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Today In Keys History
Daily column recounting events in Keys history on a specific date.


June 20
1946 – A plane from Cuba’s Aerovias Q airline made a 30-minute flight from Havana to Key West to establish regular air service between the two cities. Aerovias Q representatives then met with Keys officials to discuss specifics of the new connection.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 191 min read


June 19
2001 – The City of Key West banned commercial kayaking tours in the island’s Salt Ponds.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 182 min read


June 18
1924 – A contest to name the new hotel being built at the corner of Duval and Fleming streets in Key West was drawing many entries. Some of the suggestions: Hotel Aubuchon, The Miramar, Trail’s End, Juan Salas, La Concha, Hotel Mariposa, The Palms Inn, La Mascota, and the Dolphin.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 171 min read


June 17
1946 – The Marathon Chamber of Commerce said the community had grown to the point that the establishment of banking facilities was essential, and the group was starting a movement to establish a bank there.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 162 min read


June 16
1976 – Senator Lawton Chiles and Representative Dante Fascell reassured local officials that the Key West Post Office would remain an independent facility and retain its own postmark. Rumors had been spreading that Key West was slated to become a branch of the Miami Post Office.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 151 min read


June 15
1887 – As yellow fever raged across Key West, local health officers and officials of the Marine Hospital Service discussed a plan to remove people who were not “acclimated” to the disease from the island city to another key.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 142 min read


June 14
1906 – Work commenced on the new Triumph Coffee Mill building on a lot behind the Pohalski Cigar Factory. The corrugated iron structure was expected to take three weeks to complete.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 132 min read


June 13
2001 – Key West Bight officials agreed to cancel an agreement with the Argentinian Buquebus company for the construction a ferry terminal. Under the deal, the city would take over the facility and complete the building at a cost of $1 million, plus pay contractors more than $300,000 owed them by Buquebus.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 122 min read


June 12
1924 – Richard Peacon, Jr. died at his home at age 64. For 38 years he had operated a grocery store in Key West, and the time of his death he had the largest store on the island, located at the corner of Fleming and William streets.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 112 min read


June 11
1954 – Famed dancer Sally Rand was in trouble with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, which ordered her two Key West properties to be sold to pay back taxes.

klingener-nancy
Jun 102 min read


June 10
1954 – Famed dancer Sally Rand was in trouble with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, which ordered her two Key West properties to be sold to pay back taxes.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 92 min read


June 9
1989 – Members of the Monroe County Citizens Jail Advisory Committee were shocked when a project report said building a new jail on Stock Island would cost $95 million. Monroe County Mayor Pro-tem Gene Lytton said, “For a $95 million jail, I’ll never get reelected.”

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 82 min read


June 8
1918 – Private Arthur B. Sawyer, U.S. Marine Corps, was killed in action in France. He was the first Key Wester to die in battle in World War I.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 72 min read


June 7
1923 – The local Key West baseball team defeated the visiting Havana Police Department contingent 5 to 3. Will Daughtry and “Midget” Sevilla were the outstanding players.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 62 min read


June 6
1992 – Key West’s El Salvador United Methodist Church disbanded after 115 years.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 52 min read


June 5
1905 – The Island City Bank was organized in Key West, and the following officers were elected: George S. Waite, president; C.R. Pierce, vice president; and E.M. Martin, cashier. The board of directors were: T.A. Sweeting, J.M. Phipps, J.T. Sawyer, and Richard Peacon.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 42 min read


June 4
1960 – The Old Island Restoration Foundation was formed to restore and maintain the traditional atmosphere and architecture peculiar to Key West. The officers were: Reta Sawyer, chairman; Ruth Holtsberg, first vice chairman; Joan T. Knight, second vice chairman; Mary L. Graham, secretary; and J.J. Pinder, treasurer.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 32 min read


June 3
1983 – The $3.9 million sale of Key West’s Sands Beach Club to New York developer Austin Laber was completed. Laber revealed that he planned to demolish the three-year-old waterfront complex and build the Reach Hotel.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 22 min read


June 2
1991 – The 83-foot Greenpeace ship Moby Dick was repairing and replacing mooring buoys in the Marathon Marine Sanctuary, which encompassed all waters three miles out from Fat Deer Key to the Seven Mile Bridge. The mooring buoys had been originally installed in 1989, when Monroe County created the marine park.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 12 min read


June 1
1946 – The Johnson homestead at the corner of Duval and Eaton streets in Key West sold for $9,000. The property had a frontage of 130 feet on Duval and 134 feet on Eaton. It had been in the Johnson family for more than 75 years.

Florida Keys History Center
May 312 min read
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