Alexander Patterson
1803 – Two vessels from Havana and bound for Port Au Prince were stranded on the reef at Key Largo. One was carrying horses, the other was carrying dogs.
1860 – The USS Crusader arrived at Key West with the barque Bogota that it had captured off the coast of Cuba for illegally transporting captive Africans for sale into slavery. Bogota had 411 Africans onboard, and they were turned over to the U.S. Marshal Fernando J. Moreno for proper care.
1861 – A special election was held at Key West to replace the local government officials elected under the old, pre-Civil War state laws, and Alexander Patterson was elected mayor.
1888 – Captain Benjamin Baker of Key Largo brought an unusual sweet potato he had grown to Key West. It had wound amongst the rocks in such a way that it appeared to be a coiled snake.
1923 – A fine of $100 plus court costs was levied on each of 24 Greek fishermen for violating Florida sponge laws. The men all pleaded guilty to using diving suits to procure sponges, and their total charges amounted to $3,415.82. Their boats and diving equipment were returned.
1927 – Dr. Joseph Roemer of the University of Florida announced that a secondary college would be organized in Key West. With this, graduates of Monroe County High School would be able to do 1st and 2nd year college work locally, instead of having to go to Gainesville.
1938 – The Red Cross was erecting three first aid stations along the Overseas Highway at Craig Key, Marathon and Ramrod Key. A trained attendant would always be at each station.
1954 – The Navy blimp ZPG-2, the world’s largest at 342 feet long, landed at Boca Chica landed at Boca Chica Naval Air Station after being aloft for more than 200 hours without refueling – a new record. It had traveled from New Jersey and through the Caribbean before landing.
1967 – The Navy announced that Truman Beach was permanently closed, and all the facilities had been moved to the Beach Patio area. The beach was closed because recent harbor dredging had carried away most of the sand, making the area dangerous.
1980 – Officials estimate that a total of 625 boats have been seized for bringing in Cuban refugees without visas and other boating violations.
1994 – The Key West High School Library was named for Mary B. Trevor, who spent 31 years as head librarian.
2013 – A pod of a dozen orcas, or killer whales, was spotted near Key West.
Information compiled by Tom Hambright, Historian Emeritus, and Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: Alexander Patterson. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.