The tombstone of the famed wrecker John Jacob Housman, currently stored at Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park, will become part of a permanent exhibit at Keys History & Discovery Center in fall 2021. Donations now being accepted to support the development of the exhibit.

Preeminent Artifact Acquired: Tombstone of 19th Century Wrecker Housman

Keys History & Discovery Center Announces Capital Campaign

Islamorada, FL – A permanent exhibit featuring the tombstone of the notorious early-19th century wrecker John Jacob Housman, whose remains are thought to have been buried on Indian Key, is being added to the extensive collection of exhibits at Keys History & Discovery Center. A capital campaign is being launched to raise funds for this $75,000 project.

The new permanent exhibit will be housed on the second floor of the museum and will also feature a series of free-standing interpretive panels and additional historical stories about Indian, Lignumvitae, Windley and Tea Table keys. The existing Indian Key model circa 1840 will move to the second floor to better tell the intertwined relationship between the significant keys.

Why Housman? According to Discovery Center Curator Brad Bertelli, “He holds a special place in the history of the Florida Keys. Once considered the Wrecker King of Indian Key, local history cannot be told without including his story. Born on Staten Island, New York, in 1799, he sailed into the Keys in 1822. Running afoul of the Florida Reef, the encounter would forever alter the history of Florida wrecking, Monroe County, and Indian Key. The rest of the story, well, will be part of the new permanent exhibit.”

The tombstone has been stored for decades on Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park and will become part of the permanent collection of the Discovery Center.

In addition to the funds raised through the capital campaign with a goal of $75,000, the new addition to the museum is made possible through a partnership with the Florida Department of State, Islamorada Area State Parks and Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation, the not-for-profit organization that operates the Discovery Center located in Islamorada on the property of the Islander Resort, as well as anticipated funding from the Monroe County Tourist Development Council.

The new exhibit is expected to be installed in September 2021.

For naming opportunities and recognition levels related to the Housman campaign, please contact Foundation Executive Director Jill Miranda Baker at 305-922-2237 or via [email protected].

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