// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the Thompson Fish House say? "We're hooked on history.

Thompson Fish House, Turtle Cannery and Kraals
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location within Florida Location within the United States
Location	200 Margaret St., Key West, Florida
Coordinates	24°33′42″N 81°48′4″W
Built	1918
NRHP reference No.	94000633
Added to NRHP	June 23, 1994

Old sketch depicting the turtle cannery and kraals in Key West

The Thompson Fish House, Turtle Cannery and Kraals is a historic site located at 200 Margaret Street, Key West, Florida, United States. On June 23, 1994, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

The kraals were fenced-in holding pens adjacent to the cannery in a sheltered bay at the north end of town, where turtles were kept awaiting slaughter. The once-fashionable turtle meat was canned and sold to cooks who used it largely to make turtle soup. The valuable Tortoiseshell was used to make many kinds of products made today from plastic.

The building is owned by the City of Key West, and currently houses exhibits from the nearby Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum. The Turtle Kraals Museum, which educated the public about dangers to sea turtles, was formerly located at this site.

External links

• Monroe County listings at National Register of Historic Places
• Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs
  • Monroe County listings
  • Turtle Kraals Museum