1846 – The Great Hurricane of 1846 struck Key West in the early morning hours, and by noon full hurricane winds were blowing, bringing a storm surge of over seven feet. All buildings on the island were damaged or destroyed, and the lighthouses at Sand Key and Key West were left in ruins. A barometer reading of 27.06 inches was recorded in Cuba before the storm moved north.
1880 – Officials at Republican National Headquarters accused Democrats of planning to send 350 men on steamships from New York City to Key West as “repeaters” who intended to vote twice in the election. Authorities in Key West were notified of the supposed scheme.
1908 – The lower part of Key West had been underwater from high tides for several mornings. Workers in the cigar factories had to get wagons, carriages, and drays to carry them to work. The excessive tides generally lasted for about three hours.
1909 – A category 3 hurricane with winds over 100 mph and rainfall of 8.12 inches in five hours struck the Island. The buildings wholly destroyed were the cigar factories of The Ruy Lopez Company; The Martinez Company; George W. Nichols & Company, and Aurelia Torres; St. Paul’s Episcopal Church; Sparks Chapel; English Wesleyan Church, Bethel A.M.E. Church; Fire Station #1, Wolfson’s building, and Markovitz’ five-and-ten-cent store.
1917 – The Methodist church sold the Hargrove Institute on United Street to the U.S. Navy Department, which intended to use the complex as a hospital.
2004 – After the carcasses of 45 chickens were found in the 1200 block of Margaret Street in Key West, residents were concerned that someone was poisoning the birds, though there was no evidence of such a crime.
Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: Ruth Hargrove Seminary on United Street ca. 1915. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.