1812 – The schooner Olive, sailing from Boston to Havana, was wrecked in a gale at Key Largo. Wreckers from Nassau saved much of the cargo, which they carried to that port.
1832 – In the city election Oliver O’Hara was elected Mayor of Key West and George E. Weaver, P.C. Greene and P.J. Fontaine were elected aldermen.
1890 – Key Westers J. Seidenberg, E.H. Gato. E.O. Locke, E.M. Semple, and Ramon Alvarez were in Washington DC to protest a proposed tariff on tobacco. They told Congress that the tariff would increase the price of 1,000 cigars some $15 to $25 and ruin the Key West cigar business.
1903 – Jose G. Piodella established the Key West Coca-Cola Bottling plant.
1924 – Key Largo residents were hoping to get rural postal delivery service soon. The length of the island made it difficult for them to access post offices.
1930 – The majority of the Monroe County Commission voted to replace Carl Bervaldi as chairman with Commissioner Norberg Thompson.
1936 – E.P. Johnson, keeper at Sombrero Key lighthouse, arrived at Key West from the light to spend his quarterly vacation with his family.
1956 – The First Baptist Church on Eaton Street at the corner of Bahama Street was destroyed by fire. The building had been built in 1890 after the original church had been destroyed in the Great Fire of 1886. The Trade Winds Hotel across the street was also severely damaged by the fire. The fire burned out of control for two hours before the Fire Department was able to bring it under control.
Information compiled by Tom Hambright, Historian Emeritus, and Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: Coca–Cola plant, 101 Simonton St., Key West, circa 1965. Photo by Monroe County Property Appraiser’s office. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.