1823 – Commodore David Porter arrived and established the Naval Station Key West.
1848 – The wrecking schooner Levina arrived at Key West with an iron chest and $3,422 in pistareens from the wreck of the Spanish brig Fomento. The chest was in 5 fathoms of water and had to be broken open by divers to extract the money. Other items recovered were clothing, chain, hides, an anchor and copper.
1895 – Speculation was growing the Henry Flagler intended to build a railroad to Key West: He had purchased half of Key Largo and small tracts of land on 63 other keys.
1904 – Jake Aronovitz died at the age of 80. He had come to Key West in 1890 and operated Joe’s Trading Palace on Duval Street until he retired. Aronovitz was a charter member of the island’s B’nai Zion Congregation.
1924 – With Key West real estate prices on the increase, many local businesses and property owners adopted the slogan, “Watch Key West grow.”
1961 – Burglars broke into the Paul J. Sher jewelry store at 608 Duval Street, torched open the safe, and made off with watches, diamonds, and other jewelry. The loss was thought to run into five figures – the largest robbery in Key West in many years.
1994 – Gulfstream International Airlines began seven-days-a-week service between Marathon and Miami.
Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: Paul Sher Jeweler at 608 Duval St., ca. 1965. Built c1901; Sqr. 62, Pt Lot 2. Photo taken by the Monroe County Property Appraiser’s office. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.