Hellings House Museum - Key West Historic District - Key West, FL
Posted by: 
denben
N 24° 33.452 W 081° 48.236
17R E 418585 N 2716192
The Hellings House Museum is owned and maintained since 1940 by the Key West Woman’s Club. It is located at 319 Duval Street in Old Key West, Florida.
Waymark Code: WM12QBP
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 07/01/2020
Views: 2
"One of just a few brick structures in Key West, the 8334 sq. ft. home was built by Captain Martin and Eleanor (Curry) Hellings in 1892. Eleanor was the 6th child of 8 born to William and Euphemia Curry, one of Key West’s foremost merchants and Florida’s first millionaire.
Key West’s history has seen the “best and worst” of times. If any event changed Key West more, it was the fire of 1886. Fire started near the San Carlos Institute and quickly spread. The only firefighting equipment was in New York for repairs leaving the citizens with bucket brigades to fight the raging and fast spreading fire. As the April 1 fire finally died out, families found more than 600 homes, six wharves, eleven cigar factories, the island’s supply of tobacco, churches, cigar box factory and the new City Hall destroyed. Many residents had little choice but to return to Cuba or move on to Tampa, another cigar rolling capital.
Mr. William Curry understood the importance of getting families back to work and would do whatever he could to keep his own family in Key West. He generously gifted each child $10,000.00 to buy land, fund a new home or expand an existing home.
Owned and maintained since 1940 by the Key West Woman’s Club." (
visit link)
The historic marker in front of the museum reads : "Martin Hellings House / Key West Woman's Club / The Martin Hellings House, constructed c. 1892 by Captain Martin L. Hellings, is one of only a few historic houses in Key West not built of wood. Hellings was a native of Pennsylvania and a Union soldier in the Civil War. In 1881, Hellings married Eleanor Curry, daughter of a prominent Key West merchant famly. In 1888, he became cable manager of the International Ocean Telegraph Company in Key West, an important position at the time, as telegraphs were the only means of rapid long distance communication. Before and during the Spanish American War, he operated an intelligence service for the U.S. Government and provided the White House War Room with the latest news from Cuba. After Martin Hellings' death in 1908, the house was converted into professional offices, and for many years housed the offices of Judge W. Hunt Harris. The Key West Woman's Club (KWWC) established in 1915, purchased the building in 1940. The KWWC founded and maintained Key West's first public library in this building. The KWWC continues its mission of volunteer service, and financial support to local non-profits while preserving this Queen Anne style brick mansion for future generations."
Museum hours:
November 1 – April 30
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
10 AM – 4 PM
Saturday 10 AM – 1 PM
May 1 – October 31
Wednesday, Thursday
10 AM – 4 PM
Saturday 10 AM – 1 PM
Admission: Free tour, donations welcome.