1960 – The Old Island Restoration Foundation was formed to restore and maintain the traditional atmosphere and architecture peculiar to Key West. The officers were: Reta Sawyer, chairman; Ruth Holtsberg, first vice chairman; Joan T. Knight, second vice chairman; Mary L. Graham, secretary; and J.J. Pinder, treasurer.

1962 – A team from the Florida Road Department was in Key West to survey for the possibility of constructing a bridge across Garrison Bight. The proposed bridge, running from somewhere between First and Fifth Streets and connecting to Palm Avenue, would ease traffic congestion and provide a base for a new marina.

1956 – Two Key West political candidates who recently lost their elections were given a demonstration by a representative of the Automatic Voting Machine Company to show how votes recorded by the tallying devices could not be altered without detection.

1854 – A letter from Key West stated that since the beginning of the year there had been 28 vessels wrecked upon the Florida Reef. Salvaged property brought before the court was valued at $256,189.74, with wreckers awarded $46,989.92 – an average of 18 cents paid to the wreckers for every dollar of property they saved.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

1956 – State Representative Bernie C. Papy announced that a contract had been let for the construction of catwalks along eight bridges on the Overseas Highway. The catwalks would get fishermen off the roadway and outside of the guard rails, eliminating a dangerous situation.

1926 – Richmond Pearson Hobson, a retired Navy admiral, former U.S. Congressman, and leading proponent of Prohibition, delivered an address titled “The Crisis” at Old Stone Methodist Church in Key West. Hobson’s visit to the island was sponsored by the Anti-Saloon League.

1912 – Henry Flagler arrived on the first train from the mainland to Key West, officially opening the Overseas Extension of the Florida East Coast Railroad. Mr. Flagler was welcomed to Key West by Mayor J.N. Fogarty, distinguished guests, and probably the largest crowd to ever have gathered on the island.

1891 – José Martí, the leading Cuban independence advocate, arrived at Key West from Tampa for his first visit to the island. He rallied Key West’s Cuban exile community to support the overthrow of Spanish rule over their island nation.

1960 – The Key West City Christmas tree was planted atop a heavy concrete column in the middle of the intersection of Duval and Fleming streets. Many residents were concerned that it was only a matter of time before someone crashed into it.

1938 – Key West’s charter boat fishing fleet moved to new quarters at the concrete dock along Trumbo Road. Six boats were at their new berths.

1959 – Dr. Delio Cobo was re-elected mayor of Key West, and Gerald Abreu and Kenneth A. Archer were elected to the city commission.

1924 – The cornerstone of the new St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on Center Street in Key West was laid by the Reverend Cameron Mann, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of South Florida.

1946 – President Harry Truman arrived at Key West to begin his first of many vacations at the Little White House. He stayed for a week.

1940 – The Navy was building 50 housing units for low-income personnel at the Trumbo Air Base – 17 two-family and 16 single-family buildings.