Key West The Way It Was

Story by Keith Terracina vintage photos by my great uncle Salvador Terracina and myself, this first one is a classic. I’m sure you all know about Sal and my grandfather Captain Tony by now there’s lots of stories on this page about them So this guy here that’s their father my great grandfather Luigi. He fled Italy in 1910 he’s another one of those crazy Terracina‘s you know mom connected, he was a comedian puppeteer all over Italy. He almost killed somebody some type of argument over his pay. And he hide out in Terracina Italy that’s why we have this last name you’ll find out about the real last name in my second book about my great uncle Sal “Confessions of a mind reader” anyway, my great grandfather Luigi. He started a scrap metal company in Elizabeth, New Jersey never bought any metal never sold any metal. But he certainly did some work in Chicago for two of his cousins, we’re talking way back in the 30s, if you see that movie Nonna’s on Netflix with Vince Vaughn that restaurant in building is where my grandfather Captain Tony was born in 1916 and that’s where my great grandfather ran his business on the second floor, that original restaurant opened up in 1938 I was eating there since I was born most of the original black-and-white photographs thats been hanging in that restaurant since the 40s my great uncle Sal took the restaurant is closed now unfortunately,  anyway that next photograph that my great uncle Salvador took those of some real serious Key West pirates back in the 50s. I have a bunch of pictures of these guys. Now that cool looking portrait of the big gal her name was Tiny that was the baddest craziest bouncer my grandfather ever had  at Captain Tony’s Saloon she was 5 foot ten 280 pounds. And had a Mike Tyson over hand right and loved to throw it. She didn’t like men at all, but she loved the ladies the stories about her were epic. She bounced there from 69 through 71. I got to meet her in 1977 when I was working the door very scary. She was still very angry at my grandfather for who knows what, that next photo I took Lisa‘s mom was dropping somebody off in her cab by the end of Simonton Street she didn’t know I was there taking pictures and I took this snapshot of her I had my big long zoom lens on that was 1979, that last picture is one of my published Key West citizen photos. That’s when I had our house band jump up and down so we could do a story on them when they landed in Key West. I had that picture published in the Key West citizen newspaper just a bunch of quick snapshots. I hope you enjoyed them.

All images by Keith Terracina , I’m also the author of this page  Here is Just a bunch of Key West frozen moments I captured between 40 and 50 years ago

Story by Keith West Terracina, I’m going to add to this great post right here I found, Way back in 1976 when I first moved to Key West and started working at the door at my grandfather‘s bar, Captain Tony’s Saloon yes we’re talking 50 years ago, anyway right on our property there was this hamburger hut called Bob’s Burgers, and yes, Bob was a True New Jersey maniac anyway he had real charcoal broiled amazing cheeseburgers. You have to admit everybody loves a cheeseburger but a great cheeseburger is completely amazing, so here’s the story I was fresh out in New Jersey and  definitely didn’t listen to Jimmy Buffett music, I was more of a Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Jim Morrison, Alice Cooper rock ‘n’ roll roller. I didn’t even realize my grandfather was good friends with Jimmy. We had songs in the jukebox that were annoying to me, anyway long story short I first met Jimmy when he pulled up in his  party bus he got out gave my grandfather a hug a lot of people came around one of Jimmy’s band members jumped out of the bus and ordered a bunch of cheeseburgers while we were all hanging out in front of the bar, then my grandfather introduced me to Jimmy.  Jimmy couldn’t believe that the captain had a 20-year-old grandson, back then my grandfather was 60 years old that’s 10 years younger than I am now pretty wild. anyway, Jimmy invited my grandfather to go for a ride in his bus, and my grandfather took me with them and that was the first time I smoked w**d with my grandfather and Jimmy, getting back to the cheeseburger in paradise. Maybe our burger was the cheeseburger in paradise even though I heard 10 other stories of the other burger joints that claim that, a couple more fun facts that little burger joint I converted it in 1983 to my own restaurant called the shrimp patio that lasted about eight months. It wasn’t a good time for me to open up a restaurant  or anything in Key West it was the beginning of the rise and fall of Keith West the last chapter in my book, you know I had to pitch my book Key West the way it was just text that number on the front of the page. I’ll get back with you and that wild crazy guy who owned that burger stand. I ran into him in 1986 at a jersey shore party. He was a True maniac anybody remember Bobs  Burger factory back in the day it opened up in 1975 maybe 74

Story by Keith Teresina,Original photograph by Salvador Terracina shot above Captain Tony’s Saloon in his bizarre mask photography studio 1967, Sal‘s original studio in New York.  That he opened up in 1937 and kept it open till his death in 1995, but many of the winter months he came down to Key West to party and hang out above his little brother‘s bar. You know the original Hemingway bar, Key West original city  morgue in the 1800s let’s not forget the famous hanging tree, Sals masks are very happy above that bar especially during  those  famous mask parties. I was fortunate to be there in the mid to late 70s when those parties were at their peak. They’re mentioned in my book Key West the way it was if you want to know where to pick that book up in Key West or have me send you one just send me a text 908 361 5606 I return all text with a phone call if you like.