MIAMI – The solar-soaked Florida Keys, from Essential Largo to Essential West, are “shut to ideal, considerably from normal,” as the tourism manufacturer. They are surely varied and for a politician in Monroe County, they are a each day obstacle.
Virginia Panico, the extensive-time Govt Vice President /CEO of the Key West Chamber of Commerce, remembers a person woman who extra than satisfied that obstacle for a long time.
In the 1980s, Wilhelmina Harvey turned the initial female mayor of Monroe County, afterwards recognised as “The Grand Dame of Keys politics” and “Wild Willie.”
According to Panico, “She sort of like dominated the county for a although and was pretty very well revered.”
Other than becoming the 1st feminine mayor, Harvey was the initial girl to be elected to the Monroe County Commission. In her time she was also a science instructor, Chair of the Monroe County College Board, and appreciated scuba diving.
About the nickname “Wild Willie?”
Creator Margot Bisztray stated Harvey informed her how it arrived to be.
“I utilised to view my dad and brothers run our Model T. The moment after my mother and father went in the home, I turned the important and set my foot on the clutch, and pulled down the accelerator. Individuals were managing down the street yelling ‘stop that kid!’ I could hardly see as a result of the windshield. Which is why they called me Wild Willie,” Harvey recalled to Bisztray.
Panico claimed Harvey performed to her strengths.
“She was a sharp, educated woman and she played the reverse. As considerably as I understood, she would engage in that small ditzy but by no suggests, it was not the situation,” she stated.
In 1981, Harvey was deeply concerned in the Conch Republic, the symbolic and humorous Keys succession riot in which they protested US Border Patrol checkpoints at the entrance to the island chain.
“She was normally, usually was at unique gatherings, by no means skipped events, hardly ever miss a particular occasion with the individuals,” explained Panico. “She experienced every person fooled, I believe, she was really coy on how she did issues.”
Simply just put, Harvey was a character.
A correct Conch, Harvey was born in Important West. Her father was an engineer with Henry Flagler’s railroad based mostly in Critical West. She understood tourism and marketing, the backbone of the Florida Keys overall economy. A single of her greatest moments came in 1991 when she greeted Queen Elizabeth II who visited Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas.
“She went out there and greeted Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh, presenting them with a queen conch shell,” mentioned Panico.
Harvey later on relevant the story to Bisztray.
“When I offered the certification, I gave her a gorgeous pink conch shell. A though later on, an old-time Conch mate claimed, ‘Wilhelmina, why did you give the queen a conch shell? You need to not have advised her that we Conchs will not get them in the home due to the fact it is really negative luck.’ I stated I wasn’t going to spoil the presentation by currently being negative, but why was my pal not happy? She claimed, ‘Haven’t you read through? Not only has the palace burned, but her daughters-in-regulation are all managing about!'”
Harvey was one of the very first inductees into the Florida Women’s Corridor of Fame. She handed away in 2005 at the age of 93.
