1832 – It was reported that Cuban fishermen at Key West had caught a thief and hung him from their mast without judge or jury. Investigation showed it was actually an effigy of Judas Iscariot, displayed as part of a Catholic tradition.
1924 – Several huge stones from historic walls of Havana were expected to arrive in Key West to be placed in the façade of the Cuban government’s new San Carlos Institute building on Duval Street.
1974 – With consumption having exceeded supply over previous months, the board of the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority agreed to notify real estate developers that no additional water would be available for new projects for at least two years.
1994 – Cuban officials forced an end to the activities of the Key West humanitarian aid group “Basta!,” which had been carrying supplies of medical supplies and food to the beleaguered island. The Cubans felt the effort was not in their political interests.
2009 – Thieves ransacked the home of iconic Key Largo tomato vendor Clarence “Pops” Alexander, stealing much of his savings and rendering the trailer unlivable. The 92-year-old was a survivor of the 1935 Labor Day hurricane that devastated the Upper Keys.
2014 – Key West City Commissioners approved payment of $1.03 million to a Miami architectural firm for the design of the Truman Waterfront Park. It was hoped the new park would be completed within 3 years.
Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority at 1100 Kennedy Drive in Key West, ca. 1970s. Photo by Don Pinder. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.