Please note: All branches of the Monroe County Public Library will be closed on Tuesday, December 24, and Wednesday, December 25
1912 – President William H. Taft arrived in Key West via train. After touring the city and attending a luncheon in his honor, he sailed on a Navy ship to Panama to inspect the construction of the Panama Canal, then in progress.
1897 – The USS Maine fired warning shots toward schooners leaving Key West to command them to halt. The vessels were then boarded by officers from the battleship and searched for arms and ammunition that might be used to illegally supply revolutionary forces in Cuba. Nothing was found.
1862 – The Pennsylvania 47th regiment landed at Key West after having been in Hilton Head. Cpl. George Nichols wrote, “Since we was away the 90 and 91st New York Redgements Suffered very Bad. They have lost almost half their Redgements with yellow fever. I tell you it is more deadly than the bullot.”
1910 – The Key West Bar Association met to gather support for the formation of a new judicial circuit that would take in Dade, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, and Monroe counties. Local attorneys felt that the interests of Key West were tied with the east coast, and they wanted the change.
1915 – Fire destroyed the large cigar factory of E.H. Gato at the corner of Simonton and Virginia streets. In addition, six buildings on Virginia Street were also destroyed. The loss was over $150,000, and 500 cigarmakers were thrown out of work by the fire.
1984 – Cobo Pharmacy celebrated its 30th anniversary. The family-run business at the corner of Fleming and Grinnell streets was opened by Lionel Cobo in 1954.
1986 – The new Metro Key West solid waste furnace on Stock Island was open and running. It burned garbage and rendered it into ash and steam, the latter of which was used to generate electricity.
1954 – More than 300 shrimp boats were crowded into the Key West Bight, with more arriving every day in anticipation of the prime winter shrimping season. The season was expected to be the greatest since the discovery of Keys shrimp beds five years earlier.
1981 – The Fisherman’s Cafe on Caroline Street, long a favorite subject for Key West artists, was saved and moved to Front Street near Mallory Square where it stands today.
1893 – Trinity Wesleyan Methodist Church was founded by Reverend George Lester at 717 Simonton Street in Key West. The church was later converted to Trinity Presbyterian.