October 10

Boot Key (foreground) and the bridge connecting it to Marathon.

1889 – Yellow fever had affected the Methodist parsonage in Key West, and all communication and interaction with the building was forbidden by health officials.

1911 – The Cuban community celebrated the anniversary of the Cuban Revolution with a parade, a ball at the Cuban Club, and the dedication of the Mercedes Hospital for the poor.

1924 – A grand pageant and parade was held to celebrate the dedication of the new San Carlos building on Duval Street. The parade contained many beautiful floats, including a replica of the Battleship Maine.

1950 – The Wildlife Management Institute urged that a Key deer refuge be created in the Florida Keys, saying the initial cost for a protected area would be approximately $100,000.

1950 – Monroe County commissioners voted for the zoning of all areas of the county outside of Key West after hearing many residents complain that unregulated development was hindering the quality of progress. The new regulations would require hiring a county engineer and building and plumbing inspectors.

1975 – After refusing to pay a new $11 per cubic yard disposal fee, the City of Key Colony Beach was barred from using the Monroe County dump at Boot Key. Key Colony had a policy of not charging for trash pickup, and the mayor vowed not to break it.

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

Image: Boot Key (foreground) and the bridge connecting it to Marathon. Photo taken by the federal government on October 7, 1987. From the Wright Langley Collection. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.