Key West

When I first heard of conch-style houses, I imagined they must be named for the large pink sea snail shells. I wondered if their floor plans spiraled inwards somehow. Newsflash: they aren’t, and they don’t. Conch-style homes are minimalist one- or two-story rectangular timber-framed dwellings, set on posts so cooling air can circulate beneath the floor. They came into use in the 19^th century; first built in Key West, Florida by Bahamian immigrants (known as Conches) with experience in boat building. Conch houses invariably have a covered porch running the length of the front of the house. If there’s a second floor, there will usually be a porch up there, too. There may be carved brackets or rafter ends on the porches, and the houses themselves will usually be pastel-colored. I never learned to scuba dive, and I’m not big on nightlife. If I ever do visit Key West, it will be primarily to see these houses in person.