May 22
- Florida Keys History Center
- May 21
- 2 min read
1890 – George Hudson was named Key West Postmaster.
1926 – The day-old strike by Key West’s pineapple transport workers was settled when Florida East Coast Railroad management granted their demand for pay of 60 cents per hour.
1946 – Louis Taylor and his pony Napoleon were struck by an automobile as they rode down North Roosevelt Boulevard in Key West. Upon seeing headlights approaching, Taylor guided his steed close to the curb, but the car struck them anyway. Taylor was thrown 50 feet and his knee damaged; Napoleon was killed.
1956 – Captain Tommy Lones of the charter boat Gulf Stream caught a 2,300-pound great white shark while fishing in 110 feet of water off the Western Dry Rocks.
1964 – “Escape From Hell Island,” a Key West-made and locally backed movie, had its world premiere at the San Carlos. The film received less than glowing reviews.
1982 – The new Seven Mile Bridge was dedicated by Congressman Dante Fascell and 1,300 runners took part in the first bridge run. The new span was opened for traffic on May 24th.
1986 – The 118th and last class graduated from Mary Immaculate High School (formerly the Convent of Mary Immaculate). There were 18 members of the class of 1986.
2001 – The Backstreet Boys gave a live afternoon performance at the intersection of Duval and Greene streets in Key West as part of MTV’s summer programming being filmed on the island. By lunchtime, Key West High School was a “ghost town” – 850 students had left campus early or just not shown up for the day.
Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: Key West Mayor Kermit Lewin cutting the ribbon at the San Carlos Theater for the premiere of the movie 'Escape from Hell Island,' 1964. Photo by Don Pinder. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
