The story began with a sign. The other weekend, I was down in Islamorada, one of my favorite places in South Florida. I wanted to feel the warm tropical cross breezes of the Atlantic and Gulf. I also wanted to see the aquatic canvas of various blues. I just wanted a quick get away from the hustle and bustle of Miami to relax, read and ride my bike.
As I explored Islamorada on the bike, I came across a sign. It literally stopped me in my tracks: ISLAND FOR SALE
A closer look revealed the price tag: $17,000,000.
Whaaaat?
I strolled over to the entrance where a blue-and-white painted gate simply greets visitors (or trespassers) with Terra's Key. I snapped some photos and kept thinking about the island and how it's hidden from the road.
From the neighboring Amara Cay Resort, I noticed in the distance how the palm trees ribbon the rear of the island. A narrow road connects the island to the Overseas Highway and the rest of the Florida Keys.
Curiosity got the best of me. Back at work, I called the realtor and a Florida Keys historian. I then found myself writing
this fun story for my paper the South Florida Sun Sentinel about the island and its storied past.
The island began as a farming community in the early 1800s. It's named Terra's Key after the current owner James Terra who bought it in 1991 for $3.1 million.
(I shot the above photos with my iPhone. The photo below of the island was courtesy of Patti Stanley, the broker associate who represents the owner.)
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