December 29

The remains of the Cuban Club Building at 1108 Duval Street after the fire on December 29, 1983.

1912 – President William H. Taft returned from his inspection of the work on the Panama Canal and boarded a train for Washington, DC.

1923 – The Casa Marina Hotel opened for the season with a dinner and dance with the largest number of diners since its first year.

1923 – In two days, Key West fishermen brought in 106,000 pounds of kingfish which was selling for eight cents a pound wholesale.

1954 – The U.S. Navy payroll in the Florida Keys was $36 million per year. 

1983 – Fire destroyed the Fountains Restaurant in the landmark Cuban Club building on Duval at the corner of Amelia Street. The fire started when a propane truck filling the tanks at the restaurant caused an explosion that engulfed the building in flames.

2014 – Big Pine Key resident Doug Varrieur dismantled his controversial backyard gun range, pleasing many of his neighbors. As incentive to remove the noisy homemade range, Varrieur was given a free membership to a local indoor shooting facility.

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

Image: The remains of the Cuban Club Building at 1108 Duval Street after the fire on December 29, 1983. The Ida Woodward Barron Collection. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.