Today in Keys History – November 17, 2024
1909 – The Bell Telephone Company at Key West, which had been destroyed in the October 11 hurricane, had restored service to 200 lines in the city. It was expected that all the island’s phones would be in working order by December 1.
1929 – Miss Lena Johnson, the first woman elected to the Key West City Commission, was defeated in her re-election bid by 40 votes.
1946 – President Harry Truman arrived to spend his first vacation at the Little White House. He stayed for a week.
1961 – Mr. and Mrs. Jack Daniel purchased the home of the late author Ernest Hemingway for a reported $30,000.
1964 – For the second time in a month, Cuban defectors flew a crop-dusting plane from the island to the Florida Keys. There appeared to be no military interception of the aircraft, prompting many to question if they had been detected by U.S. radar. Government authorities said such matters were classified.
1965 – The Key West City Commission approved a 35-year lease to Key West Hand Print Fabrics for a property at 529 Front Street, at the corner of Simonton Street.
Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: Key West Handprint Fabrics at 529 Front St., 1967. Photo taken by the Monroe County Property Appraiser’s office. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.