Today in Keys History – November 2, 2024
1936 – Leonard Giovannoli, former biology instructor at the University of Florida, was placed in charge of the crawfish hatchery at the Key West Aquarium.
1965 – Over the weekend burglars cut through the roof of the First National Bank, entered the vault and opened 90 of the 1,000 safety deposit boxes. Since the boxes were private, the amount stolen was never known and some arrests were made later but no one was ever indicted.
1982 – Ed Swift and Alison Fahrer were elected to the Monroe County Commission. Fahrer won by one vote.
1993 – Dennis Wardlow was re-elected Mayor of Key West and Emery Major, Jimmy Weekley and Sally Lewis were elected to the City Commission.
1999 – Marathon residents voted 67 to 33 percent to incorporate as the City of Marathon. Voters in Key Largo rejected incorporation 68 to 32 percent.
2009 – Advocates for a proposed Sigsbee Charter School met with Monroe County Schools Superintendent Joe Burke to iron out details toward what could become the first marine science-based charter school in Key West.
Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: Key West Aquarium, 1935. Gift of Mrs. Ned McCarthy. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.