1904 – Key West police officer Clarence K. Till was killed in a shootout with Dutchy Melbourne. Officer Till had answered a call about a disturbance at a coffee shop on White Street, caused by Melbourne and his gang, when the shooting began.
1907 – Navy officials and the manufacturers of the Bliss-Leavitt torpedo were testing the weapon in the waters around Key West. Everyone involved said the area’s pleasant weather was extremely helpful to the experiments.
1924 – A collection of shells, corals, sponges, sea feathers and other marine curios gathered by William McHugh was on exhibit at Caroline and Margaret streets in Key West, drawing hundreds of tourists daily.
1933 – Dorothy Craig was commissioned as postmistress for the office at the small community of Craig Key, located between Islamorada and Long Key.
1986 – City officials estimated that Key West averaged 7,000 tourists a day during the winter season, with 2,000 of that number being seasonal transients, or “snowbirds.”
1986 – Monroe County Commissioners met opposition to a proposed new restaurant on Higgs Beach in Key West. Neighborhood residents were against the idea in general, and many others opposed the potential sale of alcohol at the beach.
2000 – It was announced the JC Penney store in Key West’s Overseas Market would close. This followed the closure of the Upton’s store in January and would leave island residents with limited shopping options.
2014 – Secret Service agents were securing the Ocean Reef Club in North Key Largo in preparation for a weekend stay by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: Key West Police Officer Clarence Till (seated, right), with his wife, two daughters, and brother, circa 1900. Gift Till Family. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.