1852 – The barque Sarah Ann of Newport, RI, was trapped in the maze of reefs near Pelican Shoals, southeast of Boca Chica. Key West Capt. John Geiger, on his pilot boat P.B. Champion, led the Sarah Ann safely out to sea.
1918 – U.S. Navy aircraft took aerial photographs of Key West.
1924 – The Ukrainian National Chorus began a 10-day vacation in Key West. The group, just arrived from Havana, planned to relax by bathing in the ocean and fishing.
1936 – U.S. Congressman Randolph Jenning of West Virginia introduced a bill to erect a memorial to Dr. Samuel Mudd at Fort Jefferson to honor his efforts in combatting yellow fever at the Dry Tortugas.
1940 – Hollywood actor and ventriloquist Max Terhune, accompanied by his dummy Elmer and actress Lullaby Joslin, gave two performances at the Palace Theater in Key West.
1952 – The Monroe County Criminal Court concluded its busiest week in 57 years with 55 cases tried, 14 on this date alone.
1960 – Congressman Dante Fascell, in a bid to get improved postal service to the Middle Keys, noted that the population of Marathon, Marathon Shores, and Key Colony Beach was nearly 6,000 permanent residents, up from 500 only 10 years earlier.
1968 – The Key West Mayor and City Commissioners sent a request for Governor Kirk and state law enforcement officials to investigate out-of-control gambling in the city. A day earlier, the Key West Citizen had identified 13 gaming houses within blocks of City Hall and the sheriff’s department.
1980 – Key West received a special delivery of gasoline from the state’s emergency reserves. The fuel was delivered to two North Roosevelt stations to get the city through the weekend and alleviate gas lines. Despite the delivery, residents were urged to drive less during what was a prolonged shortage.
1984 – Bill Terrell of Little Torch Key celebrated his 14th birthday, even though he was born in 1928.
1988 – The City of Key West’s Affordable Housing Study Group received a report on the subject prepared by the Plantec Corporation. The group also formulated 20 policy recommendations concerning affordability as it related to the greater Key West area.
2008 – An ad hoc committee of Key West residents, led by City Commissioner Barry Gibson, was working to improve Duval Street. An initial goal was to have stores remove drug paraphernalia and vulgar T-shirts from storefronts.
2012 – Fifty-one parking spots at Key West’s Whitehead Street Post Office were put out for bid for management by a private company.
Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: An aerial view of Key West taken by the US Navy on February 29, 1918. The Key West Cemetery is to the lower right; the grounds of St. Mary’s Church at the center left. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.