A Monroe County Jail cell in Key West, circa 1970.
1730 – The Birch Galley, sailing from Jamaica to Bristol, was boarded by the crew of a Havana ship and taken to one of the Florida Keys. There, the Spaniards held the Birch’s crew at gunpoint and took their cargo, stores, bedding, and clothes. After four days, the Birch captives were released to make their way home.
1861 – Judge McQueen McIntosh, who had been appointed District Court judge by the Confederate States, arrived in Key West to hold court. Judge McIntosh was advised that any attempt on his part would result in a clash with Federal authorities and he was persuaded to leave without holding court.
1926 – The Monroe County High School was listed as a Class A Senior High School by the State Department of Education.
1932 – The Key West City Council notified the American La France Company that it had no money for payments on the $1,600 note due on the Fire Department’s Engine #1.
1945 – The Florida State Census of 1945 was completed and showed Key West with a population of 18,755.
1952 – Wilhelmina Harvey was elected President of the State Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs at their annual meeting in St. Petersburg.
1958 – A Monroe County grand jury issued a report saying that the jail at Key West was in an unsanitary condition and that it should be condemned and replaced.
1966 – The film “The Devil’s Sisters,” featuring local Key West actress Nora Alonzo, made its world premiere at the San Carlos Theater. The movie was shot near Miami and tells the story of victims of a sex slavery ring. “This is not for the squeamish…and not for the very young viewers,” said an attendee.
1968 – The Navy announced that the Ship Repair Department of the Naval Station would be closed by April 30, 1969. The closing affected 230 civilian and military workers.
1973 – The National Marine Fisheries Service vessel Oregon II was exploring the waters near Key West to determine the location and quantities of royal red shrimp and tilefish to assess their viability as a catch for U.S. fishermen.
1973 – More than 5,000 Key Westers visited the Naval Station to help celebrate the U.S. Navy’s 150th year on the island.
1980 – More than 60,000 Cuban refugees landed in Key West in the first 29 days of the Mariel boatlift.
Information compiled by Tom Hambright, Historian Emeritus, and Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: Inside of a cell in the Monroe County Jail on Whitehead Street circa 1970. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.