The Key West Heritage House was established as a museum by the late Jeane Porter, an accomplished designer, artist and author of “Conch Smiles,” an illustrated collection of Key West stories and colorful family history. Jeane, who died in 2004, established the house museum at the bequest of her mother, Jessie Porter, who died in 1979. A pioneer in historic restoration, Miss Jessie was adamant about preserving the buildings of Old Town, in a time when historic structures were being demolished with no thought to their value and significance. Miss Jessie, as she was known, was a founding member of the Old Island Restoration Foundation (OIRF), which continues to benefit historic preservation in Key West nearly 50 years later. She is also credited for encouraging the Miami millionaire Louis Wolfson to buy and restore what is now known as Audubon House, a museum dedicated to the works of the ornithologist and artist.
