In the early 1970s, David Wolkowsky began stewarding a remote island near Key West and...

A private 14-acre island nine miles west of Key West that once hosted famous writers and Hollywood stars has officially become part of the Key West National Wildlife Refuge. The move completes a conservation effort that lasted for decades. Known as Ballast Key, the remote tropical island was bought in the early 1970s by the late property developer David Wolkowsky. For almost half a century, Wolkowsky looked after the isolated retreat. He built a three-storey main house and a separate guest house surrounded by palm trees and shallow turquoise water. The deal was made possible through a partnership between The Nature Conservancy and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, as detailed by the Miami Herald. The purchase means the last privately owned piece of land within the national wildlife sanctuary boundary is now permanently protected from commercial development.A private sanctuary for literary legendsOver the years, Wolkowsky turned the empty island into a well-known haven for artists. Known in South Florida as "Mr Key West," he often welcomed famous writers, musicians and performers looking for a quiet place away from public attention. One of his regular guests was playwright Tennessee...