1891 – The Key West City Commission passed an ordinance prohibiting the killing or trapping of any songbird. 1886 – Key West...

1829 – The four owners of the Island of Key West – John Simonton, Pardon Greene, John Whitehead and John Fleming – signed an agreement...

1855 – Florida Governor J.E. Broome signed a law passed by the Legislature that made it illegal for any Free Black person who arrived at...

1827 – Construction began on the first lighthouse on Sand Key. The 60-foot brick structure would be completed in 70 days. 1913 – The...

Emancipation played out differently in Key West than it did in other parts of Florida - or the country.

1829 – Key West’s first newspaper, The Key West Register , began publication under Thomas Eastin. 1851 – Capt. J.W.P. Lewis, engineer,...

1824 – The Spanish schooner Ninfa Catalina was captured by the Colombian privateer General Soublette on suspicion of being a pirate,...

1905 – Key Wester Charles Kelly died mysteriously while on a woodcutting expedition at the mainland Monroe County settlement of...

The Lower Matecumbe toll booth on the Overseas Highway C 1940. 1816 – The ship Mercury of Philadelphia, carrying cotton from New...

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

1908 – The mail boat from Miami to Key West ran aground, and delivery was delayed for 36 hours. 1923 – It was reported that a total of...

1832 – An election was held to select the Town Council of Key West, and the following men were chosen: L.M. Stone, B.B. Stroebel, G.E....

1864 – Key West’s freedmen marked the first anniversary of emancipation with a celebration at the Baptist Church. U.S. District Judge...

1852 – The bark General Thomas , sailing from St. Marks to New York with a cargo of cotton and tobacco, went ashore on Middle Key, Dry...

Recommendations from the collection, from Monroe County Public Library staff in 2022 and 2023

1839 – The barque Mary Ballard , sailing from Boston to New Orleans with a cargo of ice and salt fish, wrecked on Carysfort Reef. The...

1862 – Col. Tilghman H. Good of the U.S. Army recognized the legality of Key West’s recent elections and directed that civil authority...

1922 – Twenty-five aliens were arrested at Marathon for trying to enter the country illegally. The party – one Greek, four Chinese, and...

1822 – Commodore David Porter arrived at New York City with other Navy officials to purchase a steamboat for his expedition against West...

1862 – The USS Magnolia , while on patrol for blockade runners, captured the British schooner Carmita off the Marquesas Keys and sent...