Missing Key West sign has been found — 300 miles away
Paradise has been found.
The missing “Welcome to Key West” sign — iconic signage that pronounced Key West as Paradise U.S.A.— was found 300 miles away early Thursday in Fort Myers Beach. (In nautical distance it’s about 110 miles).
The sign, which greeted visitors at the island’s entrance off U.S. 1, disappeared after Hurricane Irma slammed into the the island chain.
It was found at the Key West Express docking station in Fort Myers early Thursday after an unidentified couple dropped it off, WINK News reported.
The $8,000 gift from a local Rotary Club was loaded onto a boat early Thursday by crew members. It’s unknown if the sign suffered extensive damage.
Meanwhile, a make-shift, hand-painted sign sporting the words “Welcome to Paradise” has been strung up in its place at the busy intersection.
Monique O. Madan: 305-376-2108, @MoniqueOMadan
This story was originally published October 12, 2017 at 5:18 PM with the headline "Missing Key West sign has been found — 300 miles away."