1949 – The Latin-American Chamber of Commerce was formed by 12 Key West businessmen to promote the island’s Hispanic-owned businesses and improve commercial ties with Cuba and other Latin American countries.

1956 – The Monroe County Health Department inspected all the 42 trailer parks in the Keys and found nearly all were following sanitary code. Those not in compliance had only minor violations that were being remedied. At least five new parks were also under construction.

1958 – The submarine USS Grenadier (SS-525) arrived at Key West, the last of five to reach the Naval Station in the past two months. The others were the Spikefish (SS-404), Bergall (SS-320), Atule (SS-403) and Tirante (SS-420). Over 400 men were attached to the five subs, roughly half of whom had families they planned to bring to the island.

1931 – Mary Dunn retired from teaching at Key West’s public schools after a career spanning 52 years. Dunn started at the Sears School in 1879 and moved to the Harris School when it opened in 1909. In all those years, Dunn was never late and missed only three days of work. “Sitting among those children every day has kept me young,” she said.

1946 – Due to Navy budget restrictions and a decrease in workload, Naval Station Key West’s submarine base announced its civilian workforce would be reduced by 30 percent, or 400 workers. The news was not a surprise as post-war cutbacks had been expected.

1976 – The Key West Comparsa dancers and musicians left for St. Augustine to participate in the “Florida on Parade” Bicentennial celebration. They also planned to perform in the island’s Bicentennial parade on July 5, after their return.

1926 – After serving 29 years at the Convent of Mary Immaculate, Sister Louis Gabriel left Key West for a new assignment. Sister Louis was a much-beloved teacher, and she had taken care of injured soldiers in the Spanish-American War and established a grotto on church grounds to protect Key West from hurricanes. She said she hoped to return to the island, but the decision would be up to Mother Superior.

1989 – Members of the Monroe County Citizens Jail Advisory Committee were shocked when a project report said building a new jail on Stock Island would cost $95 million. Monroe County Mayor Pro-tem Gene Lytton said, “For a $95 million jail, I’ll never get reelected.”

1937 – One hundred and sixty-seven residents living between Card Sound and the Matecumbe Keys petitioned the Monroe County Commission for protection against trespassers and vagrants who were frequenting the lime groves and other areas of the Upper Keys.

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.

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.

1926 – Police Chief Cleveland Niles began a policy of ringing the fire bell at nine o’clock in the evening to remind Key West juveniles 16 years and younger that there was a curfew and it was time for them to go home.

1976 – Keys government and military leaders were in shock after the Pentagon announced that it planned to downsize and redesignate the Naval Air Station at Boca Chica. It was possible that of the 3,227 Navy personnel based there, only 650 would remain.

1953 – Miss Etta Patterson’s coconut cake recipe, long a Key West favorite, was published across the nation in “This Week Magazine” in a feature written by food editor Clementine Paddleford.

1936 – The Monroe County Commission moved to negotiate with the Florida East Coast Railway Company towards acquiring the railroad’s right-of-way through the Florida Keys. If successful, the County would then use the railroad’s right-of-way and bridges for the Overseas Highway.

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.

1963 – Rear Admiral Rhodam Y. McElroy, Commander of Key West Forces, was presented the Legion of Merit for his meritorious performance of duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

1956 – The American Salvage Co. of New York was bringing up twisted steel remains and a cargo of ore from the freighter SS Edward Luckenbach, sunk just north of Key West. The 456-foot Luckenbach sank in 1942, when it inadvertently steamed into a WWII minefield.

1906 – Stock Island was connected to Key West with the completion of a narrow roadway on which the Florida East Coast Railroad would run. Filling to connect Boca Chica with Stock Island had also commenced.

1872 – A correspondent wrote of Key West, “At the wharves you see the ugly hulls of wrecked vessels, which were formerly the main objects of trade in Key West. But this gloomy business is falling off every day. The few years of ocean steam navigation is curtailing that of sailing vessels, and the wreckers complain of dull times.”