20 Years ago

ON THIS DAY IN:

1822 In Havana, John W. Simonton of Mobile purchased the rights, title and interest in the island of Key West from Juan Pablo Salas for the sum of $2,000. Mr. Salas had acquired the island in a land grant from the Spanish governor of Florida in 1815.




1956 The movie "Rose Tattoo," which was made in Key West, had its premiere showing in Florida at the Strand and San Carols theaters. Key West resident Tennessee Williams, who wrote the play, was on hand for the opening.

1959 Filming started on the movie "Operation Petticoat." The movie starred Cary Grant, who was already in Key West, and Tony Curtis, who was en route.
 
ON THIS DAY IN:

1912 Collier's Weekly magazine's cover story was the, "Opening of the Overseas Railroad to Key West."





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1957



Baseball's Ted Williams, with fishing guide Jimmie Albright, had a fishing duel in the Florida Keys with golf's Sam Snead, with fishing guide Cecil Keith. Williams won with two bonefish to Snead's one.
 
ON THIS DAY IN:

1898 The Battleship Maine arrived at 11 a.m. in Havana, Cuba.

1912 The Railroad Celebration Committee hosted over 1,500 men of U.S. and foreign warships, the Army Barracks, National Guard and Naval Militia at the baseball grounds. The mayor thanked them for their work in making the celebration a success.

1928 The first Overseas Highway from Key West to Miami via Card Sound, with a ferry from No Name Key to Lower Matecumbe, opened.

1946 The submarine tender Howard W. Gilmore arrived in Key West. The big tender was the flagship for the submarine squadron assigned to Key West.

1955Guy Lombardo, famous orchestra leader, left for New York after spending a short vacation at the Casa Marina Hotel. He planned to return in April for some fishing.


1976 A father and son reported a UFO over Key West.



1988Jimmy Buffett, local resident and nationally known singer, presented Mayor Richard Heyman with a check for $15,000 toward the purchase of the Salt Ponds, and a check of $2,700 for the use of Wickers Field, where the Salt Ponds benefit concert was held.
 
1961 Teamsters Union President Jimmy Hoffa, who spent the weekend fishing, declared that "Key West has the most pleasant climate in the United States."
 
1929 The Navy towed the submarine S-4 into port. The submarine, which was sunk in an accident in 1927 killing 40 sailors, was used to test the Munson Lung, a submarine escape device.



1953 The new dog track on Stock Island, which was built in six weeks, drew an opening-night crowd estimated at 4,000.





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ON THIS DAY IN:



1917 The first long-distance telephone connection was made to Miami at 1:47 p.m. Later in the day the connection was extended to Savannah, Ga.



1935Maxwell Perkins, editor for Scribners magazine, Earl Roman, Rod and Reel editor for the Miami Herald and Ernest Hemingway were fishing in Hemingway's boat when all three men caught a sailfish.
 
1986 U.S. District Judge William O. Mehrtens ruled the wreckage of the Nuestra Senora de Atocha belonged to Mel Fisher's Treasure Salvors, the firm that found the Spanish galleon 45 miles west of Key West.
 
.....as indeed the shrine of the Nuestra Senora de Cerveza belongs to you......and I'll send off a certificate to that effect to prove it...
 
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