1861 – President Abraham Lincoln suspended the writ of habeus corpus at Key West and the Dry Tortugas. Any person considered dangerous to the U.S. Constitution faced arrest and removal from the islands.
1924 – The War Department formally approved construction of a bridge for a road linking Key Largo with the mainland. Work on the long-awaited trestle and roadway would start as soon as practicable.
1938 – A tornado with winds estimated to 100 mph hit Pirates Cove Fishing Camp on Sugarloaf Key. A car was twisted around and thrown off the road, one small building was destroyed, and the camp’s solar hot water system was ruined.
1941 – Union organizers were having a difficult time engaging workers on the Florida Keys Aqueduct project. Almost all the workers were local to Dade and Monroe counties, and they were worried that the union would bring in an outside workforce.
1957 — Captain Tommy Lones of the fishing boat Gulfstream brought in a catch of 19 Goliath grouper with a total weight of over 5,000 pounds.
1994 – Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino announced plans to open “Dan Marino’s American Sports Bar & Grill” at 211 Duval Street in Key West. Marino hoped it would be like a Margaritaville or Hard Rock Café for sports fans.
1999 – Key West author and songwriter Shel Silverstein died of a heart attack at his home on William Street. He was 68 years old.
Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: Workers installing the Navy water pipeline ca. 1940. Wright Langley Collection. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.