1827 – Former U.S. Navy Commodore David Porter, now commander-in-chief of the Mexican Navy, brought the frigate Liberator, the brig Victoria, and the brig Bravo to Key West in preparation for an attack on a Spanish Navy squadron in Cuba.
1908 – The Young Men’s Hebrew Association was formed at Key West “for the advancement and recreation of [Jewish] people.” Officers were, J. Englar, President; F. Holtsberg, Vice-President; Leibovitz, Treasurer; and C. Malkovitz, Secretary.
1912 – J. Pierpont Morgan and Charles S. Mellon arrived at Key West in Mr. Morgan’s private railroad car. They later sailed for Cuba on the steamer Governor Cobb.
1916 – The Automatic Telephone Company of Key West moved its offices from the Kress Building to a newly-built, reinforced concrete structure at the corner of Simonton and Southard streets.
1924 – Movie star Gloria Swanson stopped in Key West en route to Havana. Arriving by train she was able to see her childhood home at the Army Barracks, where her father had been stationed. She remembered that her first stage training was in Key West when she appeared in several amateur plays.
1951 – Norberg Thompson, one of Key West’s major industrialists, died at the age of 68. He had served as a Monroe County commissioner for 12 years and was Mayor of Key West from 1915 to 1917.
1974 – The Navy declared 97 acres of Naval Station Key West and Trumbo Annex as excess land. Congressional approval would be required before the property could be disposed of by the General Services Administration.
1998 – After only two months on the job, Key West Police Chief John Kirvan resigned due to unspecified death threats he had received over the previous week. The FBI was investigating the matter and KWPD officers offered to guard his home, but he felt the risk to his family was too great. “Life is too short,” said Kirvan.
Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: The Southern Bell Telephone Building at 530 Southard St. Wright Langley Collection. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.