1935 – The Key West Art Gallery opened in the renovated Caroline Lowe house at 303 Duval Street. The gallery featured works by artists associated with the local office of the Florida Emergency Relief Administration.
1953 – The Islander, Monroe County’s first modern drive-in theater, opened for business on Stock Island. It had the largest screen in the state of Florida. The featured film was “The Cimarron Kid” starring Audie Murphy and Yvette Dugay. The theater had space for 600 cars with about 2,000 patrons.
1963 – Rear Admiral R.Y. McElroy, Commander of Key West Forces, was presented the Legion of Merit for his meritorious performance of duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
1975 – The cost of living in Monroe County was 8½ percent higher than the Florida average.
1983 – St. Mary Immaculate High School was threatened with closure unless funds demanded by the archbishop as a show of good faith by the community could be raised.
1996 – The Key West High School baseball team was rated no. 1 in the country by the USA Today newspaper.
Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: The Caroline Lowe house at 303 Duval Street ca. 1935. From the Dale McDonald Collection. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.