The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-03-21
KEY WEST WOMEN
Their Homes and Gardens
o.
BY MYRTLE COSGROVE
THE BAHAMA HOUSES

IL isn't news When SHIPS go
down to the sea, but when houses
take an ocean voyage, they merit
at least a column of space. 3.
That is what the two Well-knoWn
Bahama houses have done. Near
ly century ago they came all
the way from Green Turtle Key.
Abaco, Bahama Islands, to Key
| West. Not intact as is generally
believed, but taken apart and
RATED over. These dignified old
houses embodying the charm and
grace of the tropics, were built
IN 1884 by Richard Roberts and
MS brother-in-law, John Bartlum.
However, they were not moved
to this city until 1847. Mr.. Rob-
erts, a young attorney, gave up
the practice of law shortly after
the erection of the houses, pur-
chased the schooner Triton" and
began rafting mahogany, cedar,
and cypress logs to Key West
from his fathers estate in the
Bahamas. AS time passed.,
Messrs. Roberts and Bartlum
became so attached to the little
coral city and its hospitable in
habitants that they decided to
make their home here. "A long
strip of land on William street,
extending from Eaton to Fleming
street, was purchased with the
intention of bringing over their
Bahama houses by means of RATS
towed by the Triton /. Popular
opinion ridiculed the idea, es-
pecially with the schooner as a
means Of motive power. How
ever, these men, blessed with in
itiative, were venturesome spir-
it's, ready to try anything once.
SO in the most approved Edgar
Guest manner:
They started to sing as they
tackled the thing
That couldn't be done and they
did it.
Once here, the houses, due to
their extraordinary workman
ship, were quickly and easily
assembled. 1t was a feat never
before or since accomplished in
the annals of local history. Due
to the courage and foresight of
two of her pioneer sons, Key
West is the fortunate posseSsor
of these fine old dwellings
whose beautifully conceived lines
and perfect construction make
them outstanding among the pic
turesque houses on the island.
Mr. Roberts placed his house on
a site known at present as 408
William Street. Except for re-
arrangement of the stairway, it
stands exactly as it did in the
Bahamas. Even though worn
by the elements, it is in an ex-
cellent state of preservation and
bids fair to grace the city for
another century, at least 1t has
never left the hands of the Rob-
erts family and is today the prop
erty of Richard Roberts daugh-
ter, Mrs. A. E. Sharpley. The
side, instead of the front, of the
structure faces the street as does
so many of the e-bellun hous-
es of Charleston, S. c.. thus pro-
curing a most desirable seclu-
sion for the inmates. Long bal
comics, both up and down stairs,
flank the house on either side for
its entire width. The slender
columns of the bannisters give
an airy, lacy effect to the whole
that is both charming and I'M
usual. Evidently, the architect
was not only a past master at his
art but a keen observer of the
trend of trade winds, for all
rooms have an outside exposure
and every device has been used
to catch the vagrant breezes. :.
The house was constructed to.
Withstand the destructive forces
of hurricanes and terrnites. 1t is
built throughout of mahogany,
cypress and cedar put together