April 2

The First Baptist Church at 524 Eaton Street, destroyed by fire in April 1956.

1825 – A correspondent wrote from Key West, “A fever of a very malignant type prevails here; out of 101 inhabitants, 43 are on the sick list. But roads are cutting in every direction, which will no doubt conduce to the health of the place.”

1903 – Jose G. Piodella established the Key West Coca Cola bottling plant.

1956 – The First Baptist Church on Eaton Street at the corner of Bahama Street was destroyed by fire. The building had been built in 1890, after the original church had been destroyed in the Great Fire of 1886.

1975 – The U. S. General Services Administration declared Key West’s Fort Taylor to be “surplus federal property,” meaning anyone could submit plans to acquire it. The State of Florida was known to be preparing an application to turn the site into a tourist attraction.

1985 – The Key West City Commission voted unanimously to support restoration of the Old City Hall building on Greene Street.

Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.

Image: The First Baptist Church at 524 Eaton Street, destroyed by fire in April 1956. Photo by Harry James Mitchell. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.