Item N03
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: Au~ust17. 2005
Division:
COWIty Administrator
Bulk Item: Yes --K- No
Department: County Administrator
Staff Contact Person: Connie Cyr
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval of recommendation to the United States Board on
Geographic Names to make official the names of Veterans Key & Melody Key for two separate
islands located in the Florida Keys.
ITEM BACKGROUND: The United States Board on Geographic Names has requested the Monroe
County Board of County Commissioners to review the proposed official names for two islands located
in the Florida Keys and to recommend whether it should occur. The first issue (Veterans Key) was
brought to the Board of Geographic Names by the President of the Historical Preservation Society of
the Upper Keys. The second issue (Melody Key) was brought by a resident of Los Angeles who reports
that he recently purchased the island and there is another key also named Money Key.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION: The Board of County Commissioners has been
asked in the past to make recommendations concerning official naming/name changes.
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
N/A
ST AFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Approval.
TOT AL COST: -0-
BUDGETED: Yes
No
COST TO COUNTY:
-o~
SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes
No
AMOUNT PER MONTH_ Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty _ OMB/Purchasing _ Risk Management ~
DIVISION DIRECTOR APPROVAL:
gliomaJ 'j. Willi
(TYPE NAME HERE)
DOCUMENTATION:
Included
x
Not Required_~
IJISPOSITION:
AGENDA ITEM #
Revised 2/05
July 18,200
Mr. Thomas Willi, County Administrator
Monroe County Board of Commissioners
1100 Simonton Street
Key West, Florida 33040
Dear Mr. Will j:
This is in reference to two proposals that the U.S. Board on Geographic Names has received
regarding the naming of two geographic features located in Monroe County. The first is to make
official the name Veterans Key for a small island at Matecumbe Harbor, and the second is to
change oflicially the name of Money Key, off the southwest end of Summerland Key, to MelQgy
Kn. As you might recall from our previous correspondence, the Board is responsible by law for
standardizing geographic names tor use by the Federal government, and its members must
approve any new name or name change before it can be applied to Federal maps and publications.
Because local acceptance of any name is very important to the Board, we would like to know
whether the Monroe County Board of Commissioners would be in support of these two proposals.
We have also asked the Florida State Board on Geographic Names to comment.
The proposal tor Veterans Key was submitted to us by the President of the Historical Preservation
Society of the Upper Keys, who reports that the name has come into recent local usage. The
name is intended to honor those World War I veterans who were killed by the 1935 hurricane
\vhile working on the construction of the bridge from Lower Matecumbe Key to Fiesta Key.
The second proposal, to change the name of Mon~.Key to Melody Key, was submitted by a
resident of Los Angeles who reports that he recently purchased the island. Because there is
another key also named Money Key just 25 km (15 mi) to the northeast of Summerland Key, he
suggests the duplicate name should be eliminated. The proposed replacement name recognizes
his association with the music industry.
We have enclosed for your review a copy of the two proposals, along with maps showing the
features and two Geographic Name Proposal Recommendation forms to facilitate a response from
your office. As soon as all interested patties have had an opportunity to comment, we shall
present the proposals for Veterans Kev and Melody: Key to the U.S. Board for discussion and a
decision.
Thank you for your continued interest and assistance in the geographic names of Monroe County,
and we look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to
contact us, either by mail at the address above; by telephone at (703) 648-4544; by fax at (703)
648-4549; or bye-mail at <BGNEXEC@usgs.gov>.
Enclosures
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VU.S. Board on Geographic Names
_USGS
science fDr a changing world
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U.S. BOARD ON GEOGRAPHIC NAMES
GEOGRAPHIC NAME PROPOSAL RECOMMENDATION
Proposed Geographic Name
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This is to notify the U.S. Board on Geographic Names that
(Name of government entity, organization, or individual)
Recommends that the U.S. Board on Geographic Names:
Approve the Proposed Name
Reject the Proposed Name
Take Action as Specified Below
Render a Decision Without Our Recommendation
Comments (the following factors contributed to this recommendation; attach supporting
documentation if appropriate):
(Name)
(Title)
(Address)
(-)
(Telephone)
(City, State, ZIP Code)
(E-mail)
(Signature)
(Date)
Return to: U.S. Board on Geographic Names
U.s. Geological Survey
523 National Center
Reston, VA 20192-0523
Telephone: (703) 648-4544
Fax: (703) 648-4549
E-mail: bgnexec@usgs.gov
..,k~
:1f J-'>O'
President
Jerry Wilkinson
HISTORICAL PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF THE UPPER KEYS
38 East Beach Road /'l
Tavemier,. I ~"Iorida 33j./ 70.. /) / I /
July], 2005 /1 / Ii! . /1"
Roger Payne, secretary for the U. S. B~r ~ 4ebgraphie ,pes I 1/ '~j;l
u. S. G~ologic~al Survey ;; f ~I. / i /1 i r~;;v
523 NatIOnal Center (\ 1 if! i f1 If . I I i(
Reston, Va. 22092 I V I~'! II I r tfj ') i /, I
! II \ V;f I if
Dear Mr. Payne: { !i \ V I~' / /
I am not certain If you a~e still with~he Board. Anyw y,f::...e i the Upper
Keys would like to begin the process to name an un-named k YJ. This was not an
original Florida Key. In 1935, the federal government had about 750 World War
One veterans building a bridge from Lower Matecumbe Key (MM 74) to Fiesta
Key (MM 70), fonnerly Jewfish Bush Key, to replace the then ferryboats.
It is a long story and I can provide as much history as you wish. The end
result is that the] 935 Hurricane partially washed away the bridge approach,
damaged eight of the concrete piles and totally destroyed three veteran work camps.
Of the WW-I veterans who had been building the bridge 259 perished. Sufficient
material of the bridge approach survived to sprout growth and become a small
"Key." Later hurricanes have added additional material. The only remaining
artifacts of the work of the 750 veterans are the 8 piles and this rather large clump
of mangroves fonning a small island.
Locals have referred to the little Key of mangroves by many references. I
have been promoting the name "Veterans Key."
The piles and a small oval are marked on most navigation maps for the
Lower Matecumbe area the entrance to Matecumbe Harbor. The name is apropos in
memory of the vets. See attaclunents.
Please provide guidance to progress through the process of having this name
consi~~L
( Sl~ erely,. I . ~ .
~ [t/ ~~;}'-f/Y'/
(Yrry ilkinson
"- resident
ist Vice President
Uldine Henderson
2nd Vice President
Denis Trelewicz
Secretary
Mary Wilkinson
Treasurer
Mary Wilkinson
Trustees a/large:
Brenda Altmei.r
Joseph Bauer. PhD.
Sally Bauer, PhD.
Neil Parker
Bob Smith
Joe Thomas
Tom Trump
Atchs: ]) Page E of Nautical Chart 11451, Edition ]6, October 1978
2) Expanded view of attachment] above.
3) Page 308 of the book Storm (?lthe ('entury by Willie Drye
4) Title page of the book Storm olthe C'entury
5) Page 264 of The Bonus Army by Paul Dickson and Thomas B Allen
6) Title page of the book the Bonus Army
7) 1958 Florida Department of Transportation aerial photo of Veteran's Key
8) 1959 Florida Department of Transportation aerial photo of a portion of
Veteran's Key and the exposed 8 concrete piles
.,. 305-852- ] 620 Visit Our web site www.keyShi'tory.org
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Now the old piers are a hangout for cormorants, The long-necked
birds perch on the concrete and spread their wings to dry during the
day, and they roost there at night. Boaters who happen to be down-
wind of the piers as they cruise slowly past them can te]J instantly that
the cormorants have been roosting there for a very long time.
The causeway that was being built to link the bridge to Lower
Matecumbe Key is overgrown with mangroves and other vegetation.
A few of the locals refer to it as Veterans Island, but it doesn't have
an official name.
308
epilogue
Next Tiroo 11
''''''''''o.v'~40->'''i;.''''6~".;-'-~~-!'~.'.'_'~~.'':c':.'-;;5"..,':'~'o"':R~"~'.'>;.:', Act ':'_'/!~..;'";'.
The mass grave in ;
the Labor Day hurricaI
city's Little Havana nei
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Cuban cuisine Or hear a
tions in Spanish to his:
An American flag ,11
The engraving reads: '"E
American Legion In Men
On The Florida Keys Dur
Irs a plea from the pa
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of the newspapers in Sout!
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storm was a Category 5 r
classification given to the
miles per hour and produc.
Only two hurricanes have
their US landfall. The ath,
Coast in 1969.
Bernard RusselL who
people about the fearsome
these anniversary stari.
TerraServer Image Courtesy of the USGS
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httpJ/terrascrver-usa.com/Printlmage.aspx?T"CCl&S=11&Z'=-17&Xc::1314& Y=6871 & W~3... 7/18/2005
_USGS
science for B changing world
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U.S. BOARD ON GEOGRAPHIC NAMES
GEOGRAPHIC NAME PROPOSAL RECOMMENDA TION
Proposed Geographic Name
This is to notify the u.s. Board on Geographic Names that
(Name of government entity, organization, or individual)
Recommends that the U.S. Board on Geographic Names:
Approve the Proposed Name
Reject the Proposed Name
Take Action as Specified Below
Render a Decision Without Our Recommendation
Comments (the following factors contributed to this recommendation; attach supporting
documentation if appropriate):
(Name)
(Title)
(Address)
(-)
(Telephone)
(City, State, ZIP Code)
(E-mail)
(Signature)
(Date)
Return to: u.s, Board on Geographic Names
U.S. Geological Survey
523 National Center
Reston, VA 20192-0523
Telephone: (703) 648-4544
Fax: (703) 648-4549
E-mail: bgnexec@usgs.gov
Proposed reature name: Melody Key
Sta't~e or eqlJivalex1t where feature s Jocateej: Fl,orida
Is feat,ure located ,in other s a,tes?: No
COuflty were feature is located: Monroe
City, TO'NI1, Tov-mship were feature is Jocated: island off of Summerland Key
Administracive Area were feature is located: Monroe County \~)
Action requested: Proposed New Name
Why cioes featur'e need a [lame?:
-~---~~~-~---~-------~~----~-
l'here ,is arId "offic;ialf' Money Key (A small
nside of the Seven Mile Bridge.) My island
located ocea
goes oy tt1at nan1e
E~ature type: island
GNIS feature?: Unknown
E'eat~lre descri.ption:
fi acre ,i.sland: Located just off the souttlwestern t
of Surmn
erland Key.
It has a 4000 sq ft house, qenerator, pool, solar, cistern,
and many other top-
or-the-line improvements.
Name information:
After extensive researctl I have found t~ia my Money Key wa~3
never off'icia,ll_y
narrled that. It's just what e cal,} it. BeC311,se there a
re two Money Keys and
they are not_ far apart ~ 1. Wl"sn to end the ccnfus on. I fee
1 it's a safety conerrl in
case of emergency. I wlsh to give it a name befitting the p
aradise of the island,
Helody Key.
Feature elevation= 4 ft above sea ,].evel
Mouth or center of feature
-----~~~----~~----------~~
Latitude: VJ 08i
Longitude: N 24 degrees
27.201
38.441
Source of feature
Latitude:
JongJtude:
(:IIld 01-: he r
ished sources uS1Dg nante:
------_._----'-----------------------~--------
Nc)ne ~
Other flElTnes used for fc;?ature:
--~~-~----------~----~~-----~
None.
~ proposed name i_n J.ocal usage?: No.
Is ther'e lcca~l opposi. ion or COTlflict
regarding the proposed name: No
Additlonal information:
I am a rnusician.
Mel
Key is a play on wo'rds because
:+-
....L t~
lrl,
s a musical term.
Hrnajor keyH uminor
n feat~ured on Ttle
Travel Channel and The Wall Street Journal.
tvly
n ~
[-;;.0
\....c).\,tt
,.,- Y
"
island hEl.S bee
Ifrnf-;
organizations or individuals which support proposed name:
----------------------------------------------------------
local residents
Mike Henry 305-79"7-1279
Cris Leslck 305-745-3084
Propos By
Name:
Street:
City, State and Zip:
Email:
Telephone:
Fax Number:
Title:
Company or Agency:
Subrnittcd By
Name:
Street:
City, State and Zip:
Email:
Telephone:
Fax Number:
Title;
Company or Agency;
Nick Hexum
8495 Utica Dr
90046
lofton@mac.com
3236542611
32365020 0
Owner
Hexum Key, Inc.
Nick Hexum
8495 Utica Dr
90046
lofton@mac.com
3236542611
3236502070
O",mer
Hexum Key I Inc.
Do you have addi'tional materials to SlJbmit?: Nc)
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Detail
Names Information
Feature Detail
Feature 287061
10:
Name: Money Key
Class: Island
Citation Represents a feature narne collected during Phase I. Variant names
collected during Phase I are coded as US-M120/var.
Counties
Sequence County State
1 Monroe Florida
Country
US
Coordinates
Sequence Latitude(DEC) Longitude(DEC) Latitude(DMS) Longitude(DMS) Map Name
Summerland
Key
24.6406996
-81.4528605
243826N
0812710W
Page I of I
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Click the link to
in the following
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Term SerVe
Digital Rast(
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Digital Orthc
an aerial ph!
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Tig!:lLMl'!p:
Census Bun
Find the W
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http://geonames.lIsgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=116:3: 15948370660972932668::NO: :P3 ~FID... 7/18/2005