May 21

Archer Moving and Storage, 811 Caroline St., Key West, ca. 1965; formerly the Thompson Cigar Box Factory. Sqr 10, Pt Lot 2.

1851 – Key West wreckers recovered several slightly-burnt cotton bales from the water, but no wreck was evident. The thinking was that a cotton vessel had caught fire and hit a reef off Cuba or burned at sea.

1873 – The crew of the cable ship Dacia, J. Edward Hunter, captain, completed the laying of a new cable between Havana and Key West. The entire 95-mile-long cable was laid in 14 hours.

1911 – Norberg Thompson began construction of a concrete building that would house his cigar box factory on Caroline Street in Key West. The wooden boxes would be used by the local cigar manufactories.

1938 – There was talk of staging a bullfight in Key West as part of the celebration for the new Overseas Highway. Residents were of mixed opinion about the appropriateness of such an event.

1962 – The Monroe County Sheriff reported that he and his deputies had worked an average of 58 hours per man, per week, over the past month. The jail had a daily average of 28 prisoners over the same period, and the County provided them with 2,706 meals, at 32 cents per meal.

1966 – The Lighthouse Museum opened in the former lighthouse keeper’s quarters. The museum, operated by the Key West Art & Historical Society, featured the military history of the island.

1995 – Three persons were killed when a speed boat rammed a dock near Plantation Key.

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

Image: Archer Moving and Storage, 811 Caroline St., Key West, ca. 1965; formerly the Thompson Cigar Box Factory. Sqr 10, Pt Lot 2. Photo taken by Monroe County Property Appraiser's office. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.