Today in Keys History – Dec. 6, 2022
1830 – William R. Hackley recorded in his diary: Rose about 6. During the night the wind hauled to the west northwest and this morning blows fresh and quite cool. I hear that two days since Norman Sherwood took a dose of poison which was conveyed to him by some one but it was not sufficiently powerful to cause death. He is however sick from the effects of it and I think that if he can obtain the means he will commit suicide before the day appointed for his execution for which I would be sorry as the execution of a felon will I think have a beneficial effect on this community. After tea went down to the warehouse and played whist till near ten. Wind northwest. Weather cool.
1924 – In one day commercial fisherman Bagley Filer caught 11 Goliath grouper. The largest weighed 384 pounds and the smallest 82 pounds. Later Filer became one of the first charter boat captains in Key West.
1947 – President Harry Truman interrupted his Key West vacation to go to Everglades City to dedicate the Everglades National Park. After the ceremony, he returned to Key West and continued his vacation.
1952 – Representative Bernie C. Papy made the first call to institute the change from the manual type telephone system to the dial system.
1953 – Harry Cohen was building a new commercial building on Fleming Street at the corner of Bahama Street that would house five stores and thirteen offices. The building was ready for occupancy by the end of January.
1960 – The Navy announced that the Blue Angels, the world-famed precision flying team, would return in January for their six-week winter training schedule.
1962 George Mira, Key West native and University of Miami football star, was selected to The Associated Press All-American Team.
1968 – Charles H. Morris purchased the Key West Citizen and the Artman Press from Norman D. Artman. Artman remained publisher of the paper under the new owners.
Information compiled by Tom Hambright, Historian Emeritus, Florida Keys History Center, Monroe County Public Library
Image: Monroe County Mayor Gerald Saunders made all the Navy Blue Angels Flight Team “Honorary Conchs” C 1960. Wright Langley Collection. Florida Keys History Center, Monroe County Public Library. https://www.flickr.com/photos/keyslibraries/10447071526