1922 – Twenty-five aliens were arrested at Marathon for trying to enter the country illegally. The party – one Greek, four Chinese, and 20 Italians – had been smuggled by boat from Cuba.
1925 – The new La Concha Hotel was opened to the public, with a grand opening set for January 22, 1926.
1969 – A fire started at the rear of the Poinciana Variety Store, spread to adjacent businesses, and destroyed almost the entire block-long shopping center on Duck Avenue. Fire officials suspected the blaze was set by juveniles.
1983 – The City of Key West was seeking a 40-foot height limit on buildings. The measure would be determined by “the vertical distance from the highest point of the adjacent road to the highest point of the roof surface.”
1986 – Monroe County Mayor Jerry Hernandez and Key West hotelier Linda O’Brien were named to the Monroe County Tourist Development Council. Hernandez was to serve as chairman, with Key Colony Beach Mayor Samuel Feiner as vice-chairman.
Information compiled by the late Tom Hambright, Historian Emeritus, and Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: The Poinciana Shopping Center on Duck Avenue at 16th Street C 1960. Wright Langley Collection. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center