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Key West to celebrate its cigar-making history with a park dedication
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Key West’s cigar-making history is being celebrated Wednesday, Nov. 4, with a new brass sculpture being installed in a small park at 616 Louisa Street. Called the Gato Village Pocket Park, it is named after Eduardo Gato, who set up Key West’s first cigar factory in 1884.
Gato emigrated from Cuba to New York City and settled in Key West in 1884, where he opened his factory. To attract talented cigar rollers from Cuba, he offered incentives such as housing.
A little later, Arturo Fuente escaped depression in Cuba by coming to Key West in 1906. He joined other family members, and completed a cigar-rolling apprenticeship at the Gato factory. Fuente left Key West in 1912 for Tampa, and set up his own cigar factory. Eventually, he became the patriarch of the largest cigar manufacturing company in the world.
Members from both families will be on hand Nov. 4 to unveil the Reen Stanhouse sculpture, sponsored by the Fuente family, of a 12-foot cigar band bearing the Gato family crest. The unveiling is from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Louisa Street, behind First State Bank on Simonton Street. A $10 donation buys a Fuente cigar and wine tasting. Proceeds will support the upkeep of the park.
Stanhouse of Cudjoe Key came to the Keys 40 years ago with a background in painting, illustration and tile work. She enjoys working with metal and her work also can be seen on the elevator doors at the Freeman Justice Center in Key West.
Bruce Neff of Key West built a replica of a cigar maker’s cottage in the Gato Village Pocket Park. His wife, Patricia Madiedo, is a descendant of the Gato family.
For information on the Florida Keys and Key West, visit www.fla-keys.com.
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