20 Years ago

[Ratickle]

Things are always the same with politicians!!

[Bobcat]

Taken from who?

1854: John Simonton, the first American owner of the Island of Key West, died in Washington, D.C

[Ratickle]

Did he actually own the entire island?

[Bobcat]

1986: Former Key West Fire Department Chief Bum Farto, who disappeared in February 1976 after he was convicted in a drug case, was declared legally dead in circuit court

[Bobcat]

Captain Tommy Lone of the charter boat Gulfstream holding the fin of a 2300-pound Great White Shark he caught in a 110-foot of water off Western Dry Rock on May 22, 1956. From the Dale McDonald Collection.






1980: Directors of the Chamber of Commerce asked Gov. Bob Graham to declare Key West an economic disaster area and release state funds for tourist advertising because of the adverse impact of the Mariel Boatlift.

[Bobcat]

1965: The main ship channel was dredged to a depth of 35 feet, and 1.1 million cubic yards of the fill was used to create an island of 30 acres for a planned Navy fuel storage facility that is known today as Sunset Key.



1995: Petty Officer Jason Dunn was awarded the Coast Guard Meritorious Service Award for rescuing a man from a capsized boat during the World Championship Offshore Power Boat races in November 1994 in Key West Harbor.

[Serious News]

1995: Petty Officer Jason Dunn was awarded the Coast Guard Meritorious Service Award for rescuing a man from a capsized boat during the World Championship Offshore Power Boat races in November 1994 in Key West Harbor.

[Bobcat]

1980: Officials estimated that a total of 625 boats had been seized for bringing in Cuban refugees without visas and other boating violations

[Ratickle]

What did they do with them?

[Bobcat]

Auction ?

[Bobcat]

1958: Treasure Harbor, Plantation Key was the base of operation for shooting the feature movie “Secret Cargo.”

[Bobcat]

1980: More than 250 fishermen protested at the Federal Building on Simonton Street over the federal government’s seizure of their boats for taking part in the Mariel Cuban Boat Lift.

[Bobcat]

1937: Sloppy Joe’s Bar had their grand opening at its new location on the corner of Duval and Greene streets. There was free dancing to George Dean’s Swing Band and souvenirs for everyone.

[Bobcat]

Building the Overseas Highway over the Seven Mile Railroad Bridge in 1936. Monroe County Library Collection.

1936: President Franklin Roosevelt approved a loan of $3,600,000 to build a highway over the old railroad bridges.

[Ratickle]

$3,600,000 is about what they pay per mile of freeway now......

[Bobcat]

1980: U.S. Customs announced a plan that would allow the release of boats seized during the Mariel Boat Lift if the owners post a bond.

1980: The USS Ponce took 249 Cuban refugees and crew from the Key West shrimp boat Miss Betty before she sank in heavy seas.

1980: The press coverage of the Cuban Refugee Boat Lift caused a drastic drop in the tourism business. The Conch Train, which was used as a barometer of business, was off 46 percent from the previous year.

[Bobcat]

1912: Captain Charles Thompson on the fishing Somoa harpooned a whale shark while fishing near the seven-mile bridge, and after a struggle of eight hours forced the shark on a sand bar and reported that it took five days for the shark to die. Captain Thompson towed his catch to Miami where he was able to get it on shore. It measured 38 feet long and weighed 26,594 pounds. He had the shark mounted and exhibited it around the country until it was accidentally destroyed in a fire in 1922.

[Ratickle]

Seems a bit cruel. But damn, that is one huge fish!!

[Bobcat]

1927: The new Overseas Highway from Key West to Big Pine Key was opened for traffic. An estimated 1,000 cars with 4,000 passengers made the round trip.

[Ratickle]

Was that the last stretch of the highway to complete it?