Ghosts

Hanging Tree
Captain Tony's Saloon
January 15, 2008

We had pre-arranged a Jimmy Buffet walking tour before we left home. We met our tour guides at Captain Tony's Saloon on Greene Street, Key West. We arrived before they did so had a chance to look around the saloon. The first thing that strikes you about the bar is the decor. Almost every conceivable surface is covered with business cards! My husband promptly added his to the collection. The second notable is a pirate skeleton behind the bar, eerily greeting patrons. The third notable is the tree trunk but this is easy to pass by as part of the decor as it could easily be camouflage for building support. This bar was so rustic looking I just had to check it out. The main floor bar has a rough paved stone flooring. It opens onto Greene Street. To the left of the main floor is a smaller room sporting rock walls, a brick fireplace with glass bottle ends showing, a pool table and a tombstone laid in the floor are the features. Next to it furthest away from the road is another small room about two feet lower than the main level, rimmed with rock walls and housing a pool table.

This bar has a rich history including being the oldest bar in Key West, the first morgue, the original Sloppy Joe's for Ernest Hemingway. Apparently because of a rent increase dispute the bar owner at that time (Josie Russell) moved the entire bar and fixtures to it's third and final location of the current Sloppy Joe's. There are still graves (16 bodies) under the floors. What is more interesting is the hanging tree that was the city's hanging tree for criminals and pirates. Captain Tony's Saloon is built around the old hanging and on top of the old morgue! Seventy-five people were hanged from the tree that. The saloon is reported to be haunted by . Captain Tony (Captain Tony Tarracino) placed bottles filled with holy water to bring peace to the haunting spirits. Rumour quotes him as saying he often stayed by himself in the saloon but was never alone. Orbs and apparitions mysteriously appear in photos taken in and around the saloon. I took nine photos inside the saloon and unfortunately did not capture any orbs however there is what could be a ghostly apparition in one photo. It looks surprising similar to a photo that reports to show the ghost of lady in the blue dress.

The unique decor of the saloon originated by folks trying to get messages to Captain Tony while he was out on his boat so they hung the messages on the door. When he arrived back he would get in touch with those folk. The practice was seen as being unsightly and a fire hazard so Captain Tony told them to hang the notices inside the saloon instead of on the door. It caught on so now the decor is business cards galore along with anything else that can be pinned to the walls or ceiling including feminine garments. This really is a must visit saloon in Key West!