1830 – The sloop USS Florida, under Lieut. Josiah Tattnall, sailed from Key West, bound for Washington, DC. The Key West Register wrote, “We are happy in stating that the officers and crew were in fine health and spirits on their arrival at this place, after undergoing the arduous duty of surveying the Tortugas, in which service they have been employed for the last four or five months.”
1833 – The Florida territorial council issued a charter for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, the first religious organization on the island.
1906 – John D. Rockefeller was staying on board a private yacht at Key West. He was spotted dining at a local hotel.
1941 – In a special election the freeholders of the county voted 493 to 12 to approve a bond of $40,000 to build a county airport at Boca Chica. Only 90 eligible voters failed to appear at the polls.
1946 – Technician fourth grade Kermit D. Forbes of 1012 Howe Street, Key West, arrived in the U.S. from Saipan onboard the USS Santee. He was one of 1,075 Army veterans who had come home on the ship for discharge after service in the Pacific. Forbes, popularly known as “Shine,” was known for having boxed with Ernest Hemingway.
1961 – Groundbreaking for the new building for St. James Baptist Church was held at the corner of Olivia Street and Terry Lane. The first church was built in 1876 and rebuilt in 1913.
1999 – The jury recommended the death sentence for Thomas M. Overton who was found guilty of murdering the MacIvor family in August 1991.
2008 – The Marathon City Council voted against a proposal to allow dogs in outside dining areas. Mayor Pete Worthington was the swing vote, and he voted “no” because the measure discriminated against birds, cats, and other pets.
Information compiled by Tom Hambright, Historian Emeritus, and Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: Photo taken by the Property Appraiser’s office circa 1965; 312-314 Olivia St.; St. James Missionary Baptist Church. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.