1826 – The first Key West lighthouse, located at the southwestern end of the island, was lit for the first time. Keeper Michael Mabrity,...

1822 – President James Monroe appointed Joel Yancey to be Collector of Customs at Key West. 1862 – The members of the 90th New York...

1830 – William A. Whitehead was named Collector of Customs and Inspector of the Revenue for the Port of Key West, replacing Algernon S....

1836 – The Rev. Robert Dyce, Episcopal missionary at Key West wrote, “…there is a general desire in this place to be informed on...

1864 – Two dozen soldiers and officers searched the Dry Tortugas for two sailors who had jumped ship and deserted there the day before....

1864 – Two sailors from the barque New York deserted at the Dry Tortugas.  1922 – A special 14-car train carrying racehorses from...

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...

Geo G. Brooks was a lawyer. 1847 – A ship’s boy rescued from the schooner St. Mary’s , wrecked at the Dry Tortugas, was discovered to...

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

1830 – The sloop Sarah Isabella , owned by Capt. Jacob Housman, was struck twice by lightning at Indian Key; the topmast and mainmast...

1850 – Two men were rescued from Matecumbe Key, after having been stranded there for five days. They were crewmen from the brig New...

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

1861 – A violent storm struck the Florida Keys, and many ships were wrecked from Key West to Key Largo. The British bark Argentine ,...

1845 – Many vultures and crows were flying over a particular area of Stock Island, and on investigation the body of a man was found...

1846 – Key West was reported to be especially quiet because so many residents had left “to enjoy the pleasures of a northern summer.”...

1900 – The Mayor of Key West was George L. Bartlum. The members of the Key West Board Aldermen were: Charles R. Pierce, Joshua Curry,...

Collecting Conch and sea urchins in the 1970s. 1842 – The barque Alasco , sailing from Havana to St. Petersburg, ran ashore at Conch...

Peacon grocery store on Fleming Street, Key West 1767 – The brig Apollo , sailing from Honduras, was wrecked at Key Largo, the vessel...

William Weech American Legion Post #168 at 803 Emma St. in Key West 1837 – Captain John Whalton of the lightship Florida , stationed at...

The steamship Bosiljka 1865 – The bark Adventure arrived in Key West with four of her crew sick with yellow fever. The fever spread to...