1837 – A woman testified in a Philadelphia court that a sailor named Mitchell had come to her house and told her husband he had buried...

1862 – The “Union ladies” of Key West presented the Army chaplain with a U.S. flag to raise over the regimental church. As it was...

1909 – Dutchy Melbourne, who was serving a 13-year sentence in the state penitentiary, escaped. He had been convicted of the murder of...

1841 – The schooner Columbia , sailing from Boston to Mobile, wrecked at Mangrove Key, 9 miles from Key West. The passengers and cargo...

1815 – The ship Argus , sailing from Matanzas to Baltimore, was wrecked on the Basin Reef at Key Largo. The crew and a small part of the...

1746 – The English privateer Fame was at the Florida Keys to procure wood and water when it was struck by a hurricane. To save the...

1894 – A hurricane that had traveled the length of Cuba passed over Key West where winds were clocked at 104 mph with slight damage. 1899...

1867 – The recovered cargo of the steamer George Cromwell , wrecked off Indian Key, was appraised at $40,000 and the vessel at $50,000,...

1816 – The Ship Rebecca , carrying wine from Cadiz to Savannah, was caught in a hurricane and wrecked on the Florida Reef. The crew...

1902 – A shark measuring 15 feet was caught from Curry’s Wharf near the harbor end of Simonton Street. 1917 – C.W. Saunderson resigned...

1863 – The USS San Jacinto of Key West’s East Gulf Blockading Squadron captured the steamer Lizzie Davis while it was sailing from...

1910 – Florida State Health Officer Dr. J.Y. Porter notified Key West Mayor Fogarty that the dumping of trash at the foot of White...

1853 – Charles Bowman, assistant light keeper at Sand Key, was nearly killed when he fell from the first tier of pilings to the ground....

1827 – The schooner Packet was lost on the southwest end of Carysfort Reef, while the crew was attempting to reach Key Largo to find...

1862 – During the month of August there were 150 cases of yellow fever reported by the Army in Key West. The deaths from fever totaled...

1858 – Philip J. Fontaine, grocer and ship chandler, died at age 50. He had served three terms as Mayor of Key West. 1864 – John...

1900 – The cigar business at Key West was booming. Every steamship arriving from Havana carried tobacco, and over 2,500 bales had been...

1841 – The salvaged cargo of the barque Henry Wooley , composed largely of coffee, was sold at Key West for $12,000. 1885 – A...

1867 – The first official telegraphic messages were sent between Key West and Cuba. Key West Mayor E. O. Gwynn wrote to Cuban...

1851 – A gale commenced at Key West and blew for 30 hours. There was no damage to buildings or ships. 1869 – The bark Washington ,...