1894 – The Wagner Canning Company of Key West closed its plant for the season after packing 50,000 cases of canned pineapples. The pineapples were grown on the Upper Keys and brought to Key West for processing.
1953 – The Navy announced in the case of the five Navy enlisted men and one officer who were convicted or facing charges in connection with the Charity Carnival sponsored “stag show” that all the enlisted men had been cleared and the officer was given a severe reprimand and forfeiture of pay.
1992 – Hurricane Andrew hit South Florida, causing extensive damage. The storm caused downed power line and trees in the Upper Keys and did heavy damage in the Ocean Reef area.
1994 – After three years of negotiations and technical changes, WLRN, a Dade County-based public radio station, became available to listeners throughout the Florida Keys.
1999 – Rumors had swirled for days that photographs of members of the Key West Fire Department in compromising situations were going to be published in a national adult magazine, but the alleged issue was released on this date and featured no such thing.
2004 – A dredging team working in Key West Harbor uncovered a WWII-era bomb – a British Hedgehog MK10 anti-submarine explosive used by Allied forces against German U-boats. The device was removed and safely destroyed.
Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: A boat near the ruins of the Wagner pineapple cannery at the north end of Simonton Street, ca. 1960. Wright Langley Collection. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.