December 16

The Square Deal Market at 829 Simonton Street circa 1970.

1854 – The brig Abbottsford arrived at Key West with 200 tons of guano collected from islands off the coast of Guyana.

1925 – The new metal Aeromarine flying boat named Miss Key Largo City arrived in Key West to help celebrate the opening of the Orb Realty Company office. Plans called for the airplane to then begin to make regular trips between Key Largo and Miami.

1935 – The morning arrival of a Miami-Key West Airways plane marked the beginning of six-day-a-week air mail and passenger service to Key West. Combined with the service of the P&O Steamship Co., the island would now receive eight mail and parcel post deliveries a week.

1940 – Company E, 265th Field Artillery of the Florida National Guard was called into active federal service. The 90 Key Westers under the command of Captain William C. Harris would leave for Texas in January.

1959 – Jose Oropeza was the owner of the Square Deal Market at 829 Simonton Street.

1966 – The first class of the Florida Keys Junior College School of Nursing completed their training. The 11 members of the class received their caps and diplomas in a ceremony at the Presbyterian Church of the Rock.

1983 – The Monroe County Commission approved the preliminary construction plans for Garden Cove, the second part of the Port Bougainville development project on Upper Key Largo.

1996 – Sandy Archer unveiled the sign to rename 14th street in Key West to Glynn R. Archer Jr. Drive in honor of her late husband, a popular and respected Key West educator.

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

Image: The Square Deal Market at 829 Simonton Street circa 1970. From the Dale McDonald Collection. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.