Was that Key West’s Southernmost Point Buoy on the back of a truck? Yes, but a replica

No, Key West’s iconic Southernmost Point Buoy has not been trucked away — though a recent viral photograph sure made it look that way.

What is going north — all the way to New York — is a replica of the famous tourist draw, which is part of the “Happy Family” art display at the Key West International Airport.

A photo of the display, which features statues of people gathering around the replica buoy, went viral on social media after a Palm Beach television reporter posted a picture of it as it was being transported on the back of a truck along Interstate 95 this week. The display is going north to be repainted and will return.

“We’ve received many comments on their journey as they head to New York,” Richard Strickland, executive director of Airports for Monroe County, said in a statement. “The family members are in need of a vacation after standing in the sun and welcoming travelers at the airport since taking up residency on the roof around 2008.”

The display, which is normally situated on the entrance way to the airport, was built by artist Seward Johnson, a part-time Key West resident, said airport spokeswoman Katie Atkins.

The airport is undergoing a $100 million expansion that includes a new second-level concourse, a new departure area, additional baggage areas and an upgraded security checkpoint with four security lanes, according to the Monroe County Tourist Development Council.

The project also includes seven passenger boarding jet bridges and an extended passenger bridge that is expected to connect the existing terminal building to the new concourse, according to the TDC.