Southernmost House
Southernmost House is a historic Queen Anne Victorian mansion in Key West that operates as an intimate bed-and-breakfast and heritage hospitality property.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Southernmost House is a historic mansion and hospitality property in Key West, Florida. The building stands in the Upper Duval district on the southern edge of the island and is known for its ocean-facing setting, Queen Anne Victorian architecture, and association with prominent political and cultural figures. Although the property originated as a private residence rather than as a consumer brand, its name now functions as the identity of an accommodation business centered on the preservation and presentation of the historic house. Judge Jeptha Vining Harris commissioned and built the mansion in 1897 at a reported cost of $250,000. Harris married into the Curry family, one of Key West's prominent early mercantile families, and the house was connected to the social and commercial networks that shaped the city's development. The Harris family also invested in Henry Flagler's Overseas Railroad project, which linked the Florida Keys with the mainland. During the railroad's construction, the mansion reportedly hosted Flagler and served as a setting for elite social gatherings. Designed as a one-bedroom mansion, the building was distinguished by open-water views, large stained-glass windows, public rooms, and two-story balconies. It was reportedly the first residence in Key West to receive electricity. Mrs. Harris engaged Thomas Edison to oversee the electrical design and installation, giving the property an early association with technological modernity as well as with Victorian architecture. Air conditioning was added in the 1930s, reflecting later adaptation of the historic building to changing expectations of comfort. The property's uses changed considerably over the twentieth century. During Prohibition, from 1919 to 1933, it reportedly operated as a speakeasy. The first floor functioned as a restaurant, the second floor was used for casino gambling, and the third floor served as a private social space. Its location on the route between the United States and Havana helped attract entertainers, celebrities, and alleged organized-crime figures traveling through the region. In the 1940s it became a nightclub known as Cafe Cayo Hueso, with reported visitors including Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, Gore Vidal, Truman Capote, Tallulah Bankhead, Gloria Swanson, Louis Armstrong, and Charles Lindbergh. In 1949, Hilario Ramos carried out a comprehensive renovation so that the mansion could serve as a private residence. Ramos was an immigrant from Spain who married into the family associated with Lopez Wholesale Liquors, a distributor whose portfolio included Anheuser-Busch products. In the decades that followed, the property continued to receive notable visitors and dignitaries. Reported presidential guests include Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Jimmy Carter; King Juan Carlos of Spain is also listed among its distinguished guests. The modern Southernmost House combines historic-site interpretation with boutique accommodation. The property has been operated as an 18-room bed-and-breakfast, offering guests access to a preserved mansion, period architectural features, and a prominent waterfront setting rather than the standardized experience of a large hotel chain. In 2016 it was inducted into the Historic Hotels of America program, reinforcing its positioning as a heritage lodging destination. In 2023 the property was renamed The Mansion on the Sea, while Southernmost House remains the historically recognized name and the identity associated with its official website and earlier hospitality operation.
History
Southernmost House was built in 1897 in Key West, Florida, by Judge Jeptha Vining Harris. The reported construction cost was $250,000, a substantial investment reflecting the Harris family's position among Key West's prominent residents. Harris's wife was the youngest daughter of William Curry, a leading Florida businessman and member of the Curry family, which was responsible for constructing several notable mansions in Key West's Historic District. The house was created as a one-bedroom Queen Anne Victorian mansion with extensive public rooms, two-story balconies, stained-glass windows, and views over the water. Its history was closely linked to the development of modern Key West. The Harris family invested in Henry Flagler's Overseas Railroad, and the mansion reportedly hosted Flagler during the railroad's construction. The property also had an early technological distinction: it was described as the first home in Key West to receive electricity. Mrs. Harris engaged Thomas Edison to supervise the electrical design and installation. Air conditioning was added in the 1930s, adapting the residence to the subtropical climate and to changing standards of domestic comfort. The mansion acquired a more commercial and socially public role during Prohibition, which lasted from 1919 through 1933. It reportedly operated as a speakeasy, with a restaurant on the first floor, casino gambling on the second floor, and a private social area on the third. Its position in Key West, a maritime gateway to Havana, made it a stopping place for travelers, entertainers, and figures associated with the era's illicit nightlife. In the 1940s, the building operated as Cafe Cayo Hueso, a nightclub. Accounts of the property associate the club with visitors such as Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, Gore Vidal, Truman Capote, Tallulah Bankhead, Gloria Swanson, Louis Armstrong, and Charles Lindbergh. In 1949, the building was substantially renovated for use as a private home by Hilario Ramos. Ramos, who had immigrated from Spain, married into the family connected with Lopez Wholesale Liquors, a prominent distributor of alcoholic-beverage brands including Anheuser-Busch products. The renovation marked a transition from the mansion's nightclub era to a more private phase. Even after that change, the house retained a reputation for receiving important visitors. Reported guests included King Juan Carlos of Spain and five United States presidents: Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Jimmy Carter. The property later entered the heritage-tourism market as an 18-room bed-and-breakfast. This conversion made the mansion accessible to paying guests while preserving its identity as a historic residence. Its core hospitality proposition rests on the combination of architectural character, ocean views, location in the Upper Duval district, and the building's political and cultural associations. In 2016, Southernmost House was inducted into Historic Hotels of America, a program that recognizes historically significant hotels and other lodging properties in the United States. In 2023, the property was renamed The Mansion on the Sea. The renaming reflects its continued presentation as a distinctive waterfront lodging destination, while Southernmost House remains the established historical name used in reference works and in the property's earlier public identity. The available reference material does not identify a current corporate owner, executive team, financial performance, or publicly listed parent organization.
- 2023
Renamed The Mansion on the Sea
[1]The property adopted the name The Mansion on the Sea.
- 2016
Historic Hotels of America induction
[1]Southernmost House joined the Historic Hotels of America program.
- 1949
Renovated as a private residence
[1]Hilario Ramos renovated the mansion for private residential use.
- 1940
Cafe Cayo Hueso nightclub period
[1]In the 1940s, the mansion operated as Cafe Cayo Hueso and was associated with visits by prominent writers, performers, public figures, and other celebrities.
- 1930
Air conditioning installed
[1]Air conditioning was installed during the 1930s, modernizing the historic residence for Key West's climate.
- 1919
Speakeasy era begins
[1]During Prohibition, the mansion reportedly began operating as a speakeasy with restaurant, gambling, and private social spaces.
- 1897
Mansion constructed
[1]Judge Jeptha Vining Harris built the Queen Anne Victorian mansion in Key West for a reported cost of $250,000.
- 1897
Early electrification
[1]The residence was reportedly the first home in Key West with electricity, with Thomas Edison associated with oversight of the electrical installation.
Products and positioning
A heritage-focused, intimate Key West lodging experience built around a late-nineteenth-century mansion, waterfront views, historic architecture, and associations with notable political and cultural visitors.
Accommodation
Guest rooms and suites
The property operates as an intimate bed-and-breakfast with a reported inventory of 18 rooms. Its lodging offer is differentiated by the historic mansion setting, period architectural details, public rooms, balconies, and views toward the water rather than by the standardized facilities of a large hotel chain.
Heritage hospitality
Historic mansion stay
The flagship experience is an overnight stay in a preserved Key West mansion dating from 1897. The property combines accommodation with an interpretation of its architectural and social history, including its Victorian design, former nightlife uses, and reported connections to presidents, artists, and other notable visitors.
Brand decisions
2023
Adoption of The Mansion on the Sea nameStrategyBackground
The historic lodging property had long been known as Southernmost House and was operating as a bed-and-breakfast.
Action taken
The property was renamed The Mansion on the Sea.
Aftermath
The new name emphasizes the building's waterfront setting, while Southernmost House remains its established historical designation.
Recent events
- 2023
Property renamed The Mansion on the Sea[1]
Other
The property adopted the name The Mansion on the Sea in 2023, following its long identification as Southernmost House.
- 2016
Southernmost House inducted into Historic Hotels of America[1]
Other
The historic Key West mansion was inducted into the Historic Hotels of America program, recognizing its architectural and historical significance within the heritage-hospitality sector.
Sources2 sources
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