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July 27
1981 – Peter Pell, one of the founders of Key West Hand Print Fabrics, died suddenly at his home in Key West. Pell, with his partner James Russell, founded Hand Print Fabrics in the early 1960’s.

Florida Keys History Center
Jul 261 min read


June 22
1962 – The submarine USS Sea Poacher (SS 406) recorded its 5,000th dive in Gulf Stream waters off Key West. Sea Poacher was launched in 1944 and had been in Key West since 1951.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 212 min read


June 2
1958 – Over 300 members of the Outdoor Writers Association of America were holding their annual convention at Key Colony Beach. The group participated in laying the cornerstone of the new Key Colony Beach Convention Center.

Florida Keys History Center
Jun 11 min read


May 15
1961 – Key West’s Thirteenth Street was renamed to Kennedy Drive, and Fifth Street was changed to Macmillan Drive, to commemorate the meeting of President John F. Kennedy and British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan on the island.

Florida Keys History Center
May 142 min read


April 12
1970 – The USS Quillback (SS 525) was open to the public for tours at Naval Station Key West’s Pier 1.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 112 min read


April 3
1955 – Southern Bell Telephone Company installed new dial equipment that gave all 8,700 phones in Key West new numbers.

Florida Keys History Center
Apr 22 min read


March 25
1935 – A resolution by aFlorida Congressman to designate Key West Naval base a winter station for submarines met opposition from the Navy.

Florida Keys History Center
Mar 241 min read


March 24
1993 – Key West resident and Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Hersey died at age 78.

Florida Keys History Center
Mar 231 min read


February 27
1964 – The Navy awarded a $1,967,209 contract to Bauer Dredging Company to deepen Key West’s main ship’s channel to 34 feet.

Florida Keys History Center
Feb 271 min read


February 5
1953 – The Key West City Commission approved a resolution that changed the name of Salt Pond Road to Jose Marti Drive.

Florida Keys History Center
Feb 52 min read


January 31
1925 – At midnight, the U.S. Weather Bureau station at Sand Key was closed.

Florida Keys History Center
Jan 311 min read


January 25
1935 – The cabanas at Rest Beach were fully booked by winter visitors for the season.

Florida Keys History Center
Jan 252 min read


January 9
1946 – The U.S. Navy announced that a submarine squadron consisting of one tender and 10 submarines would be based in Key West.

Florida Keys History Center
Jan 91 min read


January 7
1975 – Spurred by recent national press coverage, local interest was renewed in the Japanese “Midget C” submarine displayed in Key West.

Florida Keys History Center
Jan 72 min read
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