About Islamorada
Islamorada (EYE-la-mor-AH-da) Florida, know as the Sport Fishing Capital of the World, is located southwest of Key Largo. It was incorporated 1997 and is comprised of Plantation Key (including Tavernier), Windley Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, Lower Matecumbe Key and the off shore islands of Indian Key and Lignumvitae Key. Islamorada boasts the largest concentration of charter fishing boats in the Florida Keys. Tavernier Creek provides easy access to both the Florida Bay and the Atlantic Ocean making deep sea fishing and back country fishing possible in the same day.
Other Islamorada Attractions
Theater of the Sea is a popular marine animal park featuring up close performances and opportunities to 
swim with dolphins, sea lions and stingrays. Just to the south is Holiday Isle Beach Resort and Marina, long a popular Florida Keys party destination and home to the World Famous “Tiki Bar”. In Islamorada there are numerous restaurants, night clubs, pubs and resorts claiming historical connections to presidents, authors, artists and scoundrels as well as creation rights to popular local libations and fresh fish delicacies.
Lignumvitae State Botanical site is the highest point above sea level in the Florida Keys at 18 feet and claims 133 species of trees including the lignum vitae which can grow for more than a 1,000 years. It is among the hardest of all woods and has been known to outlast steel and bronze when used to outfit boats.
Islamorada Florida History
Spanish explorers sailing past Islamorada saw a purple hue from the lavender shells of sea snails that filled the shallow coastline and named it “Islas Moradas”, Spanish for purple isles. In 1733 a Spanish treasure fleet was wrecked off the reefs of Islamorada during a hurricane and resulted in supporting a wrecking industry that thrived in the area for most of the 18th century.
Outdoor sportsmen Ernest Hemmingway and Zane Grey both frequented Islamorada in their search for record saltwater catches. Today geology buffs enjoy studying fossilized coral patterns on quarry walls dug by railroad workers in the early 1900's providing material for embankments for Flagler’s construction of the Florida Overseas Railway to Key West.
2009 Islamorada Real Estate
Islamorada home sales typically represent about 10% of the Keys total residential real estate market. 
Islamorada home sale prices faired better than the rest of the Keys in 2009. While the Keys overall experienced a 23% decrease in the average home sale prices, the Islamorada home prices decreased only 17%, selling for an average of $660,000.
While the average sale price declined, the number of houses sold in Islamorada in 2009 increased 32% to 148. This is almost double the 17% increase realized in the overall Keys.
Glenn R Hoover
