1898 – The Naval Court of Inquiry in the sinking of the Battleship Maine was organized. The members of the Court – Captain French E. Chadwick, Captain William T. Sampson, Lieutenant Commander Adolph Marix and Lieutenant Commander William P. Potter – met in the Key West Custom House.
1926 – The vessel Woodrow was auctioned for $330 by US customs authorities in Key West. The Woodrow had been seized while attempting to land a cargo of liquor at Stock Island.
1934 – The first issue of the new monthly magazine “Paths” was published by Key Wester Marie Cappick from her home at 415 Olivia Street. The 20-page volume featured content about the island that was of interest to both residents and tourists.
1943 – The names of 30 people who had quit their jobs for no apparent reason were turned over to County Criminal Judge Wm. Albury. Those who had no good excuse were to be arrested for vagrancy. Judge Albury said of the unemployed men, “It is still go to work, or go to jail; join the army or get out of town…. If he agrees to go to work to help the war effort, we will be delighted, but if he persists in loafing, action positively will be taken against him.”
1951 – The State Hotel Commissioner reported Monroe County had 924 motel and 738 hotel rooms.
1952 – Renowned National Geographic explorer and photographer Luis Marden arrived in Key West to photograph the island’s flowers and gardens. His photos and other observations would be featured in a January 1953 article titled “Tropical Gardens of Key West.”
1970 – Four Navy men, George Porter, Andrew Ratiff, Larry Nixon Jr. and Joseph Carter, were fishing in a small boat when a cold front passed over the Keys and they failed to return home. An extensive search by the Coast Guard and Navy failed to find any trace of them.
1996 -The USS L.Y. Spear with a crew of 800 arrived for a week’s visit. After the ship was notified that it would be decommissioned later in the year, the crew was asked where they wanted to go for their last liberty port, and they chose Key West.
Information compiled by Tom Hambright, Historian Emeritus, and Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: Marie Cappick. Photo by Larry Karns. Gift Glorina Bayly. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.