Tom Hambright's Retirement

[@roboneal1090]

hey tom, thanks for your help and friendship for the past 25 years...you've helped us immeasurably here at the newspaper and its ALWAYS a pleasure walking into and seeing you in the 'florida room.' i'm gonna get you a real cuban cigar later this month, you just have to promise to light this one:)... take care, rob o.

[@libbyvideo]

Thank you, Tom. You sat me down with the files & maps also and helped me research the history of my house and the founding Key Westers who built it. Great job for so many over the years. You are much loved.

[@LifeInTampaBayFlorida]

When I was in college, Tom let me sit in the back room with him for countless hours. His personality and sense of humor made my very stressful and very challenging experience easier and enjoyable. You are an amazing man, and you helped so many people including myself. Enjoy your time off, knowing that you legacy will always be in the Key West library and in the alley and streets of Key West forever.

[@scottbrown4534]

The first time I met Tom was 15 years or so ago when the State of Florida hired me, a professional land surveyor, and a friend who is a professional title expert, to do historical research on State road 4. The State people were studying the viability of using the old right of way for a hiking trail. We started our research in the courthouse, of course, but we discovered that the really old title records had been transferred to the library. All of the early deed books were stored in the vault and the nice ladies in the records room at the courthouse told us to find a guy by the name of Tom to help us out. We wandered over to the library and found our way into the vault when Tom got back from lunch. Wow!! Tom was very kind to us and listened carefully to our story, and then he showed us where the deed books were, and that kept us busy for the best part of the afternoon. Later, Tom motioned for me to follow him into the stacks where we discovered a complete copy of the original State Road Department right of way map for all of State Road 4 from the ferry dock on the East side of No Name Key, all the way to downtown Key West, which map was dated 1924 if memory serves. I had done several preservation acquisition projects in the Keys for the State before that and had run across state Road 4 a number of times, had asked the State Department had any mapping, and even got them to dig around in their historic vaults in Tallahassee, to no avail. Tom is a true treasure! The second time we met, I dragged my lawyer wife in to meet him about 5 or 8 years ago. She was astonished at the volume of historical records and we both gleefully dug around in the stacks. Tom watched us, of course, and once he figured out what interested my wife, he showed her where to look. We spent the rest of the afternoon reading, studying, looking at pictures; Well if you've ever been in that vault you know what I mean. I can't say enough nice things about Key West, your library, and especially Tom Hambright.