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Keys History


April 28
1982 – The last span of the new Seven Mile Bridge was put into place.

Florida Keys History Center
54 minutes ago1 min read
0


April 27
1956 – Monroe County Commissioner Harry Harris announced that plans for U.S. 1 to bypass Boca Chica Naval Air Station were sent to the Florida Road Department for final approval. At the time, the highway cut through the air station, which was creating problems for both the Navy and civilians. The new bypass would skirt around the base on the Gulf side.

Florida Keys History Center
1 day ago2 min read
8


April 26
1963 – Sam Golan, owner of the Key Ambassador Hotel and the Holiday Inn, was named president of Key West Films, Inc. The company’s mission was to create Keys-based films, and it had recently backed the production of “Man In the Water,” (aka “Escape From Hell Island”) starring Mark Stevens.

Florida Keys History Center
2 days ago1 min read
5


April 25
1961 – Charles Helberg, the builder and original proprietor of the Key Wester hotel, resumed control of the resort after it had been under the charge of an absentee hotel management group for four years. Helberg said the absentee model did not serve patrons, employees, or the community very well.

Florida Keys History Center
3 days ago2 min read
12


April 24
2010 – Nearly 200 Key West residents met with city staff to offer ideas for the development of 6.6 acres of land in Truman Waterfront Park. Creating an open green space and turning a former Navy mess hall into a community center were the leading choices.

Florida Keys History Center
4 days ago1 min read
14


April 23
1982 – The Florida Keys seceded from the United States in a mock ceremony to protest the U.S. Border Patrol’s establishment of a roadblock at Florida City to check the citizenship of everyone leaving Monroe County.

Florida Keys History Center
5 days ago2 min read
13


April 22
1943 – The Pirate’s Cove Fishing Lodge, along Bow Channel on Sugarloaf Key, was turned over to the Coast Guard. Work started immediately to convert the buildings into barracks for the Guardsmen who would be protecting Keys waters.

Florida Keys History Center
6 days ago2 min read
19


April 21
1980 – The Key West fishing boats Dos Hermanos and Blanche III arrived in Key West with 48 Cuban refugees, which began the Mariel Boatlift.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 202 min read
12


April 20
1959 – Some 25 members of the Marathon-based Tortugas Shrimpers Association met with elected officials in Tallahassee to urge the passage of a bill that would reopen areas of the Tortugas shrimp beds that had been closed for conservation.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 191 min read
19


April 19
1912 – The Monroe Theater at 623 Duval was screening the 1911 Irish feature “Arrah-na-pogue,” with admission at 10, 15 or 20 cents, based on seating.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 182 min read
14


April 18
1951 – A new concrete tennis court was opened at Key West’s Bayview Park, complementing two existing asphalt courts.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 171 min read
10


April 17
1959 – A simulated nuclear bomb drop was the central feature of Civil Defense exercises in Key West.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 162 min read
14


April 16
2010 – Owners of Key West’s Heritage House Museum announced it would close after the historic mid-19th century building at 410 Caroline St. was sold to Peter Brawn, who had been buying many of the island’s significant properties.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 151 min read
18


April 15
1930 – Andrew J. Page moved his store into a modern two-story concrete building he had built at 501 Duval Street, at the corner of Fleming, in Key West.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 141 min read
19


April 14
1930 – A statement was read at the Key West City Commission meeting advising any Greek sponge fishermen from Tarpon Springs to avoid moving their operations to Key West.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 132 min read
9


April 13
2010 – After having had the lowest census participation rate in Florida in 2000, Monroe County had the highest for 2010.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 122 min read
14


April 12
1970 – The USS Quillback (SS 525) was open to the public for tours at Naval Station Key West’s Pier 1.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 112 min read
11


April 11
1930 – After having explored a change in routes, the Mallory Steamship company announced that existing service would remain.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 102 min read
11


April 10
1958 – Billy Watkins Moody, serving a sentence in Monroe County Jail for larceny, admitted to having started multiple fires in Key West.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 92 min read
17


April 9
1975 – Robert “Speedy” Neal pitched a perfect game in a Little Major League contest at Key West’s Peter Dopp Field.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 82 min read
16
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