Bishop Albert Kee Statue - Key West, FL
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N 24° 32.793 W 081° 47.853
17R E 419224 N 2714972
The bronze statue of Bishop Albert Kee by Tom Joris, stands next to a giant buoy that marks the southernmost point in the continental United States at the junction of South and Whitehead streets in Old Key West, Florida.
Waymark Code: WM12RBE
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 07/06/2020
Views: 1
The slightly larger than life size bronze sculpture, depicting Albert Kee blowing a large conch shell and waving a greeting, was unveilled on Saturday March 7, 2017 at the Southernmost Point. The statue honors the late Bishop Albert Kee, who was known as "Key West’s Official Ambassador of Goodwill."
Rev. Bishop Albert Leo Kee (1941 - 2003) was a pastor, husband, father, grandfather, businessman and friend to hundreds of people on the island of Key West, Florida. He cherished and maintained the Church Of God Of Prophecy on Elizabeth Street, as well as continuing his father's souvenir business at the Southernmost Point Of The United States on Whitehead Street for many years.
"Each day Bishop Kee, a preacher and a leader of Key West’s Bahama Village neighborhood, could be seen at the Southernmost Point greeting visitors with a cheerful wave and toot on a conch shell," said Bruce Neff, whose Historic Markers Inc. spearheaded community support for the sculpture.
The tradition of blowing a conch shell dates back to 1830 when arriving Bahamians were called Conchs. In 1982, Key West declared itself the Conch Republic when they claimed to secede from the U.S. If you are born in Key West, you can call yourself a Saltwater Conch. If you are a new resident, it takes seven years before you have the honor of becoming a Freshwater Conch.
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