1885 – The Key West Board of Trade, the island’s first commercial advocacy organization, was organized with John Jay Philbrick as...

1890 – Key West, with a population of 18,786, was the largest city in Florida. Primary employers were the cigar factories making...

1901 – The population of South Florida (all the land south of Lake Okeechobee, comprising Lee, Dade, and Monroe counties) was 26,092....

1901 – The population of Monroe County by the 1900 census was 18,066, with 17,114 in the city of Key West, and the remainder of 364 in...

1910 – Over the course of a month, Key West had gained 1,200 new inhabitants, a population growth rate never seen by a Florida city...

1839 – President Martin Van Buren recognized Joseph Beverly Browne as Consul for Texas at Key West. 1876 – St. James Missionary Baptist...

1889 – The Florida Legislature granted a new charter to the city of Key West that included the entire island within the city limits. 1890...

1861 – Lt. T.A.M. Craven of the USS Crusader said of Key West, “Nearly all of the offices of this town are now filled by violent...

1844 – The damaged cargo of cotton and tallow from the British brig Conservative , wrecked on Long Key, was sold at Key West for $4,000....

1851 – A gale commenced at Key West and blew for 30 hours. There was no damage to buildings or ships. 1869 – The bark Washington ,...

1835 – Wreckers arrived with a portion of the cargo from the schooner United States , wrecked August 7 near the New River on the...

1845 – Many vultures and crows were flying over a particular area of Stock Island, and on investigation the body of a man was found...

1871 – Frederick Douglass arrived in Key West on the USS Tennessee with other members of the Santo Domingo Commission. 1881 – A man...

1887 – The population of Key West was reported to be 17,000. 1900 – The Florida sponge fishery reached a peak when 189,661 kg of sponges...

1830 – William R. Hackley recorded in his diary: Rose with the sun and read Hammond and Phillips. After dinner read Stewart. After tea...

1830 – William R. Hackley recorded in his diary: Rose with the sun and read Hammond and Phillips. A Negro by the name of Ruby was broth...