March 15

Mark Stevens, star of the Key West-made movie "Man in the Water" (aka "Escape from Hell Island"), 1963.

1900 – The unveiling of a monument dedicated to the heroes of the Battleship Maine who died in Havana on February 15, 1898, was held in the Key West city cemetery. More than 10,000 people witnessed the event.

1922 – A Caribbean monk seal (Monachus tropicalis) was killed by a fisherman at Key West. This was the last confirmed sighting of the species in the United States. Thirty years later they were declared extinct.

1937 – Key West’s Southernmost Rifle Club met and discussed how to differentiate poisonous from harmless reptiles and the treatment of snake bites. They also proposed adding a five-meter-band VHF radio set-up at their range, as many of the members were interested in amateur radio.

1943 – A new supply of ration books arrived for Key West, and they were available at the Post Office building.

1953 – Pfc. Eugene A. Roberts, Jr., a Key West native, returned to the island after 15 months of service in the Korean War. “Gene came through without a scratch,” noted the newspaper.

1963 - Filming began on “Man In The Water,” a movie starring Mark Stevens. It was the first production of the locally owned Key West Film Company, which hoped to start regular film production in Key West.

Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.

Image: Mark Stevens, star of the Key West-made movie "Man in the Water" (aka "Escape from Hell Island"), 1963. Wright Langley Collection. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.