1953 – The crew filming the movie “Beneath the 12 Mile Reef” arrived and took over the Casa Marina Hotel. The movie starred Terry Moore, Robert Wagner, Peter Graves, and J. Carroll Nash, who arrived with the rest of the crew. Seventy-five locals were used as extras in the film.

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.

1986 – The schooner Wolf was proclaimed the flagship of the Conch Republic by Monroe County Mayor Wilhelmina Harvey. “As flagship of the Conch Republic fleet, we’ve placed the ship at the service of the republic,” said Captain Finbar Gittelman, who proudly used only traditional methods to sail Wolf.

1995 – The City of Key West and the Historic Florida Keys Foundation were evaluating plans to replace the chain link fence surrounding the Key West Cemetery with a historic-looking fence resembling wrought-iron. One estimate priced the project at $238,000.

1956 – Anna Magnani was presented with the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in “The Rose Tattoo,” a film adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ play shot in Key West in 1954.

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.

1976 – Huddle Pontiac Buick of Key West became an authorized dealer of the electric Sebring-Vanguard CitiCar. The two-passenger vehicle had a 38-mph cruising speed and a maximum range of 50 miles, with a base price of $2,738.

1956 – A Navy ZPG-2 blimp malfunctioned shortly after take-off at Boca Chica Naval Air Station and crashed, taking out 1,800 feet of power lines and damaging the road. All crewmen were OK, suffering only bumps and bruises.

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.

1959 – Rear Admiral Francis D. McCorkle, Commanding Officer of Naval Station Key West, was unanimously chosen to be Grand Marshal for the island’s annual Armed Forces Day parade. The popular McCorkle, a highly decorated war hero, was considered an “adopted son” by Key Westers.

1959 – Some 25 members of the Marathon-based Tortugas Shrimpers Association met with elected officials in Tallahassee to urge the passage of a bill that would reopen areas of the Tortugas shrimp beds that had been closed for conservation.