With the advent of the railroad, the southern end of the
island of Key Largo, composed then of the small communities
of Planter and Lowesport, became known as "Tavernier."
The name Tavernier is intriguing. Why this French name among
all the Spanish names? Most charts before 1775 labeled Tavernier
Key in Spanish as Cayo Tabona, Tobanas, Tabano, Tavona,
Tabanoe, etc. which translates to "Horsefly,"
or "Gadsfly" in English. Spanish letters relating
to the recovery of the 1733 wrecks relate that they had
to relocate their land camp from Cayo Tavona because of
the horse flies.
David Cutler Braddock did label it "Tabernero"
on his chart of 1756. William de Brahm showed it as Stephen
Island on his 1772 chart. George Gauld made a map for the
British Admiralty in 1775 and labeled it Cayo Tabona and
Kay Tavernier. It was the only Key to which he gave two
names. Gauld stated in his survey notes: "KAY TAVERNIER
(or Cayo Tabano as it is called by the Spaniards) is a small
island about 2 miles from the Southwest of Cayo Largo, and
5 leagues N.E. from Old Matecumbe." Therefore, the
place named Tavernier has been in print since 1775. A journal
written aboard the ship Gallant captained by Eldridge Spicer
reads ". . . went into the harbor of key Tabinier caught
this day 87 fish. . . ."
Additional research of the name Tavernier reveals in Europe
a famous French traveler and jewel trader named Jean Baptiste
Tavernier (1605-1689) and a noted French cartographer Melchoir
Tavernier in 1634. I have spoken with the French cultural
attache and consul general in Miami and they advised me
that the word Tavernier, which means tavern keeper, is the
fourth or fifth most common name in France. They believe,
if anything, it was another person or relative named Tavernier,
or the island was named in honor of the very famous Jean
Baptiste Tavernier. Love Dean wrote in May 1983, "Decades
of mispronunciation changed 'Tabona' into 'Tavernier.'" |
