Pirates Invade
The Scott De Wolfe collection contains some of the oldest images of Key West that we’ve seen around and it is available to view on the library’s Flickr site.
Scott De Wolfe is the co-owner of De Wolfe & Wood Rare Books in Alfred, Maine. He made his first visit to Key West in 1996 and quickly became interested in the history of the island. Being in the rare book and antique paper field has allowed him to amass a large selection of Key West memorabilia, ephemera, books and photographs. His particular interest are items that tell a story or provide a window into the past. De Wolfe notes that “Key West has such a fascinating history and through the material that I have collected, I have enjoyed learning about how the city has reinvented itself through the years. While I will probably never be able to live on the island as a resident, I have enjoyed learning the history of Key West and treasure the many friends I now have who share my love of the island.”
Volunteer Mary Haffenreffer scanned the photos in this collection.
Image: The Pirates Well lithograph published c. 1830 in Leslie’s Magazine. From the De Wolfe and Wood Collection.