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.

1926 – Key West society came out for the opening of the new Key West Country Club. The building was decorated with flags and flowers; draperies and chandeliers adorned the interior. Irene Reynolds and Miss R.T. Vertuen sang, and dancer Little Miss Hansen performed some “unusual steps.”

1956 – A fisheries report for September 1955 was released that showed Monroe County landed the largest shrimp catch in Florida, with 844,320 pounds brought into Keys ports during the month.

1986 – Construction began on a project to widen U.S. 1 in Marathon from two lanes to four lanes from 37th to 107th Streets. Work was expected to be completed in late 1987.

1956 – Congressman Dante Fascell advised that the deed from the Navy to Monroe County for the 17.5-acre Martello tract at the airport had cleared the Justice Department and would be filed at the county courthouse at any time. The property transfer would allow construction of a new airport terminal to move forward.

2016 – A federal appeals court ruled against a development group that claimed ownership of Wisteria Island in Key West Harbor, saying the statute of limitations on any title dispute had expired in 1963. The decision meant the Bureau of Land Management’s claim to the island remained in place.

1956 – Monroe County Juvenile Court Judge Eva Warner Gibson called attention to an alarming increase in cases of juvenile delinquency. In an average year, she would sentence six to nine offenders to State industrial Schools. But in January and February of 1956, six had already been sentenced – a trend that could see 36 Monroe youth sent to State Schools.

1940 – Capt. Walter F. Jacobs, Commander of the Key West Naval Station, turned the first shovel full of dirt to begin construction of the new Naval Air Station at Trumbo Point. The Ivy H. Smith Company of Jacksonville would build the hangar and other structures.

1941 – A team of FBI agents raided the “Alice Reid House” at 1016 Howe Street in Key West and arrested Reid and her husband, a bartender, and an unnamed soldier on prostitution-related charges. The house was reputed to be a brothel, and a woman had been strangled there a month earlier.

1976 – Windsor Village Condominiums, a one-acre tract with 11 houses and fronted by Windsor Lane, was established as a Key West literary compound. Writers John Hersey, Ralph Ellison, John Ciardi, and Richard Wilbur made the first purchases.

1874 – Vice-President Francisco Vicente Aguilera and Secretary Hilario Cisneros of the Cuban Republic-in arms visited Key West to foster support for Cuba’s independence from Spain. They spoke at the San Carlos Institute, and a torchlight procession through the streets was held in their honor.

1861 – Supplies and a detachment of 62 troops from the First U.S. Artillery were landed at Fort Taylor from the steamer Daniel Webster to reinforce Capt. John M. Brannan’s company. The Webster then steamed to the Dry Tortugas with additional men and six months of provisions for Fort Jefferson.

1966 – A grand opening celebration was held for the new Winn-Dixie supermarket in Key West’s Searstown shopping center.

1961 – A documentary film about Hurricane Donna and its aftermath was presented at the Marathon Theater. The screening was presented by the Marathon Chamber of Commerce, with ticket sales to benefit their advertising campaigns.

1956 – Burglars struck four Key Largo establishments: Harry’s Restaurant at Tavernier; Henry Bogaard’s Restaurant, also at Tavernier; Stan & Mary’s Restaurant at Rock Harbor, and Chum’s Dairy Freeze. Cash registers, vending machines, and charity containers were all plundered.

1946 – Key West City Manager Dave King explained the reasons for recent bar raids on the island: The serving of alcohol past midnight; minors working and drinking in the bars; and fights and the use of profane language by patrons.

1946 – Fred Dion purchased the Stone Hotel at White and Division streets in Key West from Edward Gomez for $28,000. The building had stores on the first floor and hotel rooms and apartments on the second.

1979 – Acclaimed playwright and Key West resident Tennessee Williams and his friend Datson Rader were assaulted on Duval Street. Both men were punched but neither needed medical attention. Williams said of the attackers, “Maybe they weren't punks at all, but instead New York drama critics.”

1941 – Key West police were investigating the possible poisoning of two Key West women at a Duval Street bar after one drank a soft drink and the other a beer: both then becoming violently ill. Samples from the women’s stomachs were taken at the Marine Hospital for analysis. No results were reported.

1958 – With a fare of 90 cents per passenger, the first Conch Tour Train rolled onto the streets of Key West under the ownership of Bill and Olive Kroll.