Many locals know the folklore of Francisco and Enriquetta Marrero, but not all of the history is divulged during the scripted Key West ghost tours. Two original key items remain in the historic landmark here at 410 Fleming Street, both equally important to understanding the love and intention that went into the creation of this home by Francisco as he wooed his beloved.
Carved Relief on the Staircase
The first is the beautifully intricate design leading up the stairs below the chair rail, on the right hand side of the wall. Its carved relief is overlaid with actual tobacco leaf samples Francisco brought over from his sourcing trips to Cuba. It creates a striking contrast to the other Victorian architectural details and we love the look paired with our design refresh!
The Walnut Burl Piano
The second original piece from the Marrero's history is the Walnut Burl upright piano that still stands proudly on display in our first floor hallway today. When Francisco promised to build a home in Key West for Enriquetta, she requested a piano since she was a pianist and loved to play. He had her piano custom fabricated by Henry Brinsmead in Oxford, along with an entire ship of fine furnishings made especially for Enriquetta overseas. The boat containing their custom cargo finally arrived in Key West and docked in the harbor. They excitedly visited their new furnishings, including Enriquetta's prized piano, and made an appointment for the movers to come the following morning to unload it all into their new mansion. However, that evening, the boat sunk with all of the furniture aboard. Devastated, it was Enriquetta's wish to have wreckers retrieve her piano from the sunken ship and deliver it to the mansion anyway. The piano never played, the strings rusted out and the board is warped, but it sat in their home as a reminder of Francisco's commitment to Enriquetta's happiness...and potentially foreshadowed what was to come.
We hope you've enjoyed this brief dive into Marrero's history, and please follow along for more to come! We look forward to hosting you when you stay with us. Thanks for reading.
The Marrero's Team
Traveling elsewhere in Florida? Visit our sister property in Treasure Island FL.
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