November 3

Damage to the F.E.C. Overseas Railroad after the 1935 Hurricane

1828 – The first term of the Superior Court Southern Judicial District of the Territory of Florida was held in Key West.

1913 – Leonard F. Chapman Jr., future Commandant of the Marine Corps, was born in Key West at the Methodist Church Parsonage, 411 Simonton Street.

1935 – Wm R. Kenan, president of the Florida East Coast Railway, arrived in Key West to inspect the company’s railroad and hotel holdings on the island. He said there would be no determination about restoring the rail line until inspectors completed an assessment of damage caused by the Labor Day Hurricane.

1954 – Filming started on the adaptation of  Tennessee Williams’ play “The Rose Tattoo.” The first day of shooting was at the house on Duncan Street next to Williams’ home.

1960 – The Monroe County Jail at Jackson Square in Key West was overcrowded, with 63 prisoners in a facility designed to hold 48. Sheriff John Spottswood expected the situation to worsen as the winter season developed.

1981 – A 2% tourist tax for Key West was approved by the voters. It was estimated that the tax would bring in $425,000 to $450,000 annually to be used to promote Key West as a tourist attraction.

1985 – After a month of jet service into Key West Airport by Piedmont Airlines, many island residents were bothered by the noise. Despite their complaints, airline officials and local aviation experts advised that little could be done. “It’s something new, and people aren’t used to it,” explained a Piedmont engineer.

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

Image: Damage to the F.E.C. Overseas Railroad after the 1935 Hurricane. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.