Sally Rand teaching dance at the Casa Marina in Key West, circa 1950.
1858 – An attempt to erect an iron beacon at Rebecca Shoal was stopped. It had been thought the shoal was made of coral and limestone, but instead it was discovered to be sand. The pilings, as designed, were insufficient, but engineers planned to return with an improved model.
1896 – Professor A.H. Curtiss reported on his recently completed, seventh journey to the Florida Keys at a meeting in Jacksonville. At Long Key, Curtiss found a grove of exceptionally rare Pseudophoenix Sargentii palms (Florida cherry or buccaneer palm). The stand was slated to be cut for a coconut plantation, but the owner agreed to preserve the botanically valuable trees.
1909 – In hope of finding a source of fresh water, S.O. Johnson contracted to have a well dug to 1,000 feet. No fresh water was found.
1923 – The Cuban Consul at Key West Domingo Milord received word from Havana that the Cuban congress had authorized $200,000 for the construction of the new San Carlos Opera House. The building would front Duval Street for 100 feet and run in rectangular form to Smith Lane, where a school entrance would be located.
1923 – Morris Cochrane completed construction of a $25,000 fruit packing house at Islamorada, and he predicted more than 15,000 crates of limes would be shipped from there in the coming year.
1953 – Captain Manuel “Pete” Fernandez returned to a hero’s welcome at his hometown of Key West. He was the second-ranking jet ace in the Korean War, having shot down 14 MIGs.
1954 – Sally Rand, the famous fan dancer, was in trouble with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, which had ordered her two pieces of property in Key West sold to pay her back taxes.
1966 – Buddy “BO” Owens was voted “Coach of the Year” by the Diocese of Florida. He was voted the top coach for the outstanding performance of the Mary Immaculate High School baseball team, which finished second in the state tournament.
1980 -The number of Cuban refugees brought to Key West since the Mariel boatlift began on April 21 stood at 112,534.
2008 – Citing noise and the potential for accidents, the U.S. Navy opposed plans for housing developments at the entrance to Key Haven and Enchanted Island, as both sites were within Boca Chica Naval Air Station’s flight paths.
2009 – A team of underwater researchers, led by Florida State Underwater Archaeologist Dr. Roger Smith, were documenting a shipwreck known as the “Marker 39 Wreck” near Key Largo. All evidence indicated it had sunk in the mid-1800s.
Information compiled by Tom Hambright, Historian Emeritus, and Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: Sally Rand teaching dancing at the Casa Marina circa 1950. Wright Langley Collection. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.