Wickers Field, circa 1970
1859 – The California steamship Moses Taylor arrived at Key West from Aspinwall, Panama, with 700 passengers and $2,140,000 in gold. The steamer took on 130 tons of coal and left 21 passengers who were bound for New Orleans before heading to New York.
1886 – The steamer City of Mexico left Key West for New Orleans after it had been sold by the Admiralty Court for violation of U.S. neutrality laws. The steamship was seized by the U.S. Navy in March while being used in an illegal filibustering expedition to Cuba. It would have a new role in the fruit trade.
1904 – A shooting took place on Fitzpatrick Street between two men from rival insurance companies. One man was shot in the shoulder and the other arrested and charged with assault with intent to murder.
1906 – Roberts & Watson were awarded the contract to build a 300-by-85-foot warehouse to store cement for the Florida East Coast Railway. The FEC planned to import 800,000 barrels of German cement for the construction of the Overseas Railroad, and they had already filled the Mallory warehouses.
1924 – For the third year in a row, very few crawfish were being found in Keys waters at the opening of season. Local fishermen were having trouble finding enough for bait.
1937 – In the run-off election, Cleveland Niles was elected Monroe County commissioner and Floney Pellicier was elected constable.
1944 – Key West native Sergeant Harry L. (Bubber) Wickers was killed in action in France. Wickers Stadium (now Wickers Sports Complex) was named in his honor.
1970 – Presidential candidate George Wallace was in Key West on vacation.
Information compiled by Tom Hambright, Historian Emeritus, and Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: Wickers Field, North Roosevelt Boulevard, Key West, circa 1970. Photo by Monroe County Property Appraiser’s Office. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.