2000 – The lobby and dining hall of the Buccaneer Lodge in Marathon were destroyed by fire. “This was the absolute epitome of fully engulfed,” said assistant fire marshal Bill Surina. Fifty-five firemen fought the blaze.
Library News: Today In Keys History
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Today in Keys History – March 29, 2024
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Today in Keys History – March 28, 2024
1974 – The new Federal Aviation Administration control tower was dedicated at Key West International Airport. The event was attended by FAA officials, county commissioners, military representatives, and George Faraldo, manager of the airport.
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Today in Keys History – March 27, 2024
1986 – The schooner Wolf was proclaimed the flagship of the Conch Republic by Monroe County Mayor Wilhelmina Harvey. “As flagship of the Conch Republic fleet, we’ve placed the ship at the service of the republic,” said Captain Finbar Gittleman, who proudly used only traditional methods to sail Wolf.
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Today in Keys History – March 26, 2024
1961 – President John Kennedy and British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan met in Key West to discuss an increasingly serious and worrisome communist expansion into Southeast Asia.
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Today in Keys History – March 25, 2024
1986 – The General Services Administration warned the City of Key West that it had until April 30 to finalize the sale of Truman Annex to its preferred buyer, or the former Navy base would be sold at auction to the highest bidder.
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Today in Keys History – March 24, 2024
1889 – John J. Philbrick began the operation of Key West’s first electric lighting plant.
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Today in Keys History – March 23, 2024
1986 – The last “Blessing of the Shrimp Fleet” took place, with Father Tony Mullane performing the service as shrimp boats passed by Mallory Square. The ceremony had been a 25-year tradition.
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Today in Keys History – March 22, 2024
2000 – The Chicken Store opened at 1229 Duval Street. Owner Katha Sheehan described it as “poultry museum, petting zoo, roadside attraction, chicken-rescue league, and gift shop.”
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Today in Keys History – March 21, 2024
1871 – The Santo Domingo Commission, including renowned African American statesman Frederick Douglass, arrived at Key West from Kingston on the USS Tennessee. The commission was organized to assess whether the annexation of the Dominican Republic to the United States was viable and beneficial.
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Today in Keys History – March 20, 2024
1956 – May Sands, a teacher in the Monroe County School System for 47 years, died at the age of 71. The May Sands School on United Street in Key West was named for her.