The Conch Republic is a micronation declared as a tongue-in-cheek protest secession of the city of Key West from the United States on April 23, 1982. It has been maintained as a tourism booster for the city since. Flag of the Conch Republic File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... This article is about entities that are not officially recognised by world governments or major international organisations. ... Map of Key West Key West is a city located in Monroe County, Florida. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... is the 113th day of the year (114th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Dennis Wardlow was the Mayor of Key West during its secession from the United States to Conch Republic. ... Look up republic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... This article is about entities that are not officially recognised by world governments or major international organisations. ... Sarcasm is the making of remarks intended to mock the person referred to (who is normally the person addressed), a situation or thing. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Map of Key West Key West is a city located in Monroe County, Florida. ... is the 113th day of the year (114th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ...

While the protest that sparked its creation, and others which have occurred periodically since then have been described by some as "tongue-in-cheek", they were motivated by frustrations over genuine concerns. The original protest event was motivated by a U.S. Border Patrol roadblock and checkpoint which greatly inconvenienced residents and was detrimental to tourism in the area. Categories: Stub | U.S. Dept. ...

Although the Conch Republic is not, and never was, a real secessionist movement, many in Key West continue to identify with the concerns that motivated the original protest against what they view as an "unresponsive" central government taking action without considering all of the implications. At least three related protests have taken place subsequent to the original incident.

The Conch Republic celebrates Independence Day every April 23 as part of a week-long festival of activities involving numerous businesses in Key West. The organization - which appears to be operated as a private business by its "Secretary General", Peter Anderson - is a key tourism booster for the area. It also issues its own souvenir passports and postage stamps (see cinderellas, stamp-like labels). For other uses, see Independence Day (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Souvenir (disambiguation). ... For Microsoft Corporation’s “universal login” service, formerly known as Microsoft Passport Network, see Windows Live ID. For other types of travel document, see Travel document. ... A selection of Hong Kong postage stamps A postage stamp is evidence of pre-paying a fee for postal services. ... A cinderella stamp is a label similar to a postage stamp which may or may not be issued by a post office. ...

History

In 1982, the United States Border Patrol set up a roadblock and inspection point on US 1 just north of the merger of Monroe County Road 905A/Miami-Dade County Road 905A onto US 1 (they are the only two roads connecting the Florida Keys with the mainland), in front of the Last Chance Saloon just south of Florida City. Vehicles were stopped and searched for narcotics and illegal immigrants. The Key West City Council complained repeatedly about the inconvenience for travelers to and from Key West, claiming that it hurt the Keys' important tourism industry. In fact, Eastern Air Lines, which had a hub at Miami International Airport, saw a window of opportunity when the roadblocks were established; Eastern became the only airline to establish jet service to Key West International Airport, counting on travelers from Key West to Miami preferring to fly rather than to wait for police to search their vehicles. Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 (also called U.S. Highway 1, and abbreviated US 1) is a United States highway which parallels the east coast of the United States. ... A major connection between mainland Florida and the Florida Keys, the current edition of Card Sound Bridge is a high-rise toll causeway connecting southern Miami-Dade County and northern Monroe County. ... Florida City is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. ... The term narcotic, derived from the Greek word for stupor, originally referred to a variety of substances that induced sleep (such state is narcosis). ... Illegal immigration is the act of moving to or settling in another country or region, temporarily or permanently, in violation of the law or without documents permitting an immigrant to settle in that country. ... “Tourist” redirects here. ... Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from the late 1920s until 1991. ... Destinations with direct service from Miami Miami International Airport (IATA: MIA, ICAO: KMIA, FAA LID: MIA) is a public airport located eight miles (13 km) northwest of the central business district of Miami, in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. ... An Airbus A380 of Emirates Airline An airline provides air transport services for passengers or freight. ... Jet aircraft are aircrafts with jet engines. ... Key West International Airport (IATA: EYW, ICAO: KEYW) is an airport located in Key West, Florida, United States. ...

When the City Council's complaints went unanswered by the Federal Government and attempts to get an injunction against the roadblock failed in court, as a form of protest Mayor Dennis Wardlow and the Council declared the Keys' "independence" on April 23, 1982. In the eyes of the Council, since the federal government had set up the equivalent of a border station as if the Keys were a foreign nation, the Keys might as well become one. As many of the local citizens were referred to as Conchs, the "nation" took the name of the Conch Republic. Look up Injunction in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Dennis Wardlow was the Mayor of Key West during its secession from the United States to Conch Republic. ... is the 113th day of the year (114th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Conch is a slang term for native Bahamians of European descent. ...

As part of the protest, Mayor Wardlow was proclaimed Prime Minister of the Republic, which immediately declared war against the U.S. (symbolically breaking a loaf of stale Cuban bread over the head of a man dressed in a naval uniform), quickly surrendered after one minute (to the man in the uniform), and applied for one billion dollars in foreign aid. A prime minister is the most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs a declaration of war against the Empire of Japan on December 8, 1941, one day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. ... Cuban bread is a fairly simple bread, usually made with lard instead of oil. ... “USD” redirects here. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Development aid. ...

The mock secession and the events surrounding it generated great publicity for the Keys' plight — the roadblock and inspection station were removed soon afterward. It also resulted in the creation of a new avenue of tourism for the Keys.

The Great Invasions of 1995

On September 20, 1995, it was reported that the 478th Public Affairs Battalion of the United States Army Reserve was to conduct a training exercise simulating an invasion of a foreign island. They were to land on Key West and conduct affairs as if the islanders were foreign. However, apparently no one from the 478th notified Key West officials of the exercise. is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. ...

Seeing another chance at publicity, Wardlow and the forces behind the 1982 Conch Republic secession mobilized the island for a full-scale war (in the Conch Republic, this involves firing water cannons from fireboats and hitting people with stale Cuban bread), and protested to the Department of Defense for arranging this exercise without consulting the City of Key West. The leaders of the 478th issued an apology the next day, and they submitted to a surrender ceremony on September 22. The fireboat Guardian was a gift of survivors of the Loma Prieta earthquake to supplement San Franciscos fireboat Phoenix. ... The United States Department of Defense, abbreviated DoD or DOD and sometimes called the Defense Department, is a civilian Cabinet organization of the United States government. ... is the 265th day of the year (266th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

During the Federal government shutdown of 1995, as a protest, the Conch Republic attempted to invade Fort Jefferson, located in Dry Tortugas National Park, in order to reopen it. Inspired by efforts of the Smithsonian Institution to keep its museums open by private donations, local residents had raised private money to keep the park running (a closed park would damage the tourist-dependent local economy), but could find no one to accept the money and reopen the park. There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Dry Tortugas National Park is a United States National Park, located in the Dry Tortugas islands of the Florida Keys. ... Dry Tortugas National Park preserves Fort Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas section of the Florida Keys. ... The Smithsonian Institution Building or Castle on the National Mall serves as the Institutions headquarters. ...

When officials attempted to enter the monument, they were cited. When the citation was contested in court the following year, the resultant case, The United States of America v. Peter Anderson, was quickly dropped.

The annexation of Seven Mile Bridge

In yet another protest on January 13, 2006, Peter Anderson (the defendant in the Dry Tortugas case from 1995-1996) purported to annex the abandoned span of Seven Mile Bridge, which had been replaced by a parallel span in 1982. The move was in response to a recent event regarding Cuban refugees. On the previous January 4, fifteen Cuban refugees had reached the bridge, but had been returned to Cuba by the Border Patrol because of a federal decision under the "wet feet/dry feet" policy of the US government that declared the bridge to be a "wet feet" location. The rationale was that, since two sections of the span had been removed and it was no longer connected to land, it was not part of U.S. territory subject to the "dry feet" rule, and thus the refugees were not permitted to stay. Anderson, seizing upon the apparent disavowal of the abandoned span by the U.S., claimed it for the Republic. He expressed his hope to use the bridge to build affordable, ecologically friendly housing. In response, Russel Schweiss, spokesman for Florida Governor Jeb Bush, declared "With all due respect to the Conch Republic, the bridge belongs to all the people of Florida, and we're not currently in negotiations to sell it."^[4] The refugee decision was later overturned, but only after the refugees had been returned to Cuba. January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Seven Mile Bridge, in the Florida Keys, runs over a channel between the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Strait, connecting Key Vaca (the location of the city of Marathon, Florida) in the Middle Keys to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys. ... is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The wet feet, dry feet policy (sometimes called the wet-foot, dry-foot policy) is the name given to a consequence of the 1995 revision of the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 that says, essentially, that anyone who fled Cuba and got into the United States would be allowed to... John Ellis Jeb Bush (born February 11, 1953), a Republican, is the forty-third and current Governor of Florida. ...

Souvenir passports

Through his website, Anderson sells souvenir passports. These are not valid travel documents ^[5]. Although these are sold as souvenirs, some people have evidently purchased them in the mistaken belief that they can be used as legitimate travel and identity documents. Shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, FBI investigators learned that hijacker Mohamed Atta had possibly purchased a Conch Republic passport ^[6] from the website. A sample of camouflage passport cover. ... A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... Mohamed Atta ( transliteration: ) was a terrorist who participated in the hijacking of American Airlines Flight 11, the first plane to crash into the World Trade Center during the September 11, 2001 attacks. ...

Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. (May 2007) The article could be improved by integrating relevant items into other sections and removing inappropriate items.

• The Conch Republic is a key location in several volumes of the Dallas Barr series of Science Fiction comics, in which it gains true independence in 2075.
• Key West, a short-lived comedy-drama series on FOX that aired in 1992 had an episode depicting a fictionalized version of the incident. (IMDB entry)
• The Conch Republic and its people and attitudes also figure largely in the plot of "Callahan's Key" and "Callahan's Con" by Spider Robinson.
• A fully seceded Conch Republic is one of the venues in Joe Haldeman's science-fiction novel The Long Habit of Living.
• The indie rock band Pain(t) by Numbers wrote a song titled "Collecting Seashells" chronicling the Republic's history
• It is possible to buy imitation International Country Code vehicle registration plate stickers from vendors in Key West, bearing the initials KW.
• Retired professional wrestler Kevin Sullivan was announced as being from the Conch Republic at various times in his career.
• In January, 2005, Blarney Island (located on the Fox Chain O' Lakes in Illinois, in the middle of Grass Lake) was annexed and became the Northwestern most territory of the Conch Republic.

Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... Comics (or, less commonly, sequential art) is a form of visual art consisting of images which are commonly combined with text, often in the form of speech balloons or image captions. ... Centuries: 20th century - 21st century - 22nd century Decades: 2020s 2030s 2040s 2050s 2060s - 2070s - 2080s 2090s 2100s 2110s 2120s Years: 2071 2072 2073 2074 2075 - 2076 - 2077 2078 2079 2080 2081 Events The one hundrieth anniversary of the Watergate Scandal court verdicts will occur in January 2075 Categories: 21st century... Key West was a short-lived 1993 hour long comedy-drama television series set in Key West, Florida. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Fox Broadcasting Company, usually referred to as just Fox (the company itself prefers the capitalized version FOX), is a television network in the United States. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Spider Robinson (born November 24, 1948 in New York City) is a Canadian science fiction writer. ... Joseph William Haldeman is an American science fiction author. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

References

• Lonely Planet Micronations, by John Ryan, Lonely Planet Travel Guides, ISBN 1-74104-730-7

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Miami Herald is a daily newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 333rd day of the year (334th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Conch Republic - website
• Conch Republic souvenirs - official souvenier website.