The Masonic Temple in Key West
1882 – Pineapple growers in the Key Largo area shipped 360,000 pineapples in the year’s season.
1900 – The Key West Library at the Masonic Temple at 315 Simonton Street had 1,600 volumes under Librarian Sallie E. Roberts. The Library was run by the Ladies Improvement Association.
1910 – The first FEC train to enter Key West crossed from Stock Island to deliver a load of material for the laying of track to Trumbo Island.
1923 – Four hundred and nine bales of tobacco had arrived at Key West from Havana over the previous month. The tobacco was for the use of the island’s cigar factories.
1924 – The chief aquarist for the New York Aquarium was at Key West to buy specimens for their exhibits. With his arrival, many island youngsters began collecting fish from the near shore shallows.
1933 – In a first step toward federal management, the financially struggling City of Key West relinquished the Sanitary and Health Departments to the Florida Emergency Relief Administration.
1970 – The U.S. Census early count of Key West for 1970 was 30,613, which was a drop in population from 1960 by 3,343. The City disputed the count but the final numbers were even lower at 29,312.
1984 – The Port Bougainvillea development on Key Largo was forced to stop construction because of the default of its primary lender.
Information compiled by Tom Hambright, Historian Emeritus, and Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: The Masonic Temple at 315 Simonton St., Key West, circa 1890. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.