Filming the movie “Assignment: Kill Castro” in 1978. Photo by Cory McDonald. 1868 – Henry Albury was appointed Postmaster of Key West....

1854 – A letter from Key West stated that since the beginning of the year there had been 28 vessels wrecked upon the Florida Reef....

1822 – Congress established Key West as a Port of Entry and Joel Yancy was appointed the first Collector of Customs. 1832 – The U.S....

1856 – No rain had fallen at Key West for two months, and cistern water was rapidly diminishing. The dry weather was promising for a...

Wm. J.H. Taylor was the British Vice Consul in Key West. 1834 – The British brig Paragon , sailing from St. Jago de Cuba to London with...

1831 – Deputy Marshall P.B. Prior returned to Key West from Port Charlotte (then a part of Monroe County) with J.O. Caldes, who was...

1893 – Cuban revolutionary leader Jose Marti arrived in Key West from Tampa. Nearly every Cuban-occupied building and residence was...

1831 – In an election for a Delegate to Congress, Key West voters chose James Gadsden over Joseph M. White 70 to 17. 1898 – Writer...

1895 – A bill was introduced in the Florida Senate authorizing Monroe County to issue $500,000 in bonds to build a highway from Key West...

1852 – A Key West correspondent noted that there had been no wrecks on the reef in over two months, and the wrecking fleet – 30 sloops...

1898 – The USS Panther arrived in Key West with a Marine Corps battalion under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Robert W. Huntington....

1839 – A bottle was found on a Key Largo beach with the following note inside: “Feb.13, 1839. The Brig Margaret , from New Orleans bound...

1853 – The steamer James L. Day arrived at Key West from New Orleans bringing with it the first mail shipment between the two ports....

1905 – The Key West schooners Magnolia , Island Home , Rowena , Ruth , Reliance , and Mount Vernon returned after having worked on the...

1832 – John J. Audubon arrived at Indian Key on the Revenue Cutter Marion . 1847 – Wreckers arrived at Key West with cotton recovered...

1832 – It was reported that there were 21 deaths at Key West in 1831: “13 residents, 8 non-residents; 18 adults and three children under...

1833 – Dr. B.B. Strobel and D.C. Pinkham fought a duel in which Pinkham was shot in the chest and died. Strobel left for his former home...

1850 – Captain Joh Walker of the U.S. light ship at Sand Key reported on maritime traffic that passed his vessel during the month of...

The steamer Comel in Key West Harbor C 1890. Moffat’s Photo. 1865 – Word reached Key West about the death of President Abraham Lincoln...

1865 – Word reached Key West that General Robert E. Lee had surrendered to General U.S. Grant on April 9, essentially ending the Civil...