1901 – City of Key West officials were looking for a new cemetery site, as the existing cemetery was crowded and there was not much room for new burials. It was thought any new location should be some distance from town for sanitary reasons.

1960 – Dredge and fill operations at Sigsbee Park (aka Dredgers Key) were completed, and the construction of 300 new housing units there would begin shortly.

1906 – John Lowe Jr. had a wholesale and retail lumber business, grocery store, ship chandlery and marine railway at the corner of Elizabeth and Greene streets.

1963 – Long Key residents voted to incorporate a portion of the island as a municipality, approved naming the new city “Layton,” and selected Del Layton to serve as mayor.

1925 – A celebration was held for the opening of the Boca Chica bridge, the first step in the new Overseas Highway being built through the Florida Keys. A “mammoth motorcade” left Key West, crossed Stock Island and then traversed the new bridge to Rocky Point on Boca Chica Key for the celebration.

A diary from 1851 offers vivid descriptions and sketches from Key West at that time.

1873 – Lodge No. 13 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows was instituted at Key West.

1956 – Monroe County Commissioner Harry Harris announced that plans for U.S. 1 to bypass Boca Chica Naval Air Station were sent to the Florida Road Department for final approval. At the time, the highway cut through the air station, which was creating problems for both the Navy and civilians. The new bypass would skirt around the base on the Gulf side.

1930 – A statement was read at the Key West City Commission meeting advising any Greek sponge fishermen from Tarpon Springs to avoid moving their operations to Key West.

1955 – Mackerel and tarpon were running in Key West Harbor and dozens of fishermen were trying their luck from the Clyde-Mallory Dock.

1999 – A group called “Citizens Coalition for the Preservation of Keys Character” was working to dissolve the new Village of Islamorada.

1912 – “Opening the Over Sea Railway to Key West” was the cover story of Collier’s National Weekly Magazine.

The diary of a young business clerk visiting Key West in 1843 offers never-before-seen details about life in the Lower Keys at that time.