October 1

Pan American Airways seaplane in the yacht basin at the Key West Naval Station on February 14, 1937.

1886 – The Jacksonville Times-Union newspaper said, “the present population of Key West is about twenty thousand inhabitants and increasing at the rate of one hundred per week by new arrivals from Cuba and other parts of the Union.”

1914 – A new chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy was formed at the home Mrs. Adele Kirkland at the corner of White and Washington streets in Key West, and it was named for Stephen R. Mallory. Mrs. Charles O. Forsberg was elected president.

1925 – Monroe County Tax Collector William Maloney announced he would have deputies stationed throughout Key West for the next few weeks to collect poll taxes, saving residents long walks to the courthouse.

1935 – The landing barge for the Miami-Key West Airways seaplanes was moved from the railroad terminus to the yacht basin (the former Naval Station submarine basin), which was better located and better protected. It was hoped the change would foster daily round-trip flights between the two cities.

1975 – For the fiscal year ended in September, 258 single-family homes were built in Monroe County – 121 in Tavernier, 71 in Marathon, and 66 in Key West.

1985 – The Marathon Airport began a two-week closure for a full-scale refurbishing of the runway and associated facilities.

1993 – Naval Aircraft Squadron VAQ-33 was decommissioned at the Naval Air Station Key West. VAQ-33 had been the largest squadron in Key West.

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

Image: Pan American Airways seaplane in the yacht basin at the Key West Naval Station on February 14, 1937. Photo from the Romer Historic Files. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.