In the early 1980's the United States Border Patrol set up a check point at the Last Chance Saloon in Florida City. Florida City is a small city well south of Miami and about 20 miles north of the Keys. Florida City is know mainly for being the northernmost end of the "only" road leading from the mainland into the island chain of the Florida Keys. The owner of the Last Chance Saloon, Skeeter Davis, was immediately on the phone to his old pal and Mayor of Key West, Dennis Wardlow. Meanwhile a seventeen mile traffic jam ensued while the Border Patrol stopped every car leaving the Keys supposedly searching for illegal aliens attempting to enter the mainland United States. Residents and visitors attempting to leave the Keys were puzzled about what illegal aliens could be hiding under their front seats, in their glove compartments, and in their trunks. The media starting reporting on the unprecedented action of the Border Patrol in setting up a border checkpoint within the United States, itself. As the stories of the traffic jam poured out across the nation and the world, visitors started canceling reservations to come to the Keys. The hotels began to empty, deliveries were delayed or stopped, attractions in the Keys went begging for customers but the Keys were effectively paralyzed.
   Community leaders started to gather around the Mayor to decide what to do. The very lifeblood of a budding tourism industry was threatened. Secessionist talk was bubbling up in each discussion. At the urging of local attorney, the legal route was chosen as the first alternative. The city filed an injunction against the government's action in Federal Court in Miami. Mayor Wardlow, local business man Ed Swift piled into Dave's Horan's (the attorney) airplane and off to court they flew. Dave argued brilliantly, but the Court essentially refused to enjoin the Border patrol from treating the Keys like a foreign country. Leaving the courthouse, the delegation from Key West was met by a gaggle of the world press. "What are you going to do, Mr. Mayor", they screamed. "We're going home and secede" he said.
   Naturally, the press followed Dennis back to Key West. As the news of the Mayor's intentions hit the newspapers and the airwaves, the community splintered. When the rumor flew that the American flag was to be lowered, and the Conch Republic flag raised in its place, a number of people were very upset. The calls came pouring in to the Mayor. A compromise was reached, the American flag would stay. The Conch flag would be raised underneath it.
Meanwhile, federal agents started pouring into town. What would happen? Would everyone involved be arrested? Would the Keys be placed under martial law?
   Fear was real. The community was deeply divided. On April 23rd, 1982, Mayor Wardlow surrounded by his loyal cohorts mounted the back of a flatbed truck in Clinton Square in front of the Old Customs building and delivered a Proclamation of Secession to the assembled crowd including a number of very vocal protesters.
   Following the reading of the Proclamation, the new Prime Minister declared war on the United States. The Prime Minister then immediately surrendered and demanded foreign aid from the United States. Thus, the Conch Republic was born, however, is still waiting for the foreign aid.