The Military Map of the Peninsula of Florida South of Tampa, dated April 1856 shows a dry key by this name located on Alligator Reef. There is also an account in Lippincott's Magazine of 1874 which tells the story of a group of tourists who went ashore on Alligator Key. Both Alligator Reef and Key are named for the U.S.S. Alligator, a U.S. Navy schooner which was wrecked here in 1822. The wrecksite has been placed on National Register of Historic Places.