1861 – Major William H. French issued an order that all male citizens of the island must take an oath of allegiance to the United States within 60 days, or they would be removed from Key West.
1908 – J.G. Crossland sent a telegram announcing that he and his baseball team would be arriving by steamship from Miami to take on the Key West squads. The Regals, White Stars, and Walkovers would each play one game against the Miami players, and lots would be drawn to see who played the fourth.
1911 – The M. Perez Cigar Company of Key West moved its factory from Newton Street to a larger building on Ann Street formerly occupied by the Fernandez Company. The Perez business planned to immediately expand from 100 employees to 200.
1952 – Student enrollment in Monroe County schools was 3,817, an increase of 546 over the 1951 total.
1969 – After the old building had been replaced by a new synagogue on United Street, the former B’nai Zion Synagogue on Simonton Street was sold to the Mission to the Military Inc., a serviceman’s Christian center.
1978 – Regina McMahen received her badge and gun after completing the Florida Police Academy to become the first woman officer on the Key West Police force.
1999 – Groups of Keys residents, organized as the Florida Keys Citizens Coalition, were exploring the viability of defunding the Monroe County Tourist Development Council through a repeal of the bed tax used to support advertising of the islands as a tourist destination.
Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: B’Nai Zion Synagogue at 530 Simonton St., ca. 1965; built ca.1889; Sqr 50, Pt Lot 1. Photo taken by the Monroe County Property Appraiser’s office. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.