1950 – Thousands of fish were found in Key West streets after a heavy rain. Most of the fish were along Caroline Street between William and Grinnell. One theory was that a large waterspout had carried the fish ashore. This theory was supported by the fact that most of the fish were mullet which swim on the surface. Others insisted it had rained fish, and one man said he saw a full-grown sponge fall from the sky.
1974 – The Monroe County Bicentennial Committee, led by Edward Knight and Joe Allen, held a meeting at the USO in Key West to begin planning for the 1976 celebration.
1974 – The last class of sonar technicians graduated from the Navy’s Fleet Sonar School. The school had been in Key West since WWII, and over 50,000 students had completed sonar training there through its 33-year history.
1999 – The Associated Press reported on a “guerrilla war” in the Florida Keys that pitted residents against tourists. The national story claimed that local inhabitants, frustrated by the effects of tourism, were scrawling the graffiti phrases “LAT” (i.e. Locals Against Tourists) and “Kill the TDC.”
2004 – The City of Key West held a meeting to gather input from residents and business owners on cruise ship tourism. The meeting was the first part of a “cruise ship quality of life” study to be completed in early 2005.
Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: An aerial view of the Key West Fleet Sonar School buildings in 1972. From the Ida Woodward Barron Collection. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.