the sign and donated a portion of their cost to the project.

The temporary sign at the entrance to Key West will be returned to its owners.

Key West Rotary members, residents and members of the media are welcome to the sign unveiling ceremony. Parking is available at the Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel. For more information, contact Rotarian Linda Russin at 954-471-1804.

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