1822 – Excerpt from the Logbook of the U.S. Schooner Shark LCDR M.C. Perry commanding. Remarks, Friday, September 20th No important event this day, Hove Too during the Night, for fear of Brava, and at Day Light filled away again. Lat. 15.14 N. Long. 25.35 W. On the Sick List 6. Expenditure of Water 63 Gallons, Remains on Board 2449 Gallons. Exp. Provisions, 160 lbs. Bread, 15 lbs. Butter, 4 1/2 Gls. Rice, 4 1/2 Gls. Molasses. 4 1/2 Gls. Spirits.
1901 – St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church on Duval Street was destroyed by fire. The old church had survived the Great Fire of 1886. A large part of the church valuables were saved. The fire main system was undergoing repairs and the lack of water hampered the firemen.
1931 – Capt. Eddie Sanders of the shark fishing boat Holland brought in 36 sharks for the Ocean Leather Company. The catch, made with a 300-foot net, was mostly nurse sharks. The day before, Capt. Sanders had brought in 26 sharks. The sharks’ skin was used for leather, the livers were for codfish oil and the fins sold for shark fin soup.
1955 – Charley Toppino and Sons bought a 30-acre tract of land that would become Riviera Drive from Sunrise Shores to 11th Street and from Flagler Avenue to the new canal. The sales price was reported as $150,000.
1955 – Mel Levitt called a meeting of the motel owners near South Street to try to prevent a price war. One owner had been advertising rooms for $2 per person double occupancy.
1968 – John N. Thompson, president of Thompson Enterprises, announced the sale of the company’s shrimp fleet and property and buildings on Caroline Street to Sea Farms Inc.
Information compiled by Tom Hambright, Historian Emeritus, Florida Keys History Center, Monroe County Public Library
Image: Shrimp boats in Key West, circa 1950. Jeff Broadhead collection, Florida Keys History Center, Monroe County Public Library. https://www.flickr.com/photos/keyslibraries/8750907096