All Episodes

August 17, 2025 13 mins
Exploring Key West's Rich Cigar History
 
In this episode of the Fun in Key West podcast, host Michele O'Connor delves into the fascinating history of Key West's cigar industry, featuring a spotlight on the Martinez Havana Company factory building. The episode covers the boom of the cigar industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Key West's status as a cigar manufacturing hub, and the architectural resilience of cigar factories designed to withstand hurricanes. The significance of the cigar industry on the island's economy and culture is highlighted, along with trivia and fun facts to entertain listeners. Michele also invites listeners to explore more historic sites, join the Fun in Key West newsletter, and connect through the book club and other interactive content.
 
00:00 Welcome to Fun in Key West
01:26 Exploring Key West's Cigar Boom
02:19 Historic Marker Monday: Martinez Havana Company
02:57 The Rise and Fall of Key West's Cigar Industry
05:42 Architectural Marvels and Industry Impact
09:28 Fun Facts and Historical Insights
10:23 Stay Connected with Fun in Key West
11:55 Wrapping Up: Key West's Rich History
Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.

The Joe Rogan Experience

The Joe Rogan Experience

The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.