June 5

The Pan American Airways plane General New at the Key West airfield in 1928.

1905 – The Island City Bank was organized, and the following officers were elected: George S. Waite, president; C.R. Pierce, vice president, and E.M. Martin, cashier. The board of directors were: T.A. Sweeting, J.M. Phipps, J.T. Sawyer, and Richard Peacon.

1927 – The new Overseas Highway from Key West to Big Pine Key was opened for traffic. An estimated 1,000 cars with 4,000 passengers made the round trip.

1953 – A waterspout ran through Key West, overturning a Martin P5M seaplane at the Trumbo Point Naval Air Station, smashing 16 windows at Key West High school on White Street, and slicing a 2-foot-thick tree in half on Johnson Street.

1956 – The Upper Keys Kiwanis Club urged Monroe County Commissioners to raise the speed limit through Key Largo from 35 to 45 mph, saying the lower speed was “unenforceable.” A motion by Commissioner Harry Harris asking the State Road Department to up the limit passed unanimously.

1957 – A Pan American Airways flag that flew over the airline’s first facility at Key West was presented to the Monroe County Commission by James A. Robbins of Clearwater, who had kept the banner for almost 30 years. The commissioners voted to ask the Pan American company to display it at their new offices.   

1980 – The Key West and Monroe County governments asked Florida Governor Bob Graham to apply for federal assistance for the tourism industry. The publicity about the 100,000-plus Cuban refugees who had landed in Key West had cut the tourism industry in half.

1989 – The Key West Citizen changed from an afternoon to a morning newspaper with the first morning edition.

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

Image: The Pan American Airways plane General New at the Key West airfield in 1928. Photo gift of Harcourt Wesson Bull. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.