June 24

Ruins of the Ruy Lopez Cigar Factory at Thompson Street, between South and Washington streets in Key West. Atlantic Ocean in the background.

1905 – Romie Lynes was arrested at Key West on charges of “enticing away an unmarried female of chaste life and conversation from her father’s house, or elsewhere.” There were rumors others were implicated in the scheme and would also be arrested.

1925 – A new hotel to be built on a one-block lot at the corner of Washington and Thompson streets in Key West, and called the Ruy Lopez Hotel, was announced. In addition to the hotel, a new 15-block subdivision between it and the Atlantic Ocean was also planned.

1935 – The Key West Aquarium, with Emory Lowe Pierce as instructor, began classes for local children, giving them an opportunity to study and learn about the fish in the waters of the Florida Keys.

1954 – A 49-year-old Keys woman became the thirty-first polio victim of the year. She was also the oldest person to be stricken with the disease in Monroe County.

1980 – The fishing industry in the Keys was paralyzed because of the number of commercial fishing and charter boats seized by the federal government for participating in the Mariel boatlift.

2015 – The Navy issued a warning to owners of illegally placed boats, trailers, vehicles on military property on Geiger and Rockland keys that the items would be removed and discarded in 30 days.

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

Image: Ruins of the Ruy Lopez Cigar Factory at Thompson Street, between South and Washington streets in Key West. Atlantic Ocean in the background. Jeff Brodhead Collection. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.