Construction of the Key West Aquarium, a WPA project during the Great Depression, began in 1933. Desired by many within the community, the design was prepared by Dr. Robert Van Deusen, then superintendent of Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park Aquarium. The idea was to attract visitors to the little island city, boost the local economy, and serve as a showroom for other aquariums wishing to feature Key West’s diverse native marine life in their own exhibits. It took two years to complete, and the concrete that was used to form the aquarium structure and holding tanks was mixed with seawater from the ocean, as fresh water was hard to come by in those days. Upon its opening in February 1935, just in time for the first official “tourist season,” the aquarium not only was a major attraction but had the honor of being the first open-air aquarium in the continental United States.