Photo: Peter Unger / The Image Bank Unreleased / Getty Images
Key West, FL - The Southernmost Point Buoy in Key West, one of the most photographed landmarks in Florida, will be unavailable to visitors for the next year due to planned restoration work.
The iconic concrete marker, which sits at the corner of South and Whitehead Streets, has sustained damage over time from repeated storms and will be removed to allow for critical repairs to the surrounding seawall and plaza.
The buoy was originally painted in 1983 by artists Henry Del Valle and Danny Acosta and later restored after Hurricane Irma.
It attracts thousands of tourists annually who line up for a photo at what is widely believed to be the southernmost point in the continental United States.
To ensure that visitors still have a chance to capture a similar experience, the City of Key West is building a temporary buoy replica.
The replacement will be installed at the Duval Street Pocket Park located at 1400 Duval Street.
Although the replica will be placed slightly farther from the water, city officials say the ocean will still be visible in the background for photographs.
The temporary monument is currently being constructed and painted by local artists from the Community Services Department.
City officials confirmed the original site will remain closed until renovations are complete, which may take up to twelve months.
The Southernmost Point Buoy has not only weathered hurricanes but also incidents of vandalism, including a fire in 2022.
Restoration efforts aim to preserve the integrity of the landmark for future generations while offering an alternative location in the meantime.