1901 – The schooners Lilly White and Dr. Lykes were seized at Key West by the revenue cutter McClane. The vessels, bound from Havana,...

1902 – Nearly a dozen Key West-based sponging vessels were seized by British authorities for interloping and illegally gathering sponges...

1857 – The wrecking schooner Florida, while loading cotton from a ship ashore at Caesar’s Creek, was burned to the waterline. While the...

1898 – The Battleship Maine arrived at Havana, Cuba at 11 a.m. 1908 – Rumors were spreading that further construction of the Overseas...

1863 – Official news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached Key West. The Black community celebrated with a parade and party. 1898 –...

1871 – The Cuban refugee community dedicated the San Carlos Hall. The hall was a meeting place to discuss political matters, for...

1825 – The Colombian schooner Colombiano arrived at Knight’s Key in a leaking condition after having struck a reef off Cuba. Several...

1872 – Dr. Daniel Whitehurst died at the age of 65. A native of Virginia, he came to Key West in 1844 as post surgeon at Fort Jefferson....

1906 – Commander Beehler of Naval Station Key West reported the receipt at the wireless telegraph station of an eight-word message from...

1833 – A fire started in the house of Captain Pardon Greene and destroyed the adjacent hotel and six of eight houses, together with the...

1848 – The new Key West Lighthouse on Whitehead Street was lighted for the first time. 1902 – Some of Key West’s leading Black citizens...

1903 – A near-riot broke out during a vaudeville performance at the Cincinnati Bar in Key West. The melee started when a sailor...

1904 – The British steamer Sorle, sailing from Tampa to Europe with phosphate, ran aground near Rebecca Shoal. Wreckers refloated the...

1861 – At Fort Independence in Boston Harbor, Major Lewis G. Arnold of the 2nd United States Artillery was ordered to “embark your...

1861 – In answer to his request, US Army Headquarters in Washington ordered Captain Brannan to move his company from the Barracks to...

1861 – The Army reported that Fort Taylor had the following armament: 60 coastal and garrison cannons, 50 8-inch Columbians and 10...

1830 – William R. Hackley recorded in his diary: Rose with the sun and after breakfast read the “Lost Heir.” At ten o’clock A.M. Norman...

1830 – William R. Hackley recorded in his diary: Rose before the sun. My wrist is very painful so much so that I have procured a bottle...

1830 – William R. Hackley recorded in his diary: Rose before the sun. Last night it was quite cool. After breakfast I was at the store...

1830 – William R. Hackley recorded in his diary: Rose about 6. During the night the wind hauled to the west northwest and this morning...