"Tomorrow at noon, the Florida Keys will secede from the Union"

These words proclaimed by Key West Mayor Dennis Wardlow on April 23, 1982 signified the birth of “The Conch Republic”. This declaration of independence was brought about by a blockade of the Florida Keys set up by the U.S. Border Patrol. Mayor Wardlow’s attempts to obtain an injunction from the Federal Court were denied and the protest quickly took to the streets. As promised, the rebellion began and in a battle that seemed to last for minutes (actually, it lasted one minute) a lone naval officer was pelted with stale Cuban bread by local citizen-soldiers of the newly formed “Conch Republic”.

Seeking to avoid any further violence, bloodshed and loss of food, Mayor Wardlow surrendered to the Admiral in charge of the naval base on Key West. Upon surrendering, the “Conchs” demanded one billion dollars in foreign aid to help rebuild their war ravaged country. This request was refused but the blockade was removed, and the Conchs left us with their official foreign policy:

“The Mitigation of World Tension Through the Exercise of Humor”

The spirit of the Republic is still celebrated – flags are flown, passports are issued and a general feeling of uniqueness prevails throughout the islands. We are in complete agreement with this attitude, as stated in the Conch Republic’s Official Position:
" As the world's first "Fifth World" country, we exist as a "State of Mind", and aspire only to bring more Warmth, Humor and Respect to a planet we find in sore need of all three. "

Check out the whole Conch Scene by clicking here.