Conchs

Residents of Key West refer to themselves as Conchs, and they call Key West “the Conch Republic.” The conch is even the fierce and frightening (not) mascot of Key West High School.

From what we’ve observed, your typical Conch is very friendly, a bit scruffy, a bit sun-weathered, smokes and drinks however much s/he damn well pleases, and feels vastly superior to mainlanders. One of the most popular bumper stickers here says “Slow down! This ain’t the mainland!” (No, we haven’t observed that Conch drivers are any less intense behind the wheel than the rest of us). They’re a funny mix of liberals and conservatives, but as a group they are environmentally conscious enough that bicycles are everywhere. (The marina here has a couple of sizable areas dedicated to scooter and bicycle parking.)

So, no, not all Floridians – or even Keys residents – are Conchs, and I think you have to live on Key West quite a while before you earn the name.