Celebrate Keys History in Holiday Style Dec. 7 at Lignumvitae Christmas
By JoNell Modys
ISLAMORADA, Florida Keys — Celebrate the holiday season and Florida Keys history by taking a boat ride to enjoy Lignumvitae Christmas. The event is set for 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park off Islamorada.
The island preserves a virgin tropical hardwood hammock environment that was once common throughout the Upper Keys.
It is named after the native lignumvitae tree found in abundance throughout the hammock. Lignumvitae is some of the heaviest of all wood, sinking under its weight instead of floating in water. The rare, dense wood was once popular for use in manufacturing bowling balls, propeller shafts on steamships, gears and mallets.
The century-old Matheson House, originally built from coral rock and Dade County pine as a caretaker’s house, now serves as the visitor center for the island and is to be open for tours.
Guided nature hikes are to be offered throughout the day on the half hour starting at 10:30 a.m. The 1.2-mile extended hammock hike lasts for one hour and the .42-mile short hammock hike is 30 minutes.
Other activity offerings include holiday arts and craft stations, seasonal live music by the Mangrove Swamp Band and 1930s-era games like croquet and jacks.
Upper Keys historian Brad Bertelli is to share historical stories throughout the day on topics including early Lignumvitae Key residents and the connection between nearby Indian Key and Lignumvitae Key.
Guests can enjoy free cookies and limeade during the event. A barbecue lunch is to be available for a $5 donation. Attendees are welcome to bring their own picnic lunch, although alcohol is prohibited on the island.
The event is presented by the Friends of the Islamorada Area State Parks as a “friend raiser” to encourage more volunteer participation and donations for the seven parks the group supports — Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park, Long Key State Park, Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park, Indian Key Historic State Park, San Pedro State Park, Curry Hammock State Park and the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail.
"Walking in our beautiful hardwood hammock and seeing the Matheson House decorated for the holidays, enjoying Christmas music while hearing stories about its history, playing games and making a tropical tree ornament, all presented from a 1930s viewpoint, is a wonderful old-fashioned way to start the holiday season," said Lu Dodson, the Florida State Parks' manager of Lignumvitae Key.
Tickets to enjoy the island holiday event are $25 per person (free for children age 6 and under), and include round-trip ferry transportation from Robbie’s of Islamorada, 77522 Overseas Highway at mile marker 77.5.
Each person who buys a ticket receives a 1-year membership in the Friends of the Islamorada Area State Parks group. Tickets must be purchased online in advance at friendsofkeysparks.org/event-5921557 and are expected to sell out.
Lu Dodson, the park manager for Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park, adjusts a holiday ribbon tied to a 17th-century cannon outside the Matheson home at Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park. Photos by Andy Newman
Volunteers from the Friends of the Islamorada Area State Parks assist in decorating the Matheson home at Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park.
Florida State Parks Biologist Becky Collins smooths out a welcome mat at the Matheson home at Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park, off Islamorada in the Florida Keys.
An aerial view of Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park off Islamorada.
A tiny Christmas ornament is placed in front of a piece of lignumvitae wood in the Matheson home at Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park.