top of page
All Posts


May 7
1946 – The Key West General Hospital invited eight physicians to be on its consulting staff: Drs. Thomas O. Otto, surgeon; E. Clay Shaw, urologist; Sterling E. Nichols, cardiologist; Michael Price DeBoe, ENT; Ralph Jack, obstetrician; Wiley M. Sams, dermatologist; and Francis W. Glenn, orthopedist.

Florida Keys History Center
May 62 min read


May 6
1955 – Work on the stands for the Key West High School Stadium was well underway, and the job was expected to be completed within the week. When done, the stands would seat 3,076 people.

Florida Keys History Center
May 52 min read


May 5
1989 – The Key West Economic Review Committee proposed that a 25-cent fee be charged to every person watching the sunset from Mallory Square, which would generate nearly $100,000 annually.

Florida Keys History Center
May 42 min read


May 4
1946 – Four Key West bars – Duffy’s Tavern at 506 Fleming; Boat Bar at 503 Duval; Bahama Club at 519 Duval; and Raoul’s Place on Smith Lane – were warned that their licenses could soon be revoked because they were within 300 feet of the San Carlos building, which housed a school.

Florida Keys History Center
May 32 min read


May 3
1946 – As part of a “general clean-up” of the area, the Aeromarine Airways sheds on the beach at the foot of Duval Street were torn down. The twin sheds, from where Aeromarine “flying boats” traveled between Key West and Havana starting in 1920, were the first international air station in the United States.

Florida Keys History Center
May 22 min read


May 2
1951 – Monroe County commissioners, supported by the Lower Keys Property Owners Association, unanimously opposed Congressman Bill Lantalf’s bill to create a Key deer protection area on Big Pine Key. “I do not see why hundreds of miles of land is needed for 15-20 deer,” said Commissioner Frank Bentley.

Florida Keys History Center
May 12 min read


May 1
1926 – Two men attempted to break into the Key West Custom House by drilling a 12-inch diameter hole through the basement wall, hoping to access the area where seized liquor, jewelry, cigars, narcotics, and other valuables were kept. A night watchman encountered the men and fired shots at them, but they escaped via the waterfront.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 302 min read


April 30
1946 – In preparation of its new Key West distribution center, the Gulf Oil Company began construction of four 15,000-gallon tanks at its 0 Duval Street docks along the harbor front.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 292 min read


April 29
1947 – Jack Dietz announced that a contract for $62,900 had been let to build the 28-room Blue Marlin Motel on Simonton Street in Key West.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 282 min read


Disconnect to Reconnect
Between the pings of notifications and the endless stream of news, our brains rarely get a moment of true quiet. That’s why we are thrilled to announce a brand-new club at the Big Pine library designed to help you reclaim your focus: The Analog Club.

Monroe County Public Library
Apr 281 min read


Mystery Month in May
Do you love a good mystery, on page or screen? Whether your tastes run to cozy or thrillers, fiction or true crime, we have options on Kanopy, Libby and our entire collection.

Monroe County Public Library
Apr 281 min read


April 28
1968 – National Air Lines made the first jet landing at Key West International Airport using a Boeing 727. The county had extended the runway and removed obstructions to make the airport usable for jets.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 272 min read


April 27
1976 – The Monroe County Courthouse in Key West was being renovated for the upcoming national Bicentennial celebration. Among the improvements were new flooring and new interior paint. A 20-by-8-foot mural depicting the history of the Keys was also being rendered by artist Paul Stevens.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 272 min read


April 26
1942 – The USS Sturtevant (DD 240) strayed into the U.S. Navy’s anti-submarine minefield while leaving Key West via the Northwest Channel and was sunk with a loss of 17 men.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 252 min read


April 25
1986 – An 18½-foot, five-ton steel sculpture of a conch shell was installed at the entrance to Key West High School. The massive artwork was created by the school’s welding teacher George Carey and his 36 students. Dubbed the “largest conch shell in the world,” it took eight months to complete.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 242 min read


April 24
1942 – Four city blocks were condemned for expansion of the Key West Naval Station: One bounded by Whitehead, Fleming, Thomas and Eaton streets; others from Eaton to Angela between Thomas and Emma. The owners of the many homes in those blocks were paid a total of $165,702 for their properties.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 232 min read


April 23
1946 – The Navy announced a delay in returning the Key West Aquarium to the city, as they wanted to make sure it was in the same condition as when received. The concern was in finding photographs of the WPA murals, so the artwork could be properly restored. The aquarium had been used as a rifle range during the war.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 222 min read


April 22
1953 – The crew filming the movie “Beneath the 12 Mile Reef” arrived and took over the Casa Marina Hotel. The movie starred Terry Moore, Robert Wagner, Peter Graves, and J. Carroll Nash, who arrived with the rest of the crew. Seventy-five locals were used as extras in the film.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 212 min read


April 21
2006 – Islamorada’s Holiday Isle Resort was purchased by the Ceebraid Signal Corp. of West Palm Beach for $98.25 million. The popular 151-room resort had a 57-slip marina, six bars, three restaurants, and a suite of shops. The new owners promised there would be no changes for several months.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 202 min read


Recommended Reads for Kids & Teens
Find books in our collection that are nominated for this year's awards by the Florida Association for Media in Education.

Monroe County Public Library
Apr 201 min read
News
bottom of page

