1884 – William Whitehead died in New Jersey at the age of 74. He had come to Key West with his brother John, who owned a quarter interest in the Island. In 1829, he completed the first survey of the Island of Key West. He also served as Collector of Customs and Mayor of Key West before he returned to his native New Jersey.
1906 – Norwegian sailor Conrad Clemenson was being held in the Monroe County jail after he jumped from his ship and swam to the Carysfort lighthouse. Clemenson claimed he escaped a crew that was tormenting him, but, after an interview, immigration authorities determined he was “not altogether in his right mind.”
1907 – F.E. Hartwell, supervisor of the Key West Weather Bureau, returned from the Sand Key Weather Station after having overseen the construction of an 85-foot signal tower there. The new tower was surmounted by a 30-foot flagpole, for a total height of 115 feet.
1934 – Dr. Robert O. Van Deusen of the Philadelphia Aquarium reported that he had collected 1,400 fish of 104 different species from Keys waters. The fish were held in tanks at Key West and would be transferred to those on a ship for passage to Philadelphia.
1960 – Key West Policeman Sam Cagnina was arrested for armed robbery after he robbed Ringside Billiard Parlor at 922 Truman Avenue.
1994 – Key West began a program to mark its nearly 1,300 intersections with metal street signs mounted on poles. The uniform, platinum-white signs with black lettering would replace an erratic hodge podge of markers that had been installed over the years.
1999 – The Monroe County Tourist Development Council was recognized by the Tourism Industry of America for its “Back to Abnormal” campaign designed to revive post-Hurricane Georges tourism.
Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: Key West live well fishing boats loading fish onto the ship from the Philadelphia Aquarium in the 1930s. From a collection of photographs taken or collected during the 1930s by the WPA workers in Key West. The Heritage House Collection, donated by the Campbell, Poirier, and Pound families. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.