Today in Keys History – May 31, 2023
1889 – The Florida Legislature granted a new charter to the city of Key West that included the entire island within the city limits.
1890 – Counterfeit nickels were being passed in the city.
1923 – Realtor Harry Gwynn announced that work on an oil well on Boca Chica was set to begin. A large derrick had arrived from Havana, along with 5,200 feet of piping to conduct the flow of oil.
1926 – The subscription price of the Citizen delivered by carrier in the city was raised from 15 cents to 20 cents a week.
1927 – The Key West Construction Company announced that the road was open for automobile traffic from Key West through to Sugarloaf Key.
1930 – Key West was selected to be the site of a new mooring mast for dirigibles. In addition to the masts at San Diego and Lakehurst, N.J., this would be the third such station in the U.S.
1934 – A shipment of 3,775 pounds of flour arrived at Key West via the railroad for distribution by the Federal Emergency Relief Administration to needy Monroe County residents.
1938 – An automobile driven by Ernest Hemingway collided with another driven by Samuel Smart at the intersection of Simonton and United streets in Key West. Smart’s vehicle was driven onto the sidewalk and turned over. Hemingway was traveling with wife Pauline, their two sons, and friend Toby Bruce; Smart had a single passenger, but no one was injured. The two drivers were summoned to the police station to determine responsibility for the crash.
1944 – Captain John M. Spottswood was placed on the retired list because of critical injuries he received in a training accident.
1950 – The U.S. Census of 1950 showed the population of Monroe County was 29,957 of which 26,433 lived in Key West.
1952 – The Florida Keys Motel Association was formed by a group of motel owners from Key West to Homestead. E.P. Sadowski of Marathon was elected President.
1958 – Boog Powell was the leading hitter for the Key West High School varsity baseball team. Across the ’58 season, Powell had 27 hits in 64 at bats for a .415 average, along with 21 RBIs.
1980 – The USS Ponce took 249 Cuban refugees and crew from the Key West shrimp boat Miss Betty before she sank in heavy seas.
Information compiled by Tom Hambright, Historian Emeritus, and Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: The beach at Sadowski’s “Key Motel” at Key Colony Beach in February 1952. Copyright Edwin O. Swift Jr. from the archives of Edwin O. Swift III. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.