1960 – After five years of service, the Key West-Havana ferry made its final crossing from Cuba. The official reason for the suspension of service was a lack of patrons, but it also came as tensions were increasing between the U.S. and Fidel Castro’s new government.  

1985 – An early morning fire destroyed the Siboney Inn at the corner of Truman Avenue and Elizabeth Street in Key West, as well as an adjacent residence at 919 Elizabeth. Three firefighters were overcome by smoke while battling the large blaze.

1956 – The Church of God at 905 Grinnell Street in Key West celebrated the arrival of their new pastor, the Reverend G.W. Fletcher Philips.

1963 – Leonard “Mike” Warren celebrated his 20th anniversary of working at the snack and magazine stand in the Key West Federal Building. Warren was considered one of the city’s most popular and hardest working businessmen.

1962 – Square dancers from all 50 states converged on Key West to begin two days of dancing at the island’s convention center. Their “End of U.S. 1 Jamboree” was a follow-up to a just-completed national convention in Miami Beach.

1962 – The Isaak Walton League passed a resolution at its annual convention requesting the Monroe County Commission make Pigeon Key a visitors’ center and marine nature park with facilities for educating children.

1960 – Monroe County commissioners ordered staff to develop regulations for the development of new Keys subdivisions. Commissioner A. Maitland Adams noted, “Subdivision developers are providing only one foot of elevation in many cases; miles of canals are being dug without regard to general development.”

1935 – The Federal Emergency Relief Administration’s strategy of reshaping Key West into a tourist destination was working.

1986 – The last “Blessing of the Shrimp Fleet” took place, with Father Tony Mullane performing the service.

1939 – Construction of the cable schooner Western Union was progressing rapidly.

1930 – The Key West Chamber of Commerce had requested use of a U.S. government airplane to help eradicate mosquitoes.