Today in Keys History – October 10, 2023
- Keys History Center
- Oct 9, 2023
- 2 min read
1815 – The ship Argus, sailing from Matanzas to Baltimore, was wrecked on the Basin Reef at Key Largo. The crew and a small part of the cargo were saved and taken to Nassau.
1868 – Carlos M. De Cespedes revolted against Spanish rule at his estate near the city of Bayamo. The uprising was crushed by the government, and the ensuing unrest led to the first mass Cuban migration to Key West and the establishment of its Cuban cigar business.
1917 – Work on the coastal air station on Trumbo Island was nearing completion. The 80-acre facility included a hangar for 10 seaplanes, a dirigible hangar, quarters for enlisted men, a recreation hall, machine shop, truck shed, powerhouse, and a boathouse, among other buildings.
1922 – Fire Station No.2 in Key West was abandoned because the building was unfit. The equipment was moved to Station No.3 on Grinnell Street.
1924 – A grand pageant and parade was held for the dedication of the new San Carlos building on Duval. The parade contained many beautiful floats including a replica of the Battleship Maine.
1979 – The Coast Guard rescued 103 Haitian refugees from a 35-foot sailboat floundering near the American Shoal Lighthouse.
2015 – Key Wester Shadrach M. A. Hannibal was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his service as a Montford Point Marine in WWII and being one of the first African American recruits to serve in the Marine Corps.
Information compiled by Tom Hambright, Historian Emeritus, and Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: Naval Air Station Key West at Trumbo Point during WW I. The Florida East Coast Railway tracks can be seen in the background. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.