Podcasts about key west history

Ron DeSantis thinks the Florida economy would suffer from fighting climate change; Craig Pittman knows the Florida economy won't exist if we don't.Cathy Salustri, host of the "Florida Spectacular" podcast and Florida author - and two-time former "Welcome to Florida" guest - fills in for Chadd Scott on this episode focusing on Robert the Doll. Author, historian, and Florida Keys ghost tour host David Sloan joins to discuss the haunted doll.HauntedKeyWest.com

Another secretive, shady deal attempted between a private developer and the state government on supposedly protected public land has been exposed by the media. Harry Truman spent a remarkable amount of time during his presidency at his Little White House in Key West. The home is open to the public for tours. Clinton Curry, Director of Operations in Key West for Historic Tours America, which operates the home, joins us this episode. 

Valerie Vande Panne fills in again for Chadd Scott on this episode and she and Craig start off by discussing his latest Flamingo magazine article about airboats.Find Valerie and follow her work on her Substack page.This episode's guest is William McKeen, author of "Mile Marker Zero: The Moveable Feast of Key West," which details the cultural, anti-establishment peak of the city in the 1970s which featured an upstart musician, Jimmy Buffett."Welcome to Florida," as always, is presented by Windstorm Products, the No. 1 online retailer of hurricane hardware.

Journey with me through some of my favorite parts of Key West's history, from the city's early days fighting pirates to it's recent, albeit brief, secession from the United States, I'll even show you the wrong way to pronounce "archipelago". Every Monday is a new conversation and every Friday is a new adventure through the Sunshine State's history. You can find other ways to get involved with this conversation and many others by following me on social media, subscribing to my podcast/video channels and sharing this episode if you agree that the best way to fight bad ideas is by talking about good ones. https://linktr.ee/tindelsrazorMusic by Scott Toddy: https://www.scotttoddy.com/

Does this life size doll have a life of its own, cursing those who get in its way? Or is he just an old doll with a hell of a lot of creep factor? Come listen as Emma tries to explain and Shannon cries in this episode on Key West's Robert the Doll. Sources: The Mother Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_(doll) Boredom Therapy: https://boredomtherapy.com/s/creepy-history-of-robert-the-doll?as=799&asv=1&bdk=0 Ghosts and Gravestones Ghost Tours and Key West History: https://www.ghostsandgravestones.com/key-west/robert-the-doll Key West Art and Historical Society Exhibition Description and History: https://www.kwahs.org/exhibitions/robert-the-doll Atlas Obscura: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-story-behind-the-worlds-most-haunted-doll The Artist’s House: http://www.artisthousekeywest.com/about/robert-the-doll/ and http://www.artisthousekeywest.com/about/key-west-hotel-history/ All That’s Interesting: https://allthatsinteresting.com/robert-the-doll The Curse of Robert the Doll: https://www.workforcesoftware.com/blog/the-curse-of-robert-the-doll/#:~:text=Robert%20is%20three%20feet%20tall,propped%20up%20on%20a%20stool. The Story of Robert Gene Otto and Robert the Doll: https://missysmadhouse.tumblr.com/post/614251533290323968/robert-the-doll Museum Ghost Tour: https://ghostfort.com/ghost-tour

Learn about a famous story based out of Key West, Florida of Carl Tanzler. True love, infatuation...or just, delusions of grandeur? Maybe a little bit of it all.Also, delve into the possibilities of the history of key lime pie with us. Content warnings: NSFW. We speak of corpse and potential defiling of corpses, delusions of grandeur, potential psychosis. Thank you Tater Tots for all of your love on our first episode - we hope you enjoy this one as well and will consider joining our Patreon to get advanced access to our episode as well as tons of other perks and goodies. We love you guys!Jess&LynFacebook: SofaSpuds.comTwitter: @SpudsSofaPatreon: patreon.com/sofaspudshistorymzzw1hQAWFL6w2BHuCyf--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PROOF OF LICENSESubject to your compliance with our terms of use, Soundstripe Inc. grants Linette Llewellyn aperpetual, non-exclusive, nonsublicensable and nontransferable license to download,reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute, perform and display the song Dewdroppahsolely as combined with your work of authorship, titled Carl Tanzler and His...Love?, for yourbusiness purposes. Our terms of use can be found here.SOUNDSTRIPE: Song Copyright Information Sheet If this track is to be used in broadcast, network Cue Sheets must be finalized and sent to broadcast@soundstripe.com within 30 days of Commercial Broadcast. Track Title: Dewdroppah Artist Name(s): Dresden, The Flamingo Writer Name: Matthew Wigton Writer IPI Number: 480250868 Writer PRO: ASCAP Writer Percentage: 50.0% Publisher Name: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION Publisher IPI Number: 00882718598 Publisher PRO: ASCAP Publisher Percentage: 50.0%

Tonight; the trade war. Trump pushing. china retaliating. Who's going to blink first? A little Key West History. and some recent local color. Anniversary of the Pier House opening. Hurricane season in full force. Also, cruelty knows no boundary's. Ice raids Mississippi, another mass shooting, and more. Always an interesting perspective on everyday issues.

Bobby Marion Francis had a criminal past and was involved in the drug trade in Key West in the mid 1970's. One deal went wrong and he ended up taking revenge on Titus R. Walters, who was working as a drug informant for the sheriff's office. The story is gruesome and brutal. But, it's part of Key West History. You may also remember Bobby Marion Francis from another crime story in Key West. He was involved in a deal with Bum Farto, and you can hear that story here. Today in Key West History is a prod member of the Florida Keys Podcast Network. You can also find us at http://43keys.com.

Stephen Russell Mallory was an immigrant to Key West from the island of Trinidad. He grew up in Key West and learned the practice of law from local judges. His career was ascendant and he caught the attention of the President and received a position of Presidential appointment which was the springboard for many more important positions.  Stephen Mallory played a pivotal role in the Confederacy during the Civil War. He was eventually charged with treason and sought a Presidential Pardon to clear him of these charges. He eventually received a partial parole and was able to move past this scandal. With a dwindling fortune, he had to fall back on the practice of law to rebuild his life and reunite his family. His impact on the South during the Civil War was undeniable, but his service to his country didn't stop there as he held several powerful positions in Key West and in the state of Florida, as well as for the Confederacy.  If you're ever visiting Key West, you can learn more about Stephen Mallory and visit the world famous Mallory Square Sunset Celebration, which is held nightly. You can learn more about that here. It was today, March 26, 1851 that Stephen Mallory was appointed to be a US Senator by the Florida Legislature. And that's what happened Today in Key West History. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can find us at http://43keys.com. Today in Key West History is a proud member of the Florida Keys Podcast Network.               The source for the content of this podcast is The Florida Irish Heritage Center and you can find the article here.

Samuel Clemens spent lots of time on H.H. Rogers new steam yacht, Kanawha. At the time, the Kanawha was one of the largest privately owned (and fastest) steam yachts. In the summer of 1902, Clemens, Rogers, Thomas B. Reed and some other friends boarded Kanawha and set sail on a cruise around the Caribbean. Along the way, the stopped in Key West. And that's what happened Today in Key West History.  Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can find us at http://43keys.com. Today is Key West History is a proud member of the Florida Keys Podcast Network!    

Edward Ball was the estate manager for Alfred I. duPont, who had a reputation for pinching pennies and treating every transaction as if it was a business deal. He was a great financial manager, with questionable political allies. He used the power of his position to wield as much power over politics as he could. He never wanted to get his hands dirty himself, so he bought politicians to do it for him. It was today, March 23, 1941 that Ed Ball bought over 600 acres of land in Matecumbe, Little Torch and Sugarloaf Keys. And that's what happened Today in Key West History. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can find us at http://43keys.com. Today in Key West History is a proud member of the Florida Keys Podcast Network.  

What started out as military quarters has grown into a pivotal building in our country's history over the last 50+ years. It could be considered the original Winter White House, but we call it the Truman Little White House due to the fact that President Harry S. Truman truly fell in love with Key West while he was here. He even said the city was his second favorite city in the world - second only to his hometown. The Little White House has hosted dignitaries from many countries, as well as the President and top military brass of the United States. It's also been the site of several important documents that changed the course of history - The Key West Accord and The Marshall Plan are among them. Learn more about the role our island city of Key West and the Truman Little White House played in the history of the United States! Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can find us at http://43keys.com. Today in Key West History is a proud member of the Florida Keys Podcast Network. Content for this episode was provided by the National Park Service and can be found here: https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/presidents/trumans_little_white_house.html

From ancient writings, we have always known that Leprosy had a stigma that many other diseases never have. Highly contagious and rife with gross symptoms that could be hard for the non-afflicted to stomach, those with leprosy have always been isolated, more so than treated. Leper colonies were created to help contain the disease and put it out of the public view. In a 1955 article called “Leprosy in the United States”, Dr. L.F. Badger documented the pockets of Leprosy within the United States. After looking at the data, it was determined that the majority of US cases of Leprosy occurred within just a few small communities.   One of the communities with Leprosy occurrences was Key West. Within Florida, only 11 out of 67 specific counties had reported incidences within a period of 33 years. One county stood out with a larger than typical concentration of the disease. That was Monroe County, which comprises the entirety of the Florida Keys. But it wasn’t the entire Keys that had reports of the disease - it was only Key West!   During this measurable period, the state of Florida reported 137 cases of Leprosy. Of those 137 cases, almost half (44.5%) were located in Monroe County. There were 96 patients who were born in Florida and just under 45% of them resided in Key West at the time they were diagnosed.    With a little more digging and pouring over the case histories of the 96 patients in Key West with Leprosy, it was determined that 78 of these patients probably contracted Leprosy while they were living in Key West! The rest of the patients most likely contracted the disease outside of Key West and could have brought the disease back to Key West.   This little discussed part of Key West history is interesting in that when you look at the location within the city where the Leprosy patients lived, it was determined that 65 of the patients diagnosed, actually resided within the city limits of Key West. What is even more surprising is that 56 of those 65 patients lived in what is now known as Old Town Key West. And a further concentration of 39 diagnosed patients lived within 5 square blocks of Old Town. This highest concentration area was the residential area that fronts what we refer to today as the Key West Bight!   It’s never been well documented what could have caused this outbreak of Leprosy within Key West, but the location of the diagnosed patients does seem to support the fact that they could have been exposed by other travelers and ships coming in and out of the bight.    And it was today, March 18, 1909: A man died of leprosy in a house on Virginia Street (which would have been in the outermost part of the affected area of the city). The house and all contents were destroyed by fire under the direction of Fire Chief Fulford. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can find us at http://43keys.com. The source for this content is: https://europepmc.org/backend/ptpmcrender.fcgi?accid=PMC2024574&blobtype=pdf

The Key West Agreement is the colloquial name for the policy paper Function of the Armed Forces and the Joint Chiefs of Staff drafted by James V. Forrestal, the first United States Secretary of Defense. Its most prominent feature was an outline for the division of air assets between the Army, Navy, and the newly created Air Force which, with modifications, continues to provide the basis for the division of these assets in the U.S. military today. The basic outline for the document was agreed to at a meeting of the United States service chiefs that took place from March 11 to March 14, 1948 in Key West, Florida, and was finalized after subsequent meetings in Washington, D.C. President Harry S. Truman approved the agreement on April 21, 1948, which was revised in 1954 by the Dwight D. Eisenhower administration. Today in Key West History is brought you by 43 Keys Media.  Today in Key West History is a proud member of the Florida Keys Podcast Network. The content for this episode came from a variety of sources: www.wikipedia.com Jason Lefkowitz's Blog

With a modest two-story hotel and various small cottages, Long Key Fishing Camp offered a dramatic departure from the usual opulence of Henry Flagler's hotels. Palatial structures with manicured grounds, extravagant recreational facilities, and world-class amenities were the norm at Flagler's other hotels that dotted the east coast of Florida--but not at Long Key, the last resort to open during his lifetime. Prospective visitors were frankly warned not to expect the same level of comfort provided at sister properties. Yet still they came. This rustic island, with its unparalleled fishing grounds and cabins named after local fish-- "The Kingfish," "The Porpoise," "The Barracoota," "The Shark"--inspired fierce loyalty among its diverse and distinctive clientele, even during the dark years of the Great Depression. Zane Grey, Lou Gehrig, Wallace Stevens, Charles Kettering, Andrew Mellon, and Herbert Hoover were among those who would board the Florida East Coast Railway to visit this paradisiacal setting, many of them to return season after season. Completely destroyed by the fatal 1935 Labor Day Hurricane, the first documented category 5 storm to make landfall in the United States, Flagler's unique island getaway has been largely forgotten. Today we share the famous baseball players who found refuge from the limelight at Long Key. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can find us at http://43keys.com Today is Key West History is a proud member of the Florida Keys Podcast Network.

The Louise Maloney Hospital was started out of sheer necessity. As the surgeon for Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway, Dr. John Maloney realized the need for a space to perform surgeries and operations after an accident on the railway construction site up the Keys caused multiple casualties. He then rented the house next to his pharmacy in Key West and turned it into just such a facility. He named it after his wife, Louise. In its first 4 years of existence, it served over 600 patients. The most famous patient to visit the small hospital was author Upton Sinclair. Upton was on passage on the Mallory steamship Alamo and became ill. Unable to make the trip all the way to New York, he was removed from the ship in Key West and hospitalized at the Louise Maloney hospital.  After a few days of treatment, he had recovered enough to proceed to New York. And that's what happened Today in Key West History.  Today is Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can find us at http://43keys.com. Today in Key West History is part of the Florida Keys Podcast Network!

Key West Fire Chief Joseph "Bum" Farto fell into the drug culture in Key West at a time when drugs were as mainstream in Key West as Key Lime Pie. He was so comfortable dealing drugs, that he actually made deals on the bench out in front of the Fire Station on Kennedy Ave. It was this lack of caution that led to his downfall. Operation Conch came along and took down more than 19 accused drug dealers in Key West. It also took down Bum Farto. Soon Farto would be tried and convicted of multiple counts of drug trafficking. Just prior to his sentencing, Farto told his wife he had an appointment in Miami, and he rented a car to make the trip. He took no clothes with him. He was expected to return his rental car the same day.  One month later, Farto's wife finally reported him missing. He hadn't been seen or heard from since the day he was headed to Miami. He just vanished without a trace. Shortly thereafter, t-shirts with the question "Where is Bum Farto?" began popping up around Key West. Those t-shirts became the hottest commodity in Key West at the time. Even Jimmy Buffet has performed at concerts wearing one of these shirts.  The question still has yet to be answered.  It was today, March 4, 1976, that Bum Farto's wife reported him missing. And that's what happened Today in Key West History. This show is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can find us at http://43keys.com.

As the population of Key West grew in the late 1800's, the island soon ran out of stove wood for cooking. This shortage created a new industry of charcoal makers and wood cutters. Most of the people who worked in this industry were black male immigrants from the Bahamas.  The men spread out to more unpopulated areas of the Keys and labored in the dense, mosquito infested woods of nearby uninhabited islands. At one point, the only inhabitant of Big Pine Key was a lone wood cutter.  They would find a thick grove of buttonwoods or red mangrove trees and cut them down, then put up a kiln to begin to dry the wood and make charcoal. The fires for the kiln had to be attended day and night. So, the woodcutters and charcoal makers would bed down beside their fires and kilns, only catching cat naps as they tended their fires.  The last charcoal maker burned his fire in 1960 and the industry gradually died out as gas and electric cooking stoves replace wood stoves.  And it was today, Feb. 25, 1893 that the 1893 directory for the City of Key West listed its inhabitants at 23,000. And that's what happened Today in Key West History. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can learn more about us at http://43keys.com. Today's image is of a charcoal makers shack on Sugarloaf Key in 1939. Photo credit: Stetson Kennedy Content credit:  https://keywestmaritime.org/journal/v22-4_2012summer.pdf John Viele has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Key West Maritime Historical Society of the Florida Keys for the past 20 years. He is the author of three books on the history of the Keys published by Pineapple Press of Sarasota: “The Florida Keys – A History of the Pioneers,” “The Florida Keys, Vol. 2 – True Stories of the Perilous Straits,” and “The Florida Keys, Vol. 3 – The Wreckers.”

David Wolkowsky became Mr. Key West. So much of the island charm and uniqueness has been preserved because of the actions of developer David Wolkowsky.  Born in Key West, he later moved to Miami when times got tough in the Keys. He returned to Key West when his father died and immediately began turn this island village into a respectable tourist destination. So many buildings around town still bear the mark of his influence, and his forethought has preserved Key West from becoming overtaken with sky scrapers and mega-developments. Nothing over 40 feet tall was his mandate! Wolkowsky built the Pier House Motel in 1967 and quickly turned it into a quirky retreat for writers, artists and creatives. He entertained the likes of Truman Capote and Jimmy Buffet. In fact, Jimmy Buffet says Wolkowsky was the first person to ever hire him. Jimmy played at the famous Chart Room Bar for awhile. It was today, Feb. 20, 1967 that David Wolkowsky began construction on the Pier House Motel. The Motel later opened in 1969. And that's what happened Today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can find us at http://43Keys.com. Photo Credit: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders for L’Uomo Vogue. Content courtesy of wikipedia.org.

BEFORE WORLD WAR II, the Ku Klux Klan was an important social and political force in Key West. And Manuel Cabeza ran afoul of that force. A native Conch and World War I veteran who was said to fear no one, Cabeza was deeply in love with a black woman, a well-known madam with whom he lived. In those days a white man might have a black mistress, but he was supposed to keep it strictly a backstreet affair. Manuel lived quite openly with his lover and so, a week before Christmas, 1921, the Klan visited him, bearing tar and feathers. Manuel fought with them and, during the struggle, managed to rip the masks off several of the faces so that he would later be able to identify them. Tar-and-feathering was not only excruciatingly painful, it often resulted in the victim's death. But Cabeza was tough and by Christmas Eve was recovered enough to take his revenge. He hired a taxi and began patroling Old Town, looking for the three men he had recognized. He caught up with William Decker, manager of one of Key West's large cigar factories on Duval Street. Cabeza fired a shot through the window of Decker's car, killing him. The taxi rolled on. But at the corner of Whitehead and Petronia, a group of Klan members caught up with Cabeza. According to newspaper accounts, "gunfire was exchanged." There was a standoff until two sheriff's officers arrived and Cabeza agreed to accompany them to the county jail. The sheriff called in Marines from the naval base (how about that for backup help?) to protect Cabeza from the Klan, but by midnight dismissed them, believing that all was quiet on the Key West front. Within an hour, five automobiles loaded with masked Klan members pulled up at the jail, and with pistols drawn, ordered the diminutive sheriff to let them in. The Klansmen proceeded to the second floor of the jail and beat Cabeza senseless with blackjacks. Then they dragged him down to the street, tied him to the rear bumper of the lead car and paraded him through the streets of Key West. Then they took him over to Flagler Avenue where they hanged him from a tree and riddled his body with bullets. This was the gruesome sight that greeted hundreds of Key Westers on Christmas morning of 1921. No one was ever arrested. This episode is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can learn more about us at http://43keys.com

Edwin Oliver Gwynn Sr. was born on October 9, 1820 in New Providence, Bahamas. He was an auctioneer for a tobacco company that made cigars. In 1839, EO Gwynn married Anne Pinder, with whom he had one child, in Nassau. In April of 1851, Anne was granted a divorce from EO in Key West, on the basis of desertion.  In 1855, Gwynn married Mary Elizabeth Pinder in the Bahamas. By 1860, EO Gwynn had come to Key West - drawn by the burgeoning cigar industry.    In 1864, Gwynn was elected as Mayor of Key West, where he served 2 consecutive terms, ending in 1867. He was elected to a 3rd term in 1874, and his 4th and final term as Mayor started in 1881.    By 1878, E.O. Gwynn owned a cigar factory in Key West, and he was exploring ways to expand his cigar production without being dependent on importing the tobacco from Cuba. He purchased 500 pounds of leaf tobacco that had been grown in Miami. He hoped at that time that tobacco could be raised in Miami in sufficient quantity that Key West manufacturers would not have to depend on purchasing their tobacco from Cuban growers. The attempt by the Miami grower to produce larger quantities of tobacco were unsuccessful and the experiment of growing tobacco in Miami was stopped after just 3 years.   By 1883, E.O. Gwynn was functioning in the capacity as the State of Florida’s Deputy Surveyor, stationed in Key West.    And because its Valentine’s Day, we have to direct the conversation to love. Love Lane in Key West is one of the most confusing streets because there isn’t just one Love Lane, there are 2 - one coming off Fleming St. and another off Southard St, but not meeting mid-block. Some maps also indicate that Gwynn Street, named for former Mayor and Cigar Tycoon E.O. Wynn is the actual lane that runs off Southard St. And yet another source cites Johnny Cake Lane as perhaps making up the northern half of Love Lane, and perhaps one time it did. As it turns out now, both the Fleming side and the Southard side are now call Love Lane. It seems that the reason they don’t meet in the middle is because the bungalow that bisects the lane was built on the down low and over the decades it has been allowed to stand and grandfathered in.   And it was today, Feb. 14, 1884:  that E.O. Gwynn, a native of the Bahamas, died. He was one of the early cigar makers in Key West.   And that’s what happened Today in Key West History.   Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can find us at http://43keys.com.    

Although it can be kind of expensive to visit Key West, if you know where to look, you can still find some free activities that will allow you to have a peek “behind the curtain” so to speak and glimpse how the locals live. One such glimpse takes you through the Key West of yester year.    Key West is a very historical city, having played a pivotal role in many wars over the years, and also with its proximity to Cuba, it has been the stopping point for many dignitaries and Presidents as they made their way to Cuba, the Panama Canal and even further South.   Key West architecture is unique in American history. It's structures created by real men with problem solving skills and varying experiences. In the city of Key West remains the largest collection of wood frame houses of any seaport in the country. In 1969, more than 300 wood houses were still standing that had been built before 1900, and at least one is more than 140 years old. Those 300 houses are concentrated in about 20 city blocks of the city. These buildings are distinctive. All a reflection of the individuals who built them. Twenty-one of these homes are included in the Pelican Path.   The Pelican Path is a self-guided walking tour that takes you to more than 50 historic locations in the city of Key West. Many of these locations are these private historical homes with unique architecture. Some of the places on the Pelican Path may actually be open for public tours, but many are occupied by private citizens living the good life in Key West. This tour is so informative and you can even get an official guide and map of the Pelican Path that gives you the historical context of the marked structure. You can pick up the guide at the Chamber of Commerce, or I’ll put a link on our website at www.43Keys.com where you can download your own copy.   You can do the tour in sections, a little bit at a time. You can do the tour on a bicycle or on foot. You can start and end the tour where ever you want, even though there are official designation points for starting and finishing. If you take your time on the tour, you can enjoy a few detours along the way for some great food and drinks, or possibly browsing through a shop or two.   Officially, the tour should take about 2 hours on foot. But we think you should give yourself more time to soak in the history of Key West, and let your imagination take you back in time to when those structures were first built. Many of them are fantastic by today’s standards, but think about how amazing these structures would have been more than 100 years ago. You’d probably have to have a chunk of change to purchase any of these structures today, but think about what it would have taken to accomplish this type of design and architecture back when they were built. These historic structures have survived multiple devastating hurricanes, a fire that destroyed most of Key West in 1886, and our harsh sub-tropical climate where termites thrive, salt covers everything, and the sun and wind are a constant foe.   The Pelican Path was the first self-guided walking tour of Key West and it was created by the Old Island Restoration Foundation. Whether you are a local or just come once to visit Key West, walking the Pelican Path is a fantastic was to see the “real” Key West. It’s not all of the tourist spots, but it’s a way to get connected to Key West history, the architecture that makes this such a unique community, and the characters that came before us that built this quaint little island into the paradise it is today.   And it was today, Feb. 12, 1964, that the Old Island Restoration Foundation completed The Pelican Path, the first self-guided walking tour of Key West.   And that’s what happened today in Key West History.   Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can find out more about our glorious past and how to have more salty good times by visiting http://43keys.com. To get the FREE downloadable Pelican Path Map, click here: [wpforms id="430" title="false" description="false"]

During the economic boom in Cuba in the 1940's and 1950's, at least 4 airlines were established. With easy access to surplus US Air Force equipment, planes began to fly with former Air Force planes. These Cuban airlines were not all on the up and up, and their access to a joint civilian/military base in Colombia, made it particularly convenient as the source of smuggling contraband. Listen and learn all about the direct flights that were established between Key West and Havana.   This programs brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can find us at http://43keys.com.

The saga of how Ernest and Pauline Hemingway landed in Key West is interesting in its own right. It's even more interesting when you find out how he ended up with an amazing house that is iconic as well. Today's episode gives you all the details of both! It was today, Feb. 8, 1964 that the Hemingway House was dedicated and opened as a Museum. http://43keys.com

The oldest house on Duval St. was built in 1829. This house stayed in the same family for over 140 years. Today, it serves as a lesson to all of us about how far we've come.  By looking back into this time capsule, we can see what the Key West of old was like. We can have an appreciation for how difficult life must have been at this remote outpost, far away from family and friends. Those previous generations stuck it out and created a better community that still impacts us today.  Learn more about the Oldest House on Duval and the family that lived there, listen to today's episode. You can find us at http://43Keys.com

Grace Jones was a Bahamian immigrant who lived in Marathon. He husband worked off shore in the sponge industry. She came to the Keys in 1912 and went on to raise her children here in the Keys.  During this time, the only schools were in Key West. So, it didn't matter where you lived, you had to send your children over an hour each way, just to provide them with an education. It didn't seem right that they couldn't be educated in their own community. Grace talked to everyone she could about it. The School District, The Mayor, the Governor - anyone who would listen. Eventually, she got her way, and the Grace Jones Daycare Center was opened in Marathon. It was a room in a church hall with a leaky roof, but at least they were close to home. From there, her mission expanded and so did the school. Today, the Grace Jones Childcare Center is the gold standard for early childhood education. Serving more than 100 families in the Middle Keys 

The Atocha has proved to be the motherlode for Mel Fisher's Treasure Hunters. Shipwrecked in 1622, it was loaded down with gold, copper, silver and emeralds. The Spanish crown tried for years to find it, and never succeeded. Mel Fisher and team tried for 16 years to find it - and finally had success! Then the court battle began - the State of Florida wanted to claim a large part of the treasure.  It was today, Feb. 5, 1986, that U.S. District Judge William O. Mehrtens ruled the wreckage of the Nuestra Senora de Atocha belonged to Treasure Salvors, the firm that found the galleon 45 miles west of Key West. And that's what happened Today in Key West History. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can visit us at http://43Keys.com. 

Mallory Square has long been a favorite Key West spot for viewing sunset. It's beloved by both tourists and locals. What started out as a gathering for hippies doing illegal activities, and the City trying to stop it, turned into a cultural preservation event. The daily sunset celebration at Mallory Square has turned into a festival with food vendors, performers, clowns, acrobats, and artisans. It's the only festival in the Keys where the artists who are selling their wares are actually required to make them with their own hands. They have to be able to demonstrate the making of the craft to a jury of their peers to even qualify to be at the event. This event is known the world over, and traveling performers often come to spend "season" in Key West and perform on the pier. This nightly event is the only free event for families in Key West.  If you're in Key West, you have to make plans to celebrate the sunset on the pier at least one night, if not more. Patronize the local artisans who work hard to produce beautiful crafts and great food. To learn more about the Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square visit www.sunsetcelebration.org. Photo and content credit: Sunset Celebration, www.sunsetcelebration.org.

The Key West Greyhound Track was once billed as the Tiniest Track in America, this oval was located amid auto graveyards and cheap trailer parks in the poorest section of America’s most southeastern town. [this was actually on Stock Island] It was the literally the last stop on the road for young pups or aging greyhounds and the gullible tourists who bet them. About 100 people showed up to wager each night, maybe 200 on dime-a-beer Fridays. There were ample opportunities to cheat, and stories abound of switching the numbers on the dogs or sandpapering their paws. A guy we’ll call Tony, who worked at a kennel there, remembered it as “wide open, with excessive drinking, drugs and loose women, all with no police presence whatsoever.” So it came as no surprise who could be found there: Hunter Thompson. In 1992, the health department shut the track down due to a mysterious creek that had sprung up in the parking lot. It smelled suspiciously like dog pee. All vestiges of the place have since vanished, buried under the gentrification of the Conch Republic. Between Oct. 31, 1990 and Feb. 21, 1991, four trainers abandoned their kennels; many of the 171 abandoned dogs were grossly underweight at the time of discovery. In mid-February, a state inspector discovered that 51 greyhounds had been removed from the premises in violation of a racing judge’s order. The bodies of 15 of those dogs were dumped in the Cudjoe Key landfill before the state could determine how they were killed.  Owner Louis Stanley Berenson, also known as Buddy, was ordered to close the Key West (Fla.) Dog Track in March 1991 when a sewage system backed up and created a public health danger. According to Joy Mayne, a trainer who had dogs there, the sewer overflowed into the parking lot and created a puddle of liquefied feces 13 feet in length and 3 feet in width. In an emergency hearing before Van Jones, the director of the Florida Division of Parimutuel Wagering, others testifed that the greyhounds boarded there were emaciated, dehydrated and suffering from flea and tick infestation. Berenson agreed not to operate in Florida again. The long-closed Key West racetrack was demolished to make way for Meridian West Apartments, a nine-building, 102-unit gated community for low-income residents. Meridian West was completed in 2005. And it was today,  January, 31 1953: The new dog track on Stock Island, which was built in six weeks, drew an opening-night crowd estimated at 4,000. That's what happened Today in Key West History. You can find us at http://43Keys.com.  

Soon after we entered the aviation age, the race was on to travel further and faster with aircraft. It took awhile for "aeronauts" to begin to test their skills at crossing bodies of water. Soon, the English Channel was crossed for the first time. This exploration age set off the race to see who could get from Key West to Cuba successfully and complete the longest flight over a body of water.  Canadian James McCurdy wanted to be the first, and he got sponsors. Meanwhile, 2 Cubans were also getting their flight school certifications to do the same thing. There was a $5000 prize for the first one to make the crossing without crashing.  It was today, Jan. 30, 1911 that James McCurdy made his first attempt at crossing and failed. He crashed in a light chop about 10 miles from Havana. When the Navy picked him up, he was kicking sharks away and blowing cigarette smoke! And that's what happened today in Key West History.   This show is brought to you by 43 Keys Media and you can find us at http://43Keys.com.

During his lifetime, Jimmy Hoffa had a long term relationship with the Florida Keys. He was known to come to Marathon for fishing excursions. He frequented local hotels and restaurants. He even pulled off a deal for the Teamsters to purchase Casa Marina Hotel at some point. He was a larger than life character and loved by all, unless he double crossed you and then you hated him. It was today, Jan. 29, 1961 that Jimmy Hoffa declared, "Key West has the most pleasant climate in the United States.” And that's what happened Today in Key West History! You can find us at http://43keys.com.  

January 28, 1979: Famous writer and Key West resident Tennessee Williams and his friend, Datson Rader, were assaulted on Duval Street. Both men were punched, but neither needed medical attention.

It didn't take long for a crowd to gather as Captain Demerritt pulled into port with a sizable catch. While out on troll offshore, Demerritt and his son, William had simultaneously caught a monster Kingfish weighting 67 pounds and a Sailfish weighing about 60 pounds.  The Kingfish was only a few pounds shy of the record of the largest Kingfish ever caught in Florida since records have been kept.  Crowds gathered to see the giant fish and hear the story of the catch. It was today, January 27, 1924 that the Monster Kingfish was brought into port. And that's what happened today in Key West History. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. To learn more about the amazing history of the Florida Keys, visit http://43keys.com.

The Florida Keys have long been a favorite destination for fishing, frequented by US Presidents, Heads of State and other politicians. Herbert Hoover was no exception to this. For almost 40 years, he made regular fishing excursions with his favorite guide, Calvin Albury of the Key Largo Angler's Club. Hoover never tired of fishing in the ocean and came as often as he could. Hoover's fishing exploits spanned an 80 year period, which basically meant he fished from the time he was big enough to hold a pole. He loved all types of fishing, but the Key's held a special place in his heart. Listen to learn about the special memento that Hoover bestowed upon Calvin Albury. It's an awesome story! Content for this show was sourced from the Herbert Hoover Museum Blog. And it was today, Jan. 26, 1929 that Herbert Hoover was in Key Largo fishing for sailfish. And that's what happened Today in Key West History. Today in Key West History is brought you by 43 Keys Media.  You can find us at http://43keys.com.

In the late 1960s, Jimmy Buffett was living in Nashville and trying to start a career as a folk country musician. He cut two albums, but only 1970s down to earth, which didn't actually do very well was released his record company at the time claim to have lost the Masters to the second album. So Jimmy Buffett and Jerry Jeff Walker, who you might know from Mr. Bo J. angles, headed down to Key West in 1971. It was right after Jimmy's marriage to his high school sweetheart had broken up, they were essentially broke at the time and they decided they were going to try to eke out a living and keep us busking and play music gigs during this time in the 1970s he performed at the pier house at night and then during the day at the famous Captain Tony saloon. If you're ever in Captain Tony saloon, there are some great pictures of Jimmy Buffett and obviously Captain Tony there on the wall. The tradition of busking for tips is something that continues it kept in Tony's and many other bars and even on the streets of Key West, and of course it happens every night at Mallory square sunset celebration. So if you're ever around and you see people on the street playing music or you're down at the sunset celebration, make sure you give a tip to the buskers because that's how they earn their living. Jimmy Buffett's experiences in Key West became the best content for riding his songs. When Jimmy Buffett's friend and mentor, Jim Croce died, ABC Dunhill taps Jimmy Buffett to feel crocheted place on their roster that led to the classic 1973 album white sport coat and a pink crustacean followed quickly in 1974 by living and dying and three quarter time and a one a Naturally, the songs from these albums are now iconic songs that are mainstays of Jimmy Buffett's tours. Many of Jimmy Buffett's best songs are about Key West and Captain Tony figures prominently into several of them, most notably last mango in Paris. Jimmy Buffett says there are a few places on earth that he can be where the creative juices naturally flow for him. Key West is one of those places it also happens to be that for him, New Orleans is one of those places both cities steeped in culture, ocean side communities that are laid back and have just a real appreciation for the arts and music culture that Jimmy Buffett songs creates the island thing that carefree Island type songs are loved by many people. And it brings about just an astrologer of your last vacation at the beach. what it was like to just sit out and eat under opening kdine with the birds flying in and maybe dolphins coming up in the ocean or manatees just gives you a relaxing vibe. And Key West does that for Jimmy Buffett. In fact, many times over the course of the year since Jimmy Buffett was a regular resident in Key West, he showed back up and played different concerts, many times impromptu having a street concert and that sort of thing. So you can occasionally find Jimmy Buffett still in Key West today. Generally, it's unannounced. He grabs a guitar wherever he is. And he hops on stage and thrills his fans. If you're ever in Key West, and Jimmy Buffett's here, you might also find him riding anywhere around town on a bicycle. So it can happen. In recent years, Jimmy Buffett bought the Westin Hotel and it's now Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville so you can bet that when Jimmy Buffett comes to town, we know where he's going to be playing next. And it was today January 25, 1988 that local resident and nationally known singer Jimmy Buffett presented keywords Mayor Richard Heyman with a check for $15,000 toward the purchase of the Salt Ponds and a check for $2700 for the use of Wickers Field where the salt ponds benefit concert was held. And that's what happened today in Key West history. This program is brought to you by 43 keys media. If you want to learn more about our glorious past and the famous celebrities that have been part of it, visit http://43keys.com. You can also learn more about what's going on right now in Key West by visiting http://43keys.com. You can get this program as an Alexa flash briefing. You can find it on YouTube, and you can also find it anywhere you listen to podcasts. So wherever you're listening, subscribe and never miss an episode. We'll see you over at http://43keys.com.  

Sally Rand was an internationally acclaimed feather dancer. She would tease audiences with 2 large ostrich feathers. She spent time as a vaudeville dancer too. Back in the day, she was highly sought after and performed in numerous theater productions. She even had her own show at one point called Sally Rand Nude Ranch. She had a couple of run-ins with the law over her risque dancing! It was today, January 24, 1948 that Sally Rand, internationally known fan dancer, appeared at the dance and casino sponsored by the Arthur Sawyer Post, American Legion, a March of Dimes benefit. Miss Rand was a part-time resident of Key West. And that's what happened Today in Key West History.  Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can find out all about our infamous history by visiting http://43Keys.com. You can get this program, as well as others, as an Alexa flash briefing. You can find our programs on YouTube and anywhere you listen to podcasts. Subscribe today and don't miss an episode!

Born in Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas on Sept. 21, 1821, William Curry had always heard the tales of the fortunes that could be made in a nearby city call Key West. At the age of 15, Curry came to the island of Key West as a penniless immigrant, with nothing more than outsized ambition going for him. He arrived in 1837, when Key West was the wealthiest city in the state, and had the most per capita wealth of any city in the country. At that time the main industry was wrecking.    Curry’s work history began as humble as any of ours has. He got a job as a clerk in the office of Weever & Baldwin. The position paid $1 a week and also included room and board. He left Key West for several years to fight in the Seminole War, but eventually landed back in Key West, where he began his climb up the corporate ladder in earnest.   He rose in the ranks to become the US quartermaster, and went on to be named a partner in a firm. He eventually ascended to take over the firm in 1861. William Curry had an innate business sense that served him well. He was able to amass a fortune through his various business holdings and investments - a retail mercantile, wrecking, ship building, and of course, his investments in the stock market.   Curry’s story is the epitome of the “American Dream” - rags to riches story, that gives all of us a glimmer of hope. William married his wife, Euphemia and together they raised 8 children. Eventually, 3 of the children formed the William Curry’s Sons Company and ran the family business through that entity.    William Curry also had a keen eye for real estate, and during the course of his life, he acquired quite a portfolio of some prime Key West real estate. His own personal home, that’s referred to today as The Curry Mansion, was quite impressive. However, the structure that we see standing today is actually the rebuilt version of the home. The original home was virtually all demolished in 1905, and save for the stone hearth and chimney, Milton Curry, a son of William rebuilt the structure entirely. This rebuild included large amounts of then plenteous Date County Pine and lots of ornate and decorative carving that is emblematic of the Georgian revival style.    The 22 room mansion sits like a Gingerbread castle at 511 Caroline St., and to this very day captivates all who pass by.   At the time of his death, William Curry had become Florida’s first self-made millionaire. With an estate valued at $1.5 million, he was at the time, the riches man in Florida.    And it was today, Jan. 23, 1896 that William Curry died. He was survived by his wife and 8 children.    And that’s what happened Today in Key West History.   Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can learn all about our glorious past and what’s currently going on in the beautiful Florida Keys by visiting http://43keys.com.   You can find this show and others as an Alexa Flash Briefing, you can find us on YouTube, FB and anywhere you listen to podcasts. So, where ever you listen to the show, subscribe to never miss an episode. Then join us over at www.43keys.com.

Despite having decades in the late 1800's where Key West had the highest amount of wealth per-capita, as well as being the largest city in Florida, it wasn't until 1926 that Key West experienced its first taste of luxury. Having confirmed its status as a bonafide city by re-inventing itself after the collapse of the wrecking industry, Key West continued to draw an elite class into its vortex. Politicians, Heads of State, writers and more celebrities than you could imagine were making Key West a destination of choice! During this time, Key West also began making a concerted effort to promote itself as a tourist destination. However, until 1926, there were really no true luxury accommodations to speak of. There were plenty of lavish private homes of the rich and well-heeled, but not all wealthy tourists had access to them.  The LaConcha Hotel was really the first of its kind in Key West. It was a true luxury hotel, complete with private bathrooms, marble tile and it even had an elevator. The LaConcha remains the tallest building on the island today.  Located in the heart of the Duval St. Historic district, it is an icon for locals and tourists alike. After its opening, the LaConcha has a history of hosting many famous people, and it remains a favorite spot to view the island - from the top of the tallest building on the island! You can check out the LaConcha Hotel at https://www.laconchakeywest.com. Book a stay and come see us! The LaConcha Hotel is one of the few hotels in Key West that have attained the distinction of being on the National Register of Historic Places, as well as being inducted into the Historic Hotels of America program. There are strict requirements to attain both of these designations. The LaConcha has managed to preserve its history and evolve as a modern destination. It was today, January 22, 1926 that the LaConcha Hotel first opened its doors to the public. There was entertainment and a private dinner attended by 175 well-connected Key Westers!  And that's what happened Today in Key West History.  You can visit us at http://43keys.com to find out more about our beautiful Florida Keys. You can also find this program and others as an Alexa Flash Briefing. You can find us on YouTube and anywhere you get your podcasts.  Where ever you find us, subscribe so that you don't miss a single episode!

If I described a leader as a failed business man - multiple times, someone who struggled with alcohol, a military man who couldn't stand the uniforms, and a novice politician, you'd probably think I was describing a failed leader who quickly fell off the pages of history.  However, this description fits one of the most influential men in US history in the 19th century! With many accomplishments and a victory in the Civil War, we could only be talking about Ulysses S. Grant!  Learn some little known facts about him on Today in Key West History. It was today, Jan. 21, 1880 that Ulysses S. Grant and rode into town and was the guest of honor at the Jefferson Hotel on Duval St. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Visit us at http://43Keys.com

The dream of one man changed the isolation of the Florida Keys for all time. Henry Flagler was a native New Yorker and he was born in 1830. He only went to school up until the eighth grade. But later on, he went on to establish the Standard Oil Company with John D. Rockefeller - that was in 1870 and he became very wealthy. After that, in 1885, he purchased a shoreline railroad between Jacksonville and St. Augustine, and then he began expanding it toward Miami. Miami was at that time only a very small settlement, not the big metropolis that it is. Now, Flagler had a vision and the vision of his railroad went to Miami. But beyond Miami, he wanted to connect the mainland to the deep port of Key West. At this time, Key West was a booming city it had more than 10,000 residents and it had the highest concentration of wealth of any city in the country. Flagler might have also had in the back of his mind that if he could connect the railroad to Key West, then he could also connect the railroad to Cuba. His railroad extended to Homestead by 1904, and after that he began work on connecting the entire Florida Keys. By 1908, the railroad had connected Homestead to Marathon,. Marathon became a boomtown - ships brought their cargoes of Cuban pineapples and limes, and they were loaded on the railway cars and shipped North. The railroad turnaround from Marathon to Homestead was at the Knights Key Campground. It's just recently been demolished and a brand new resort is still being built right there. It took a whole lot of engineering to overcome that seven mile gap between Marathon and Bahia Honda. During the construction of this section of the railroad, construction work was hampered by devastating hurricanes both in 1909 and 1910. But on January 22, 1912, Henry Flagler, who was now the ripe old age of 82, finally rode his dream from Homestead to Key West. He jumped in the railroad car and went across 42 stretches of sea over 17 miles of concrete, viaducts, and concrete and steel bridges, over 20 miles of filled calls ways ultimately covering 128 miles from island to island, and it was the culmination of his grand vision. Henry Flagler entered Key West that day a hero. Henry Flagler died the following year, and probably never knew that his big dream his vision, his flight of fancy had changed the course of the Florida Keys forever. It was today January the 18th, 1912, that John J. Frawley of the Lubin Manufacturing Company was in Key West to film the arrival of the first train on Henry Flagler's Railroad, and also to get some footage of the other industries of the city. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today, in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can find this and other programs as an Alexa flash briefing. You can also find us on YouTube and anywhere you listen to your podcasts. You can also find out more about our glorious past and the Florida Keys and even what's going on right now by visiting http://43keys.com.

When President Donald Trump visited Key West late last year, it was the first time in nearly 55 years for a sitting US president to visit Key West. Prior to that, the last time was when John F. Kennedy stopped by to inspect the defenses of Key West and provide some positive publicity for South Florida. And that was in November of 1962, following the Cuban Missile Crisis. Key West's location and climate has a long history of drawing in the top executives, not just from companies but also from the most powerful nation in the world. US presidents have loved Key West for years. One of the most famous visitors was Harry Truman. Harry Truman came to Key West 11 times during his presidency. He always ended up staying at the Navy's officer residence. And that house is now called Truman's Little White House. Ulysses S. Grant was the first US president to visit Key West. He came in 1880, it was 11 years after leaving office, while traveling with Civil War General, Phil Sheridan. They were on a steamship from New Orleans bound for Havana, but had to stop in Key West for the day. That was during the period when Key West was one of the largest cities in Florida and also one of the wealthiest. Another Civil War leader, Jefferson Davis had also visited Key West. He stopped by in 1867, the day after he was released from prison on bail. Key West is a good place to go when you just get out of jail! In his first term as President, Grover Cleveland also stopped by Key West in 1889. He spent a few hours in the city and he was shown around the island in carriages, and there was a public reception held at the Russell House. William Howard Taft came to Key West on Henry Flagler's Overseas Railway. The year was 1912. That was just 11 months after the railway opened and President Taft was on his way to inspect the Panama Canal. But of course he had to come to Key West first and then get on a ship. And Calvin Coolidge also stopped by Key West on his way back from a meeting in Cuba. That year was 1928 and he had just finished speaking at a big conference in Cuba. Franklin Delano Roosevelt visited Key West six times between 1917 and 1939, he was practically a snowbird. His first stop was when he was young Assistant Secretary of the Navy and he was en route to Cuba as well. After Roosevelt was stricken with polio, he spent several winters in the Keys on a houseboat. And then he also came back to Key West as president in 1939. It was a very different ride then as he was coming down the overseas highway, in an open air convertible. And you can be sure that Key West always appreciated this type of attention from the chief executive, as many of our streets in Key West our name for Presidents - there's Truman Avenue, there's Einsenhower and Kennedy Dr. Dwight Eisenhower first came to Key West before he became president. He was the Presiding Officer of the Joint Chiefs of Staff when he came and he spent 21 days at the Little White House, trying to recover from an illness. Guess who recommended that he do that? You got it - Harry Truman. Eisenhower also returned in 1955 when he was recovering from a heart attack. You're seeing the theme here. People love to come to Key West to recuperate from all the ills of the rest of the world. President Kennedy came through a trip on Key West back in March of 1961. And he met the British Prime Minister here in Key West for a summit. So prior to Donald Trump visiting at the end of last year, John F. Kennedy's visit to Key West in 1962 was the last time a sitting president came to Key West. A couple other presidents visited us, but it was after they had left the office. Jimmy Carter came down. Bill Clinton has been here. gGeorge HW Bush had a lovely little fishing hidey hole that he liked to come and do some fishing in Islamorada. We heard a lot about that after he passed away last year many many stories were told about the wonderful interactions people had with him while he was in Islamorada. And it was today, January 17 1928, that President Calvin Coolidge and his wife arrived in Key West uponreturning from the sixth Inter-American Conference held in Havan. They arrived by ship. And once they arrive, the mayor showed him around, showed him the Naval Station, the Army barracks, the airport and then they took a ride along beautiful Ocean Avenue, what we call today, North and South atRoosevelt Boulevard. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You want to learn all about our illustrious past and even what's going on today in Key West, visit http://43keys. com. You can get this program, as well as others, as an Alexa flash briefing. And you can find this on YouTube and anywhere that you listen to podcasts. So don't forget to subscribe and we'll see you over at http://43keys.com.

Roger Foster, the 17 year old admitted killer of the charter boat, Dream Girls, two man crew was brought to us by a Coast Guard vessel and was immediately whisked away from the docks by FBI agents and Key West Police officers. The husky youth, wearing a t-shirt and pants stained with blood, was held for 15 minutes aboard the Coast Guard Cutter after its arrival, and then hurried to waiting automobile. Both his hands were bandaged and he appeared dazed and he was led ashore as an FBI agent held him firmly by one arm and Sheriff Henry Haskins held the other. The cutter also towed the Dream Girl into port. Her deck was spattered with blood. "I murdered them and threw them overboard." Foster told Coast Guardsmen whenever the charter boat was found on Friday, after a wide search, out of fuel about 20 miles from the coast of communist Cuba. The 17 year old youth was alone on the deck. He said he had killed the captain Douglas Trevor age 47 and his son Edward, 22, who was the First Mate. Foster apparently chartered the sport fishing boat, possibly in a mad effort to reach Cuba for an attempt to assassinate Fidel Castro. After earlier attempting to kill himself in a Key West motel room. A crowd of about 100 had gathered across the boat slip from the Coast Guard dock. The FBI said it would confer with the sheriff's department to determine who had jurisdiction. Newsmen were not permitted to talk to Foster in the waiting room where grief stricken relatives and friends of the Trevor's and Fosters father, Dr. H. A. Foster a Griffin, GA physician. Until the boats arrival, details of the sinister sea tragedy had been withheld from him, presumably because of a weak heart. The Dream Girl was found after a wide search. After reaching it, Coast Guardsmen gave Foster first aid and put him under guard and took the boat in tow. A suicide note found in Rogers blood spattered Key West motel room had said, "I think I'm insane." It urged authorities, "do not publicize my death. And be careful when you tell my father because he has a bad heart." A Key West Naval Physician, Lieutenant Terrell Tanner refused to tell newsmen where his friend, Dr. Foster, was spending the night. "I intended to break the news to him on Saturday" Tanner said, "I think it would be better for him to have what rest he can before he hears what the Coast Guard found." A picture of mental turmoil over American Nazi-ism, the Communist Party and Cuba's dictator Fidel Castro begin shaping up from information police gathered about Roger Foster. He was described by his mother in Griffin as "a brilliant boy who seemed to have stranger ideas" that prompted his parents to have him interviewed by a psychologist. "Maybe he was trying to get to Cuba and go after Castro on his own", Ms. Foster said. Roger tried to start an Anti-communism club at Griffin High School. Rogers mother said distress over a knee injury that prevented him from competing in school athletics may have led him to disappear Monday without leaving any word. At Key West, Roger evidently arranged passage on the Trevor's boat, Dream Girl. Shortly after noon on Thursday the Trevor's departed and it was sometime during the course of the afternoon that a struggle ensued, and both Captain Douglas and his son Edward were killed. Foster eventually pled not guilty to the murders - by reason of insanity. He was then committed to a mental institution, and later ended up standing trial for the murders of the Trevor's. But it was today January 15, 1971, that Roger Foster who admitted he killed charter boat Captain Douglas Trevor and his son Edward off the Marquesas Keys in 1963, was found guilty of second degree murder. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. To learn more about our historical and potentially criminal past visit http://43keys.com. You can get this program as well as others as an Alexa flash briefing. You can also find us on YouTube so go there and subscribe and visit us at http://43keys.com.

In late 1949, 100 years after the peak of the California Gold Rush, Pink Gold was discovered off the Florida Keys near Dry Tortugus. The “gold” was a grooved variety of shrimp called “pink” shrimp in the industry – scientifically Panaeus duorarum. In early 1950, the first shrimpers arrived in Key West looking to off load and process their treasures. On February 11, 1950, The New York Times likened the Pink Gold Rush to that of the Klondike gold strike in the late 1890’s. More than 100 vessels were already at Key West with another 100 reported to be on their way. Fishing vessels and companies “staked claims” to docking space and freezing facilities; ice was being imported from Miami and rooms were hard to come by. The Paulsen-Webber Cordage Corporation reported an upsurge in the demand of “shrimp rope” and wire rope and shifted all production schedules to give priority to the urgent requests. “Pink Gold,” being nocturnal feeders, meant the best catches were made at night but the lack of sounding equipment and the presence of coral formations made fishing difficult. Continuing the trend at WW II’s end, the new trawlers being built were larger, more powerful, better equipped, and capable of longer distances from port and longer times at sea. In 1950, the fleet expansion continued rapidly with the desire, not only for “Pink Gold,” but also for fishery exploratory work looking for latent resources and the expansion of existing fisheries. Many of the shrimp trawlers were built in St. Augustine soon to be known as “Shrimp Boat City.” The Pink Gold Rush prompted St. Augustine to shift focus from catching shrimp to building shrimp trawlers (both shrimping and boatbuilding were a part of St. Augustine’s economy since early 20th century). The boat builders and their suppliers of propellers, engines, rigs, nets, generators, and other machinery saw sales grow to unprecedented levels. The Key West docks quickly filled to capacity and shrimpers began to use San Carlos Island and Estero Island dock to unload their catches. In 1954, other pink shrimp grounds were discovered around Sanibel Island, and Mexico. The heyday of the Pink Gold Rush was during the 1950s and 1960s and although the shrimp industry faces competition from farmed shrimp today, the shrimp fleet of San Carlos Island still off-loads wild pink shrimp. If you are ever in Key West and want to try out our delicious Pink Shrimp, you need to ask if the shrimp dish you are ordering is actually made with Key West Pink Shrimp. It's normally specified on the menu and if it isn't mentioned, it probably isn't. There's one way we always verify that we are eating pink shrimp and it's because Key West Pink Shrimp typically have a small dot on either side of their shell in about the 3rd or 4th abdominal bend. It looks like someone took a Sharpie and made a dot on either side. When you see that, you know you are eating the real thing! And it was today, Jan 12, 1952 that 200 Shrimping vessels were operating out of Key West. It was said that you could walk from one end of the marina to the other without ever touching water. And that's what happened today in Key West History! Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. To learn more about our delicious past, and our glorious future in Key West, visit http://43keys.com.  You can get this program as well as others, as an Alexa Flash Briefing. You can also find us on YouTube, and whereever you get your podcasts. Until then, join us for the fun over at http://43keys.com.

There's a menace going on on the streets of Key West, as documented by the historic archive of the Key West citizen. And I quote, "Fully realizing that it is treading on sacred ground to interfere with the pleasures and pastimes of the little folks, The Citizen desires to call attention to the numerous complaints now made about boys and girls on roller skates monopolizing the sidewalks. In certain portions of the city, roller skating on sidewalks is a dangerous pastime dangerous for the children on skates, and very unsafe for pedestrians. It is not an uncommon sight to see a bevy of boys and girls, and frequently of girls only, skating along sidewalks at a fearful rate of speed. They seem to turn corners with complete abandonment and are likely to knock down persons turning the corner in an opposite direction. These children seem to think nothing of skating across the wall street in the thick of traffic, throwing themselves recklessly under the protection of the special Providence that is claimed to exist for the protection of children. Nothing short of a miracle keep some of them from being run over by automobiles on this busy thoroughfare. Climbing the post office steps is said to be another feat most creditably executed by children on skates, much to the discomfort of people entering and leaving the building. With the ever increasing volume of traffic on the streets of Key West, serious or even fatal accidents may be expected in the future. If this practice of skating on the streets and sidewalks is not checked, should a little life be snuffed out this way, all the admonitions of sad parents could not bring that little life back again. And it may be all the result of some fond parents not forbidding their children to race on the streets on roller skates. And it was today January 11, 1926, that The Key West Citizen took a stand against the menace of skating on the sidewalks and the streets and of parkour happening on the post office steps. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. To find out about all of the big historical events and the little ones, visit http://43keys.com. If you want to come to Key West and skate and scooter, or ride your skateboard, come on down and visit us. You can find this show and more as an Alexa briefing. You can also find us on YouTube and anywhere you listen to your podcast. In the meantime, until see you again visit us at http://43keys.com.

Sand key is situated next to a channel that leads to Key West. It's located roughly eight miles to the north west of Key West. In normal conditions, a significant amount of sand accumulates on the submerged reefs at Sand Key and it actually creates a small island. Soon after the United States took possession of Florida in 1821, a wooden daymark was placed on the island to warn mariners of this navigational hazard. Lighthouses to mark Florida's reef had just recently been completed at Cape Florida, Key West and the Dry Tortugas, when Congress allocated $16,000 on May 18, 1826 for a lighthouse on Sand Key. The plans for this tower were similar to those us for the other three calling for a 70 foot conical brick tower, exhibiting a light from 11 lamps set in 14 inch reflectors. Sand Keys light revolved, producing a flashing signature that differentiated it from the nearby fixed light at Key West. The first keeper of Sand Key Lighthouse was slated to be Joseph Ximenez. However, keeper John Flaherty and his wife Rebecca were having a terrible time adjusting to their isolated lives on the Dry Tortugas. So the collector of customs at Key West, William Pinckney arranged for the two keepers to trade assignments. Shortly after the Flaherty's arrived on the island, Sand Key Light was exhibited for the first time on April 15, 1827. With fisherman, wreckers and picnickers from Key West frequenting the island, the Flaherty's thoroughly enjoyed their new social life. Their joy however, was short lived as John became very sick in May of 1828, and then passed away in 1830. Rebecca remained on the island and was appointed keeper after her husband's death. In June of 1831, William Randolph Hackley, and attorney in Key West, recorded the following account of a visit he made at Sand Key Lighthouse. "The wind was so light that we did not get to the Key until noon. I went up to the lighthouse. The light is revolving and it's one of the best in the United States. It's kept by Mrs. Flaherty. She with her sister and a hired man are the only inhabitants of the Key and sometimes there are none but the two females. The length of the key is from 150 to 200 yards, and the average breath 50 yards. We remain till evening and having spent a pleasant day, returned to town around 8pm. The November 23, 1834 edition of the Florida Herald reported a wedding on Sand Key Lighthouse. Rebecca Flaherty had married Captain Frederick Neill. The newlyweds took a lengthy trip the next year to visit family while, a temporary keeper watched the light. Upon their return, Captain Neil was appointed the keeper and served in this role until he resigned in February 10 of 1836. Captain Francis Wallington was the next keeper maintaining the light until July 27, 1837, when the colorful Captain Joshua Appleby succeeded him. Born in Rhode Island in 1773, Appleby became a widower at a young age when his first wife, Sarah Vaille died at 23. Leaving him alone to care for their one year old daughter, Eliza. In 1820, Appleby sailed for the Florida Keys, where he co founded a settlement on Vaca Key and made a living from the sea through fishing, turtling and salvaging shipwrecks. Appleby's salvaging practices were soon called into question as he was accused of conspiring with a privateer, Charles Hoffner, to intentionally run aground vessels captured by Hoffner so the cargo could be salvaged and sold. Commander David Porter, head of the naval Squadron a key was responsible for eradicating piracy had Apple be arrested in 1823, and takeen to the irons in Charleston, South Carolina. Appleby must have been innocent or had friends in high places as he was released after Smith Thompson, the Secretary of the Navy and President James Monroe reviewed the case. Upon securing his freedom, Appleby returned to Rhode Island for a time and then he relocated to Key West. In 1830, the government granted Appleby a license as a wrecker, a trade he practiced for several years. Then on July 27, 1837, he accepted an appointment as the head keeper of Sand Key Lighthouse. While Applebee's livelihood had previously depended on ships misfortunes, it was now his duty to keep these ships safely away from the reef. During Applebee's tenure at the lighthouse, hurricanes struck Sand Key in 1841 and 1842. With the 1842 hurricane destroying the keepers dwelling and seriously damaging the land. In 1843, a seawall was built around the lighthouse to properly provide protection from the storm surge that accompanied the hurricanes. The following year, that wall was put to the test and it failed. The new keepers dwelling was swept away along with a good portion of the island. Applebee's daughter, Eliza, have visited the lighthouse on October 1846, along with her husband and their three year old son, and Mary's adopted daughter. On October 11th, a hurricane described as "the most destructive have any that has ever visited these latitudes and the memory of man" hit Sand Key. As the hurricane strengthen, Appleby in his five visitors very likely sought refuge in the lighthouse, since the tower had withstood previous storms. The seawall again proved no match for the hurricane as the raging seas swept across the island washing away the dwelling, tower, and the island itself. The following morning waves were observed rolling over the reef where the island had been and no trace of the lighthouse could be seen. Still the reef posed a threat to vessels and Honey, a 140 ton ship was soon purchased in New York recommissioned as a light ship and sent to Florida to mark Sand Key. Congress acted quickly as well, allocating $20,000 on March 3, 1847 for a new Sand Key lighthouse. And then adding an additional some of $39,970 and 74 cents to the project in 1848. Before the new lighthouse was completed, at least eight vessels had run aground on the reef resulting in a loss of over $420,000. Although lighthouses were expensive to construct, the reduction in lost cargo easily offset the investment. Hurricanes struck Sand Key lighthouse tower again in 1856 and 1865, followed by the twin hurricanes of 1870, and another one in 1875. Each hurricanes swept away most of the island and the station's Wharf, boathouse, privy and oil house were destroyed multiple times. By 1875, the dwelling perched in the tower had suffered so much abuse at the hands of the hurricanes that it to had to be replaced using a $20,000 appropriation made by Congress in 1874. As the bolts used to hold the dwelling together were thoroughly rusted, much cutting was required to remove the old structure before it could be replaced with a new, heavier one. During the periods between hurricanes when sand built back up around the lighthouse, thousands of terns congregated on Sand Key to nest. Eggs were found to be quite tasty and the light housekeepers would collect him by the basket full to deliver to their friends in Key West. At one point, it was reported that nine to 12,000 birds used to nest on Sand Key, but so many eggs were taken only two or 300 young ones hatched. On neighboring islands, birds would be killed by plume hunter seeking fancy feathers to adorn ladies hats. Eventually, Sand Key Lighthouse came under control of the Coast Guard. The light was automated and the dwelling on that lighthouse was vacated on June 1, 2017. The Sand Key Lighthouse was deemed access by the Coast Guard and was made available under the guidelines of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act to eligible entities. And it was today, January the 9, 1827, that construction began on the first lighthouse on Sand Key. It was completed in 70 days. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You can find out more about our glorious past by visiting http://43keys.com. You can also get this show as well as others as an Alexa flash briefing. Just tell Alexa "play Today in Key West history as my flash briefing." You can also get this show and others on YouTube and visit http://43keys.com for more interesting information about our beautiful Florida Keys.

Key West, like the other Florida Keys, began as a coral forest under the sea water. Marine life was its only population as the polar ice caps reformed and the sea level dropped. Terrestrial plant and animal life found its way. Soil was formed by decaying organic matter and storm actions. For millenniums the ocean continued to drop and the ocean currents, wind currents, birds and other things began to propagate the islands. Eventually, human life forms also found their way. These trillions of cells of life form along with the forces of nature produced an island called "Cayo Hueso" by early Spanish travelers. We're not really sure where the word "key" came from as a reference to an island. Most believe that it began by the Spanish adapting the word Cayo from the Tiano Indians of Hispaniola and Cuba. Referring to small islands, the Spanish normally used "isla" for Island and "islet" for small island. At least in the new world, they appear to us Cayo and Cayhuelo for a very small island. The English use Cay or Kay such as Cay Sal Banks. Cay is pronounced by Americans as the letter K, but by Englishman as the word key. The native Aborigines and subsequent native groups were the first settlers of Key West. The Europeans were tourists. For the first 300 odd years of historic existence, Europeans stopped for fresh water on the islands, which stood as silent as the martyrs for which they were first named. The silence was broken occasionally by those seeking refuge from being shipped wrecked, to fish, to lumber, to salvage. Other than the Native Americans, apparently no one settled permanently. Until about the time Florida became a United States territory in 1821, the history of Key West is much like the rest of the Keys until 1821. Its natural deepwater port was the deepest port between New Orleans and Norfolk, Virginia. Key West quickly became the economic center, was rapidly settled, and became Florida's largest populated city. It had professional residents, such as doctors, lawyers, insurance company representatives, politicians, military personnel, journalists, publishers, and most of whom, by vocation, make some written documentation. These documentations has made Key West history easier to be true history and not just a fable. Politically, Key West was Monroe County. In population alone, it overwhelmed all of the remaining Keys for about a century and a half. From a historian's point of view Key West is an interesting beginning. To be considered is the island's ownership - as private property ownership by the territory of Florida, ownership by the US government and finally, as a local incorporated entity. John W. Simonton purchased the island on January 19, 1822, from Don Pablo Salas, who had acquired it as a Spanish land grant in 1815, from Don Juan de Estrada. But as a new US territory, the original Don Juan de Estrada land grant to Salas had to be confirmed. No US Deed could be granted. In reality, it went round and round with claims and counterclaims and attempts to follow these just look like a spider web connecting one thing to another. John Simonton soon took on three northern partners - John Whitehead, John Fleming and Pardon Green. On the scene arrived General John Gettis of Charleston, who'd also purchased Key West. It was actually discovered that Don Juan Salas had sold it twice. First, to John Strong, a lawyer no less, and then to Simonton. Simonton had already divided amongst the three - Whitehead, Fleming, and Green. Green had made several strategic moves by buying up claims in his name. And on May 23, 1828, Congress acknowledged the land grant of Salus was confirmed and Simonton as the legal owner. We might surmise that this was Florida's first land scam. And as amazing as it legally appears, the territory of Florida with an act of incorporation incorporated the city of Key West. It was also incorporated a second time on November 29 of 1828 as a town. So Key West was incorporated twice, once as a city and once as a town. Location. Location. Location is the cry of any good businessman and the Federal Wrecking Act prescribed that all property wrecked in US water had to be taken to a US port of entry. 1828 was a pivotal year for the Keys. In 1828, Key West was designated a port of entry. Key West grew from a desolated Island into a bustling city. Within a few years. Congress acknowledged Simonton as the owner of Key West and Key West incorporated twice. Congress created the Superior Court of the Southern District with Admiralty power. Judge James Webb was its first judge, but his successor William Marvin will be the most remembered. He authored the Law of Wreck and Salvage and later was Provisional Governor of Florida at the close of the Civil War. In 1832, Key West reverted to a charter type city government. But it was today, January 8, 1828, that Key West was first incorporated as a city. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West history is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. To learn more about our glorious past here on the Florida Keys and even what's going on now in the Florida Keys, visit http://43keys.com. You can get this program as well as others as an Alexa flash briefing. Just tell Alexa "play today in Key West history as my flash briefing". You can also see "Today in Key West History" and other shows on YouTube. Search for them and subscribe there and in the meantime, visit http://43keys.com.

The Key West Citizen has received so many complaints recently about the willful destruction of plants and flowers in yards in the city, that it has decided to reward $25 for the arrest and conviction of anybody for committing such vandalism. A woman resident who used many hours of her time and beautifying her yard had so many of her plants broken or torn up a few days ago, she was mortified to tears when she viewed the destruction. Whoever broke the plants or pulled them up was prompted to do so by sheer devilry, by the hankering to destroy because none of the plants were stolen but were left instead strewn about the yard. "What is the use of my wasting time to plant", the woman said. "when my labor of days and weeks is destroyed in a few minutes by some vandal. I love trees plants and flowers but I'm disgusted sometimes, by the way, they are destroyed. I feel like pledging myself not to plant another thing." In several other parts of the city, similar reports have been made to The Citizen by residents. Some of them said they have seen not only children but grown ups also reach over into a yard and tear a limb off a Croton or some other beautiful plant. And in the case of some boys, they poked fun at the owner of a yard when they were reprimanded for breaking a plant or pulling it up. "The whole trouble," a resident said today, "is because many residents of Key West have not been used to open yards, to seeing growing things within their reach, and not touching them. And it seems to me that the best way to teach them to respect the property of others, as represented in plants and trees and flowers is to arrest a few of them and find them and send them to jail. What's the use of preaching about pulling down fences to modernize the yards, if the growing things in the yards are to be destroyed by every Tom, Dick, and Harry? It's beyond me, and trying to understand how anybody except a bit of a child, of course, can have the heart to go into somebody's yard and tear his plants to pieces. Yet it is done day in and day out in Key West and the doers are not the smaller children that good size boys and girls and sometimes grown people." It is in the hopes of stopping that class of vandalism and to promote the growth of plants, trees, flowers and roses in Key West that The Citizen decided today to offer the reward. The reward is not confined to members of the police force. It will be given to anyone who's information leads to the arrest and conviction of a person for destroying plant life and any yard in the city. Many of the small trees, so it has been reported, that were planted throughout the city during the tree planting campaign conducted by the Chamber of Commerce have had tender shoots torn off of them and have been broken in two our been pulled up altogether. The Citizen hopes that all Key Westers who wish to see the city further beautified by the planting of trees and flowers will join in the movement to put an end to the destruction of them. And it was today, December the 25th, 1923, that the Key West Citizen offered a reward of $25 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of guilty yard vandals. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. To find out about our glorious or devilish past, visit http://43keys.com. You can also get this program as well as others as an Alexa flash briefing. Just tell Alexa, "Hey Alexa, play Today in Key West History as my flash briefing."  

On December the 24th, 1923, this quote appeared in the Tampa Tribune. "Tampa is the nearest port of any real consequence in the United States to the Panama Canal." Soon after, there was a rebuttal printed in the Key West Citizen. "Either the tribune is ignorant of the fact that Key West is nearer to the Panama Canal than Tampa or is deliberately misrepresenting the fact or does not consider Key West a part of any real consequence. Let us consider those suppositions in order. If the tribune is ignorant of the fact then let it enjoy its bliss without molestation. If it made the statement deliberately, it should be ashamed of itself from misleading its readers, loyal Tampans included, if it does not consider the port of Key West to have any real consequence. It's easy enough to prove that it is a far more consequence than Tampa by quoting the last report of the customs district of Florida, the headquarters of which is in Tampa, though it should be in Key West. Covering the exports for the month of August, as it concerns Tampa and Key West. Here's how it is: Tampa $414,206 Key West $3,334,635 Now, a pupil in the lower grades of the public schools can easily figure out that the exports from Key West during August were more than eight times as large as those from Tamp. In view of that fact issued by the customs inspector in Tampa itself, and then view of the further fact that the greatness of a country depends in a large measurement on the volume of its exports, the port of Key West is at least eight times of greater consequence than the port of Tampa. True the Tampa Tribune may say that the goods that are shipped from this port come from all over the country. But isn't the same thing just as true of any other part of the United States? Have any real consequence that the port of Key West was chosen as the most logical one through which to ship the goods goes to prove how great is its importance in the estimation of the shippers who use it as the port of exportation that the port of Key West was chosen as the most logical one through which to ship goods goes to prove how great is its importance, in the estimation of the shippers who use it as a port of exportation. Were Tampa considered as good a port from which to ship the goods, it would not be so far down in the scale as a port of exportation, but indeed would be running neck and neck with Key West, instead of being less than one eighth of importance. The last few years, there has seemed to be an unexpected understanding among the newspapers of Florida to give every city in the state its rightful due, which was a decided step forward in the ernstwhile practice of claiming the world with the proverbial fence around it in an attempt to boost a town. The editor of the tribune known and has known for years that Key West is nearer to the Panama Canal than Tampa, so what was his motive and casting the surreptitious slur at Key West? Did he think that it would help Tampa the expense of Key West? Or did he really think that the port of Key West was not of any real consequence? Of course, we don't pretend to answer those questions for him. But had he read the reports issued by the collector of customs in Tampa, month after month during year after year, he would not have failed to know the exports from the port of Key West have always been greater than the exports from all of the other ports of Florida combined. The distance from Key West to the Panama Canal is 1083 miles while the distance from Tampa is 1290 miles in other words, Key West a real port of consequence is 207 miles nearer the Panama Canal than Tampa. So, it was today December the 24th, 1923, the Key West was declared a port of real consequence. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. To find out all about our glorious past and what's going on right now in the beautiful Florida Keys visit http://43keys.com. You can also get this program as well as others as an Alexa flash briefing. Just tell Alexa, "Hey Alexa, play today in Key West History as my flash briefing."  

José Martí was born in Havana to Spanish immigrants in 1853. From a young age, he dedicated himself to the Cuban struggle for independence. During his life he visited Tampa 20 times, a place with strong ties to Cuba where he consolidated drive and advocacy to bring change to Cuba. Martí attended university in Spain and studied law and philosophy. He published his first newspaper, La Patria Libre (The Free Fatherland), in 1869 and later El presidio político en Cuba (The Political Prison in Cuba), a protest against the abuse in Cuban prisons. He moved to New York in 1881, where he resided for the next 11 years. Well-versed in Spanish literature, Martí wrote poems, essays, books, English translations of novels and journal articles. He also informed readers of major events and life in the United States in Spanish-language newspapers as an admirer of the country’s vigor, industry and Constitution. Besides his literary prestige, Martí became known as a Cuban national hero and was invited to speak at Ybor City’s revolutionary clubs. In November 1891, he arrived to Tampa from New York via the Henry B. Plant railroad. He delivered two of his most famous speeches at El Liceo Cubano (The Cuban Lyceum), Vincente Martínez Ybor’s first cigar factory converted into a theatre, on 13th Street and 7th Avenue. That site became the headquarters of his visits. Martí's speeches were published and read in cigar factories throughout Tampa and Key West. In both cities, he united different factions under a common cause—Cuban independence. Martí loved Tampa and its people, and called the city “El Pueblo Fiel” (The Faithful Town). In 1892, he founded the Cuban Revolutionary Party and drafted its basic principles in Tampa. His compelling oratory raised money for the Cuban Independence Movement, and cigar workers offered a portion of their wages to the mission. Martí and other Cuban insurrectionists were received by Tampa Mayor Herman Glogowski, who transported them from City Hall across the new Lafayette Street Bridge in his carriage to see the newly dedicated Tampa Bay Hotel. He was also hosted at the Pedroso House on 13th Street and 8th Avenue, the current location of Parque Amigos de José Martí (Friends of José Martí Park). After celebrating his 40th birthday, Martí paid seven visits to cigar factories in Ybor City and held meetings and fundraisers at El Liceo Cubano. The growing number of cigar manufacturers in the city increased financial support for his endeavor. Among Martí's friends in Tampa elected to City Council were Ramon Rubiera de Armas, Emilio Pons, Candido Martínez Ybor and Ramon Rivero y Rivero. Rivero is noted for having introduced Martí at his speeches, but also for his work as the publisher of many local Cuban patriotic newspapers, such as La Revista de Florida and El Critico de Ybor City. The Cubans in Tampa frequently traveled back and forth between the city and their homeland. Martí listened to his compatriots’ grievances and reports about the atrocities of Spanish colonial reign, which made Tampa a safe haven to openly discuss their objections and desire to overthrow Spanish regime. While in New York, a few days after his 42nd birthday Martí signed the order of uprising against Spain. He then directed his secretary Gonzalo de Quesada to deliver it to Fernando Figueredo Socarrás, West Tampa’s first mayor. Socarrás requested cigar magnate O’Halloran to roll the decree into a cigar, which Quesada (later Cuba’s first U.S. ambassador) carried to Key West on Henry B. Plant’s steamship. There, Quesada handed the cigar to another courier who took it to Cuba aboard Plant’s steamer and gave it to Juan Gualberto Gomez. Gomez opened the loaded West Tampa cigar with Martí's instructions and ordered Cuban insurrectionists to initiate the War of Independence, which began on February 24, 1895. Martí arrived in Cuba shortly afterward, but was killed in a small skirmish on May 19. Martí’s “Cuba Libre!” (“Free Cuba!”) dream was ultimately fulfilled on May 20, 1902, when the country obtained independence. Several effigies of Martí are scattered throughout Ybor City, including busts and a statue which stands in José Martí Park.

While vacationing in Key West in the 1960’s with his partner, Joe Lizska, Frank Romano made the terrible mistake of falling asleep on the beach. It’s a mistake many tourists to Key West make, not realizing how much closer Key West is to the equator than the mainland, and how much faster you get sunburned at this latitude. By the time Frank woke up, he could barely move without terrible pain.   His entire chest was completely burned and he could barely move, let alone put on a shirt. Another local beachgoer happened to see Frank struggling in pain when he woke up, and told him he had just the remedy for his sunburn.   Frank and his new friend made their way back to the local’s home and the man promptly went out to the garden and cut 2 stalks of his aloe plant and promptly filleted them and rubbed the aloe juice all over Frank’s chest. By the next morning, there was no sign of Frank’s sunburn and he was flabbergasted. He couldn’t believe that a plant could perform such a miracle on his skin, and set his wheels in motion. If this plant could do that to his damaged skin, what could it do for healthy skin.    Later Frank and Joe moved to Key West and started the Key West Fragrance and Cosmetic factory. They used aloe in all of their products and for years, Frank was the chief chemist and could be see in the shop window mixing and measuring potions on Front St.   Frank and Joe adjusted well to life on the island. They grew their business and their circle of friends. One October day, Joe came home and told Frank he needed to show him something. Frank went along as Joe took him down to Duval St. Standing on one end of Duval St. Joe asked Frank what he saw.    Frank really wasn’t sure what he was supposed to see. He saw some boarded up shops and that was about it. Joe asked him, “do you see any people walking?” Frank said no. “Do you see any cars driving up the street?” Again, Frank said no. At this point Joe began to paint a picture. Here they were in Paradise where the weather was still warm, but once the summer vacation tourists left the island, not much happened until the snowbirds returned for the winter.   Because of this lull in tourists, it caused the island to go into a shutdown mode. Many businesses closed up and found business in other parts of the country where they still had customers. May employees of the businesses were laid off and had no work during this time.   Joe had realized that they needed some sort of festival or event that could be put on to bring tourists to the island during this low season.They gathered their friends, Bill Conkle and Tony Falcone, who owned Fast Buck Freddie’s and they put a plan into motion. The next October, the first Fantasy Fest was held and they had a parade with 12 floats that had been beautifully decorated. Some 5000 tourists came to the island that year for Fantasy Fest. The event has continued each year and grown into an international event, with people flying in from all over to enjoy the adult themed celebration.   It was today, December 20, 1975 1975: Key West Fragrance and Cosmetic celebrated its fourth anniversary by opening their new store and factory at Greene and Simonton streets. In four years, the company had grown from two employees, Frank Romano and Joe Liska, to two stores and 36 employees in Key West plus nine other shops in Florida and one in Haiti.   If you visit Key West today, you can still visit this company, now renamed Key West Aloe by stopping by their store on Duval St at Duval Square.   And that’s what happened today in Key West History.    Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. To learn more about our beautiful Florida Keys, visit http://43keys.com.   you can also get this program as an Alexa Flash briefing. Just tell Alexa to play Today in Key West history as your Flash Briefing.  

By the early 1970s, when the fabrics and designs of Lilly Pulitzer were retail and media darlings, Tony Falcone started coming to Key West with his partner, Bill Conkle. Eventually, they decided to open up a store. It was called Fast Buck Freddie's and it was on Key West's main drag, Duval street. They opened at a time when many other stores on Duval Street were closing. They tapped into the new chic money that was just starting to discover Key West, with it's fabulous old houses built in its late 19th century heyday, and supplied housewares for all of those renovations. But in the summer all the business died and Falcone says they would not have made it through except for local matriarch, Mary Spottswood. "She would come in and buy everythin - wine glasses, placements and tons of housewares that she didn't even need." She did it only to try and keep us alive. Falcone said, "she would come in, we had a long table and a big fan chair behind it, and then some stools in front of it. And she would just come in and just sit and talk to us for hours." Well, that was classic Mary Spottswood. Mary and her husband John lived at 531 Caroline Street in what is known today as the John M. Spottswood House. They moved into the house in the 1940's and she raised her three sons and a daughter there. Mary's grandchildren are now seventh generation conchs! Mary was active in the community. She was involved in the Montessori School and was always taking on charitable endeavors. She was a member of the Laureate Delta chapter of Beta Sigma Phi and she opened her home to many other charitable organizations and social events were continually being held at the Spottswood home. The society pages of the newspaper during the 1980's were full of mentions of all the charitable deeds of Mary Spottswood. She was a longtime friend and supporter of Bayview Manor. She was a hospitable woman and she loved doing things for other people. She was constantly involved in fundraising for organizations in town that were closest to her heart. In the 1960's John Spottswood began his first foray into real estate development with the purchase of the Casa Marina and La Concha hotels. John and Mary Spottswood also became friends with Harry and Bess Truman. You'll remember that Harry Truman spent many vacations as president in Key West and John s and Mary Spottswood were some of the people that were frequently at dinner together with Harry and Bess Truman. It's not every day that you can live on a tiny island and yet still be friends and dinner companions with the most powerful man in the world. You can find reminders of Mary Spottswood all over Key West and even at the Mary abnd John Spottswood Waterfront Park located in the city. And it was today December the 20th, 1996, that Mary Spottswood, the island's grand dame, matriarch and First Lady died at the age of 73. Her late husband John had been Sheriff of the county, a state senator, and also started Cable Vision, one of the first cable systems in the country. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. If you want to learn more about Key West history and the people who put it on the map, visit http://43keys.com. You can get this program as well as others as an Alexa flash briefing. Just tell Alexa, "Play today in Key West history as my flash briefing."  

Now, more than 50 years after Fidel Castro's takeover of Cuba it remains a mysterious forbidden and a foreign place. Few of us can picture a time when Cuba was a friendly neighbor of the United States, and a place for a quick weekend getaway. When Flagler's train reached Key West in 1912, some of the trains were loaded onto 300 foot long barges to continue on to Havana for gambling and exotic rum drinks, especially after Prohibition too hold in 1920. Even up through the late 50's though, a car ferry service ran from Key West with a connection for freight in West Palm Beach. So, you could just saunter down to Key West and your car drive to Stock Island and catch the ferry, which was operated by the West India Fruit and Steamship Company. The ferry left Key West on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 11am. The SS Havana could accommodate 500 passengers and 125 cars. Arrival in Havana was at 6pm, so the crossing took about seven hours. The fare was $13.50 one way or $26 round trip. Now if you convert that to today's dollars, that's over $200 for the trip. The ship then left Havana for the trip back to Key West at 10am, so you were back in Key West by 5pm. The ship was air conditioned and it offered snack bars, lounges, a gift shop and small day cabins. As relations with Cuba eroded in 1959, with the trade embargo emerging in 1960, the ferry service ceased and the ships were sold off in 1961. In recent decades, direct travel between Key West and Havana has been at its lowest point in almost 200 years. Yet with developments in the current political climates, some efforts are being made to reconnect these islands in the stream. One such effort is being led by Stock Island Marina village in Key West. It has the largest deep water marina in the Florida Keys and it's only 100 miles from Havana. The Marine village is investing in new infrastructure and services to accommodate international yachts and cruisers, as they make their way south in the pristine waters of Cuba. And perhaps one day in the not too distant future, We'll see these two islands connected once again. And it was today, December the 18th 1955, that the West India Fruit and Steamship Company's Key West to Havana ferry completed testing in the Chesapeake Bay. The "City of Havana" was a 472 foot former Navy LSD that was converted to an automobile passenger ferry by the Newport News Dry Dock and Shipbuilding company. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. To learn more about our amazing and glorious past here in the Florida Keys or what's currently going on, please visit http://43keys.com. You can also get this program, as well as others, as an Alexa flash briefing. Just tell Alexa, "Hey Alexa, play Today in Key West History as my flash briefing."  

The night seemed like any other. It was February 15th and the crew of the battleship Maine had been dispatched to Havana. In the evening, they were riding quietly at anchor in the Havana Harbor, everyone going about their duties and minding their own business, when suddenly at 9:40pm out of nowhere an explosion happened and tore out the bottom of the ship and sank the entire ship, killing 260 of nearly 400 men on board. By the time the sun rose the next morning, only the twisted parts of the superstructure were visible above the water. Small boats were called in to examine the damage and try to rescue any of the injured. When the Maine had approached Cuba, it was flying the flag of Cuba. This was during a time when the Spanish regime was resisting the uprising of the nationalist guerillas in Cuba. We're not for sure what happened and what actually caused the blast that killed 260 men and destroyed the battleship Maine, but we believe from all evidence that it was the consequence of a mine explosion. No one's ever taken responsibility for it, but after that it did start the brief Spanish American War of 1898. The United States was pushing for Cuban independence, the Spaniards were trying to crush the uprising. After the incident, the United States declared war on Spain on April 25, and Congress authorized the official declaration of war against the Spaniards. By the time May 1, had rolled around an American fleet in Manila Bay in the Philippines had annihilated an entire Spanish fleet in short order. We lost no men and only had seven wounded soldiers from this conflict, but we handily declared victory. It was in June of 1898, that the American expeditionary forces landed in Santiago, Cuba. Our troops were sweating in their heavy woollen uniforms, which were thoughtfully issued to help protect them from the cold. It was in that year that the soldiers were also eating what was called "embalmed beef" out of the tin cans. You know, we may have lost more soldiers to "embalmed beef" than we actually did to war. On July 1 of that year, Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders also were able to capture the city of Santiago, which surrendered on the 17th, the Spanish Cuban fleet was hunted down by the American battleships and completely destroyed within four hours. After that, American troops sailed off to Puerto Rico, and the Spanish government called for peace. It was during those years that far more Americans were killed by "embalmed beef" or tropical diseases like typhoid, yellow fever, and malaria, than were actually killed in the course of battle. It was December of that year that a peace treaty between the United States and Spain was finally signed, Spain lost all of its colonies in the new world. The United States took control of the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam. Cuba gained independence and Theodore Roosevelt who was then the Secretary of the Navy earned a heroes reputation and it was that "embalmed beef" in the tin that also inspired the first Food and Drug Act. So mind you, this was all happening at the end of the year in 1898. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the commander of the Maine, Captain Charles D. Sigsbee did no wrong in the loss of life and the subsequent explosion that cost him all of his men and the ship that night in Havana harbor. And even though all of this happened in 1898, it wasn't until today, December 17, 1899, that the USS Texas captained by Charles D. Sigsbee, be who is the same commander that lost the Maine sailed back into Havana harbor to claim the bodies of the victims of the Maine disaster and bring them back to Arlington National Cemetery for a proper military burial. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media to learn more about our glorious past here in the Florida Keys, visit http://43keys.com. You can make this and other programs an Alexa flash briefing. For you to enable that just simply tell Alexa, "Hey Alexa, play today in Key West history as my flash briefing."  

From much of its early history, Key West stood in relative isolation due to the lack of regular mail service to the island, and the sporadic nature of the shipping supply channels which could easily be affected by storms and less than desirable weather. It wasn't until the end of the Civil War in this country that some enterprising businessmen decided to develop the undersea cable system to connect the US to other countries for Telegraph and Telephone calls. When the practicality of this type of communication was discovered, that's whenever people were on board to make it happen. The underwater cable system connecting Key West to Cuba officially began construction in 1867, the submarine cables were laid by boat crews in six different sections. The cable was laid in up to 1000 feet of water in the waters of the Florida Straights and connected Key West to Havana. There are several historic cable huts still visible around Key West. One of the more well preserved huts, sits near the Southernmost Point. Another less preserved example is able to be seen in the area of the Mallory Square dock. Some efforts have been made to preserve these historic cable huts. It wasn't until this underwater cable system was installed that the United States was finally able to be connected to another country for this type of communication. In 1867, after the first section was laid, Key West Mayor E.O. Gwynn and the Captain-General of Cuba Joaquin del Manzano exchanged greetings over the wire. Now that communication could be made with the outside world, it was quite expensive to actually utilize the service. Initially, Congress had limited the cost of a telegram to $3.50 cents for each 10 words. Imagine that! Eventually, the cost of a telegraph to Havana cost $4 in gold, by 1870. Additional underwater cable lines were added to the system in 1871, 1873, 1875, 1919 and 1927. At the height of the communications boom for Key West there were six different lines that connected the island to various locations. Between shipping mishaps, hurricanes and the harsh marine environment, the cables were constantly having to be repaired and replaced. The underwater cable system remained in use until the last segment connecting Key West to Havana failed in 1987. And it was today, December 15th, 1930, that the German cable ship Neptun started laying a new telephone cable to Cuba. The Key West end of the cable landed at the foot of Waddell Street. The cable was jointly owned by American Telephone and Telegraph Company and the Cuban Telephone Company. This was the fourth cable between Key West and Havana. The ship to two days to complete the cables to Havana. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. To learn more about our glorious and historical past visit http://43keys.com. This program, as well as others, are also available as an Alexa flash briefing. Just tell Alexa to "play Today in Key West History as my flash briefing."  

On December 13, 1928, this small paragraph appeared in the Key West Citizen. "The Turtelino hunting crowd killed a large deer yesterday on No Name Key. The deer was killed by Eddie Marquez and weighed 90 pounds. Marquez is is the latest one of the crowd to meet success in the hunting expeditions carried our by the Turtelino Organization." When I saw this paragraph, this one paragraph it made me sick to think about our beautiful key deer being stalked and hunted. So it sent me searching to find out more about why hunting expeditions were allowed in the Florida Keys. As it turns out, there's a long history of deer hunting and the Florida Keys. It flourished in the Keys in the 1930's. Most of the deer hunters were Cubans. They were former cigar makers from Key West and used "explorades", which the Spanish equivalent of hunting guides. It was one of those "explorades", a man named Turtelino, who caught the legendary Le Aeroplano. He was a tiny deer so fast that he seemed to fly. And he alluded hunters for nearly 10 years before he was finally bagged on Big Torch Key. The "explorades" had a profound knowledge of the ways of the deer. They learned that the creatures always fed on the windward side of the Keys, where the wind kept the mosquitoes away. The Key Deer is a subspecies - a smaller version of the Virginia whitetail, less than three feet high at the shoulder. A buck averages 65 to 80 pounds a doe about 40 pounds. Over many years, the deer has adapted to the aquatic world of the Keys. By the 1930's, hunting had depleted the number of key deer to 20. In 1939, the Florida legislature banned deer hunting in the Keys. Since then, the efforts of many conservationist and agencies have helped the tiny deer make a comeback. The effort culminated in 1963 with the dedication of the National Key Deer Refuge. The saving of the Key Deer from total extinction is generally credited to one man - Jack Watson. In 1946, Mr. Watson became an officer for the US Fish and Wildlife Service and quickly became the key deer's best friend. Realizing not only how adorable, but also how curiously close to extinction they were, he declared a one man war on poachers and used whatever tactics were necessary. These included disabling their car with bullets to the engine or a gas tank or setting their boats on fire. He also spent much time educating the government and public about the deer and in 1957, when the Key Deer refuge is finally established. Although they were saved a hair from extinction. The deer were then confronted with major habitat losses during the 1960's, 70's and 80's due to human expansion and construction. Officially put on the endangered species list in 1967, and it remains there today. The major reason is closely linked to its very limited habitat range. Existing population estimates hover around 800 in mid 2017. However, the vast majority are concentrated on Big Pine and No Name Keys - two islands located right next to each other encompassing less than 12 square miles total. The Key Deer also faced a screw worm epidemic in 2016 where approximately 10% of the herd was lost to the horrible screw worm outbreak. A year later, the Key Deer had to survive Hurricane Irma. Although No Name Key and Big Pine were declared mandatory evacuation areas, some residents refused to evacuate. Whether you were here or whether you were evacuated, we all couldn't wait to hear whether the herd had survived the storm. Those first reports of Key Deer sightings after Irma came through were amazing. We all rejoiced! Since the screw worm outbreak, activists have taken things into their own hands and formed nonprofits to help save the Key Deer. Comprised of Key Deer lovers, protectors, advocates and watchers, one of those groups formed is SaveOurKeyDeer.org. If you haven't checked it out, that is their website - http://SaveOur KeyDeer.org - you can find out the entire history of the Key Deer. Even as heartbreaking it was it was to read that they were once poached and hunted in the Florida Keys, I'm proud that we've decided to honor them and their heritage here and protect them. So if you want to help this part of Key's history survive, you can visit http://SaveOurKeyDeer.org and contribute and donate. One of the things the group is working on now is being able to get permission and licenses to properly rehabilitate deer that may be injured or hurt so that the population can remain strong. I highly recommend you follow them on Facebook, Save Our Key Deer and visit http://saveourkeydeer.org. It's a great way to help preserve this historical part of our Key's history. So I'm proud to say that while disturbing as it was, that today December the 13th 1928, reported a deer kill from a hunting expedition on No Name Key. I'm even more thrilled that we no longer have to worry about that. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. To learn more about our glorious or disturbing past of the Florida Keys. Visit http://43keys.com. You can get this program and others as an Alexa flash briefing. Just ask Alexa to "Play Today in Key West History" as your flash briefing.  

The congregation was originally known as the "Gulf of Mexico Mission with Cayo Hueso". The local history informs us that it was Reverend George Lister, who established the mission in Key West. It was seen as vital to extending the English Wesleyan Methodism to Cuba. While missionaries were sent to Cuba, the overall effort did not produce the hoped for results. Because Catholicism was firmly entrenched in Cuba, and Methodism, was unable to gain many converts. The congregation in Key West remained as the Mission but for a short time, until it became known as Trinity Wesleyan Methodist Church. This was the only English Wesleyan Methodist Church in the United States. While Methodist societies existed in America as early as 1760, by the late 1800s had become very much its own entity having an independent connection since 1784. Despite the early presence of Methodism in America, the Key West congregation has never held in association with the American Methodist Church. British Methodist, were not without their factions. In the earlier years, various branches of Methodism sent numerous missionaries out around the world and the English Wesleyan Methodist were no exception. The Bahamas district of the British Connecxion had been established for the area that later included most of the Caribbean. It was through this line that the Key West church had its humble beginnings. The present Mance was built in 1912, primarily from a cargo of Dade County pine that was salvaged from a ship that had wrecked on the reef. While this was long past the days of the islands famous ship wrecking days, wrecks still occurred. Some research regarding the shipwreck suggests that it may have been a vessel that was found derelict between the Tennessee reef and Coffin Patch and floating upside down in the fall of 1906. The derelict vessels name was not recorded in the Admiralty court records. The vessel's cargo was lumber. There was not enough wood to complete the entire house, so other material was used randomly in order to prevent a large single location of termite-susceptible wood, according to the builder's son, Alfred Milton Evans, two of the ship's masts were salvaged to find new use as columns on the house. One of the masts became the right front porch column in the corner opposite tower. It's unknown, however, which column is the other former ship mast. The Manse was originally roofed with wooden shingles. The present tin shingle roof was installed entirely by the late AM Evans when he was in his 40s, shortly before he became blind. The house contained a total of 10 rooms. The Manse when built, was designed to withstand sustained hurricane winds of 125 miles an hour, with gusts of 150 miles an hour. Under the clapboard siding, the Manse has a layer of diagonal Board of Dade County pine, each board is fully one inch thick, and roughly 14 inches wide. Water from the Manse came from the church roof as well by the back porch. The first church building extended out over the cistern covering about two thirds of it based on the dimensions the cistern and holds about 20,000 gallons of water. It's not really known what yearr the system was constructed. The church first built in 1901, seated 500 people and had a small pipe organ. This building was destroyed in the 1909 hurricane, the building's remains were salvaged and a new facility built, only to be destroyed by another hurricane a year later. The current building on this location was built in 1924, and it was designed to withstand sustained hurricane winds of 150 to 175 miles an hour. In the 1940s, tired of the difficulty in getting ministers from England, the congregation voted to become Presbyterian. A large group that did not favor that change split off and went around the corner to build their own church, retaining the original name - Trinity Wesleyan Methodist Church. Two congregations with common routes were divided by only a name. And it was today December 12, 1893, that the Reverend George Lester founded the Trinity Wesleyan Methodist Church in Key West. The ministers from the church came from the Bahamas, but during the Depression, this stopped. It was on May 12, 1931, that the church officially changed its denomination to Presbyterian. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. If you're interested in all things that are going on in the beautiful Florida Keys, visit http://43keys.com. You can also get this program as well as others as an Alexa flash briefing. Just tell Alexa to "Play Today in Key West History as your flash briefing."  Resources: Florida Memory The Key West Citizen

On December the 9, 1961, Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa was in Key West inspecting the once grand Casa Marina hotel. It was a hotel that the Teamsters had recently acquired. He later least the hotel to the US military, and it was used for military housing. Less than a year later, on November 26, 1962, when JFK was in Key West. His motorcade went by the Casa Marina so he could see where the military was housed. Not really sure the historical records don't reflect whether JFK knew that the military was actually leasing the property from his brother's arch nemesis. And while some believe Hoffa was involved in the murder of JFK, it was actually his own murder that provides the context for our story today. Since Hoffa died, and his body has never been recovered, news continues to surface from time and again claiming to know the whereabouts of the body. Hoffa disappeared back in 1975, after publicly meeting with a couple of mob type goons in Detroit. It was at a local restaurant and then he was never seen again. Many stories have been told about where the body lies, but this particular account of one of those tales comes from Bob Beer. "During the spring of 1976, I was working as a waiter at The Trade Winds Restaurant, near the Key West airport. One evening, a team from 60 Minutes came in for dinner and somewhat secretive shop talk. They were not the blown-hair powder-puffed-up TV news readers, but camera operators, researchers and assorted support personnel. Snatched pieces of table chat reveal they were in Key West to look for the body of Jimmy Hoffa. I'd heard that Hoffa had been in Key West before to look into purchasing the then shutter Casa Marina Resort as a nice home for retired truckers. And that's funny. The news of the Hoffa search was revealed during our regular after work, "cocktail and bull sessions" among some of the restaurants workers - from the top chef to the recently hired busboy. Sharing table talk of our customers became a form of entertainment for us. Afterwards, at the news of the Hoffa search, we all started paying closer attention. After about a week of such TV dinners and piecing together information gleaned from various waiters, busboys and bartenders. We learned that 60 Minutes had been approached by a man who claimed to know the location where the mob had dumped off his body far off the Key West Coast. The informant reportedly a mob hitman, with intimate knowledge of Hoffa's disappearance had demanded $10,000 in cash, which was a right tidy sum back in 1976, and he demanded it up front before he would reveal to the TV crew where Hoffa's body probably had been digested into a tourist season's worth of Lobster Thermidor dinners. The man had quickly partied away way that 10 large with hookers, liquor and cocaine during a depraved-filled period in New Orleans and Vegas Baby! before he would even meet with the TV crew. When the 60 Minutes crew had not come to The Trade Winds for working dinner several nights in a row, we anxiously awaited word on the adventure when the crew did return. They look dazed and even more cynical than most journalists. Table talk revealed the man in question had directed them near some far off dinky Island, arriving on rented cabin cruisers, along with the underwater cameraman. The informant had donned a wet suit, mask, flippers and oxygen tank and leaped into the surging Gulf of Mexico to earn his pay. As soon as the informant jumped into the ocean, the fabric of his tip began to unravel. 'We knew we had been screwed. We had to pull him from the water to keep him from drowning.' One now wise guy said with a mouthful of poached snapper. "He couldn't even swim!" Gloomy shots of expense account whiskey failed to offer the fact that the TV crew had been had! It was later revealed that the informant was indeed a convicted murderer who escaped from the infamous Louisiana State Penitentiary a few months earlier. He was serving life for murder. Realizing it was just a matter of time before he was recaptured, the wily con came up with that wild scheme and had played 60 Minutes like a well dressed, Carney works and naive barefoot Kansas farm boy in overalls. The TV news program swallowed the con's tale, hook, line, and sinker." So it seems that even though it was a bust, it was today December 11, 1975, that CBS news was reported to be looking for the body of missing former Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa, who disappeared mysteriously on July 29. The informant had told CBS that Hoffa's body was encased in concrete lying on the ocean floor in 12 feet of water, two and a half miles off of Key West. But alas, nothing was found. And that's what happened or what didn't happen today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. If you want to learn more about our glorious or fabricated past and our amazing future visit http://43keys.com. This program is available as an Alexa flash briefing to enable that just ask Alexa to play "Today in Key West History" as your flash briefing.  

Norma Sherwood has the distinction of being the first man to the west. Sherwood had an altercation with a man named Jones on the 5th of July in 1830. After they were separated, he went away but returned in an hour with the pistol, allowing his intention of killing Jones bystanders interfered and induced him to leave, but he returned shortly still determined to kill Jones, Mr. JOHN Wilson, who was Sherwood's friend and partner then stepped up and asked him to give up the pistol. He refused, and said he would shoot any man who attempted to take it. Wilson then laid his hand on Sherwood shoulder, and again asked him to give it up when Sherwood shot him, and he died. A few minutes later, Sherwood remarked that he regretted Wilson's death, but it was his own fault, as he had told him that he would shoot anyone who attempted to take the pistol from him for he firmly intended to shoot Jones and would allow no man to prevent him that. Wilson had attempted to do this. And he shot him believing he had the perfect right to do so. The prisoner Sherwood was defended by attorneys Thurston and Braden. He was found guilty of murder in the first degree and sentenced to death, the place where Sherwood was confined, was insecure, and he had several occasions to escape and being asked why he had not done so he replied, "They want to hang someone for a pattern, and I guess I'll gratify them." And so it was today, December the 10th, 1830, that Norman Sherwood became the first man that was ever hanged on the gallows erected in Key West. And that's what happened today in Key West history! Today in people West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. If you want to learn more about our glorious or grisly past, you can visit http://43keys.com. This program as well as others are also available as an Alexa flash briefing. In order to enable that just tell Alexa to play "Today in Key West History" as your flash briefing.  

Joe Whalton recalls that a visit to the shark camp on Big Pine Key was a favorite activity during his boyhood stays at a nearby family vacation retreat. "The place was close enough that we could see it and smell it. There were times it was really ripe. A whole bunch of us would pull our schull a boat up to watch them skin the sharks. Sometimes, we got in the way, but the workers most of them blacks were real nice. They would never holler at us and they got a kick out of watching us dig out the shark eyeballs." The Big Pine Key shark facility was built in 1923 by Hydenoil Products to catch and process sharks for various commercials uses. The company's name was derived from the two principal products - hides for sharkskin leather and oil from the liver fork medicine. The campus located on the eastern shore of big pine key about two miles north of the railroad bridge when it opens, and it employed about 25 men and operated six shark fishing boats. In addition to a 400 foot pier extending into the deeper water of the Bogie Channel. There was a marine railway for hauling the carcasses to shore. Large kettles for boiling livers under the palmetto roof shed and racks for drying and repairing nets and various office in storage buildings. The sharks were called in huge nets up to 600 feet in length, and 15 feet in depth with a nine inch square mesh. The tops of the nets were buoyed with wood floats, and the bottoms were held down with lead weights. When a shark hit the net, it would continue to charge ahead and thrash about furiously during its struggles, the net cords would slip behind the sharps gills and interfere with its breathing. Most of the sharks will be dead from drowning when the nets were hauled. One exception was the selfish and more lethargic type of sharp which usually had to be clubbed to death taking care to avoid the wildly swinging saw. Some of the monsters weigh close to 1000 pounds and reach nearly 20 feet in length, so getting them aboard a boat, even with the aid of block and tackle was a Herculean task. The species most often caught were leopard, dusky Hammerhead, nurse, sand sharks. Of these the sawfish was the most valuable because it yielded the largest hides and had the best vitamins in its liver. In the first four months of operation Hydenoil boats took 5000 sharks. Single day catches of 50 sharks were common, and on one occasion the catch approached 200. In that first year, one of the boats caught an 18 foot lemon shark weighing 901 pounds. By 1930 close to 100, sharks, averaging seven feet in length were being caught every single day. The fisherman found all sorts of unusual objects when they cut the sharks stomach, open among them, a barrel of salt pork and the entire hindquarters of a key deer but the most grizzly find was made by Captain W. E. Young, a shark fishing expert who wrote a book entitled "Shark! Shark!" while in the employ of Hydenoil. In January 1923, Young caught a 12 foot brown shark of Big Pine Key. Upon slicing open the belly, he found a human arm and hand and a piece of blue serge cloth. From immediate inquiries, he learned that an Arrowmarine Airways sea plane had crashed in the sea about 20 miles from Havana the day before he called the shark. A lifeboat from the railroad car ferry, Henry Flagler had managed to rescue the pilot, the mechanic and four passengers, but four other passengers were not recovered. The piece of cloth identified the sharks victim as one of the missing passengers. Upon returning to Big Pine Key, the fishermen offloaded the sharks with a big crane at the end of the pier. Several men rapidly cutaway the hides with sharp knives. They loaded the carcass and hides onto a flat car riding on a marine railway, which was then winched to shore to the processing facility. In February 1923, Hydenoil announced that it had developed a new apparatus which greatly reduced skinning time the workers lowered a shark into the device and cut the hide partially away near the head and clamped it and then literally hoisted the shark out of its skin. Other processing improvements that you're cut the curing time for fresh highs from 30 days to 24 hours. The facility shipped dry hides North via the overseas railroad for attaining and processing into leather. Shark leather is stronger than most leathers, soft and pliable, takes die readily and can be used to make almost any article of leather, including shoes. After the sharks were offloaded, the boat crews took their nets to shore and spread them out on racks for drying and repairing. There was always damage particularly from sawfish that would slash great holes in the net. One man kept busy continuously making repairs. Shark livers were cut out and reduced to oil in large double boilers under a shed. Approximately 75% of the liver was oil rich in vitamins. It was sold as a medicine. Spongers also use the oil to calm and clarify the water surface on breezy days. A couple who visited the camp in 1926 observed the operations and commented that the place was kept quite clean, considering the nature of work. They saw a number of men skinning sharks with knives, which would indicate that the marvelous skinning apparatus was no longer in use. Other men cut the white shark meat into large slabs, which were insulted compressed and heavy presses and laid out to dry on long chicken wire fences. Shark fins found a ready market in the Orient, where they were considered a delicacy. Hardly any of the shark was wasted when boiled, the heads yielded large quantity of glue. Insulin for treating diabetes was obtained from the pancreas. The teeth and jaws were sold as curios and the vertebrae were made into walking canes. Harold Terry a Big Pine Key, remembered seeing shark skeleton spread out over an acre of cleared land to dry, after which they were ground up to make fertilizer. And it was today December 9, 1930 that the Hydenoil products company on Big Pine Key reported that one of its boats brought in a mackerel shark that was 14 and a half feet in length and 10 feet in circumference with a weight of 1752 pounds. The company had seven boats in service and on December 8th, brought in 111 sharks averaging a little more than 300 pounds each. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. You'd like to learn more about the glorious or even the grizzly past of the Florida Keys, visit http://43keys.com. This program as well as others are available as an Alexa flash briefing. Just tell Alexa to play "Today in Key West history" as your flash briefing.   **The content in today's episode is an excerpt from The Florida Keys: History of the Pioneers by John Viele. This is part of a 3 volume set available on Amazon. Photo courtesy of John Sands. 

As the film opens, Loxie Claiborne is running a marine salvage business started by her deceased father. A hurricane is passing through the Key West area leaving behind at least one wreck on the nearby shoals. The Jubilee founders and Loxie and other salvagers race to claim the cargo. Not arriving first, Loxie and her crew rescue the Captain jack Stewart, but do not share in the salvage rights. Apparently the first salver on the scene, King Cutler may have actually planned the wreck. Nursing Jack back to health, Loxie falls in love with him. When she visits Charleston with her cousin Priscilla, Loxie schemes to win a plum captain's position for Jack by seducing Steve Tolliver, who's running the sailing ship line for which Jack works. Steve falls for Loxie and returns with her to Key West to investigate the truth about Jack's shipwreck. Drusilla goes home to Havana when Loxie and Steve returned to Key West. Steve has come to rid the Keys of pirates like Cutler and to be near Loxie. Cutler, in turn arranges to have Steve Shanghai'd by the crew of a whaler. Loxie hears the plot and gets Jack to help her save Steve. Later they discover that Steve concealed Jack's appointment to the steamship Southern Cross on orders from his superior. Angry over a seemingly underhanded act. Jack meets with Cutler and he learns that Steve's boss had just died and that Steve will be taking over the shipping line. Jack realizes that he's unlikely to keep his command with Steph in charge and agrees to work with Cutler to sabotage his new ship. He sails to Havana to take command. Rumors circulate and prices of the cargo of the Southern Cross fluctuate wildly, leaving Steve to suspecta wreck is planned. He commandeers the Claiborn with Lokie on board and sails to Havana to stop Jack. Loxie, believing jack is innocent disables her ship and they sit becalmed in a fog bank as the Southern Cross piles into the reef and sinks. Unknown to Jack, Drusilla had stowed away to be with her lover, King Cutler's brother Dan and she drowned. Jack is put on trial for wrecking his ship. The testimony reveals a woman may have been on board but none was rescued. To determine if a woman was in the wreck, Steve agrees to dive to the wreck with Jack. While down in the wreck, Jack and Steve discover proof that Drusilla was on board and had been drowned. They are attacked by a giant squid. Jack saves Steve's life but was lost when the Southern Cross slips off the continental shelf into the deep water. Dan Cutler accuses his brother of murder and is shot dead by him. Whereupon, Steve shoots King Cutler killing him. Loxie and Steve return to Charleston together. Reap The Wild Wind is a 1942 adventure film starring Ray Milland and John Wayne, Paulette Goddard, Robert Preston and Susan Hayward and directed by Cecil B. de Mille. His second picture to be filmed in color. It's based on a serialized story written by Thelma Strabel in 1944, for the Saturday Evening Post. The movie released shortly after the United States entry into World War II and was a swashbuckling adventure set in the 1840s along the Florida coast and was wildly successful. While he based his film on Strabel's story, de Mille took liberties with the details such as the sibling relationships and subplots, while staying true to the spirit of the story, which centers on a head strong, independent woman, portrayed by Paulette Goddard And it was today December 7, 1940, that author Thelma Strabell moved into hrr new house by the Southernmost Point. She's best remembered for her novel, Reap the Wild Wind, the story about the Key West wreckers that was made into a movie. And that's what happened Today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. To learn about our glorious past and our amazing future in the Florida Keys, visit http://43keys.com. This program as well as others are also available as an Alexa flash briefing to learn how to activate that visit. http://43 keys.com.  

There's nothing but saying there today. But 140 years ago, nearly 300 Africans were buried on what is now Higgs beach victims of slavery. It was 1858 and us warships had been ordered to enforce the anti slave trade laws. Five ships patrolled the Florida straits or slave merchants, for the tobacco and sugar fields of Cuba and Puerto Rico maintained vigorous commerce for human cargo with several African coastal states and principalities, including the king of the African state of Dahomey. At least 3119 African men, women and children headed for Cuban ports were intercepted by Navy ships in 1860 alone. Most eventually returned to Liberia a country peopled largely by recaptured Africans, but not all were returned to Africa. In 1863, slavers as the ships recalled were captured with 1400 slaves who cheered and clapped their hands when the Navy freed them and brought them to Key West. While most would sail back to Africa 80 days later, 294 of them would not. Never realizing the Key West, their new land of liberation would be the last place they would ever see. They would all die of typhoid fever and dysentery and lie buried unnamed, and in an unnamed cemetery that became a public beach. The Wildfire was one of the clippers running slaves that ended up in Key West waters. Built in Philadelphia in 1855. It sailed from New York in December 16, 1859, and with an American crew made a run to St. Thomas and then sailed for the Congo River. The captain of the USS Mohawk, wrote a letter June 8, 1860, after capturing the Wildfire, and described what he saw. "The slaves are packed below in as dense a mass as it would be possible for human beings to be crowded the space a lot of them being in general, about four feet high between the decks with little ventilation, these unfortunate people pass their days and nights emits the most horribly offensive odors of which the mind can conceive under the scorching heat of the tropical sun without room enough to sleep with scarcely space to die in the passage to the West Indies varies from 40 to 60 days and their sufferings are incredible." As to what the people faced when they arrived in the Key West of 1860, a town of about 3000. Here's a quote from the Congressional Globe..." both on account of the deficiency of water and provisions and its exposure to the yellow fever, Key West is one of the worst spots for an African slave depot which could be found on the coast of the US." A more stark realization of the ultimate ending of the 294 can be discovered at the Islamorada library. It's a copy of a receipt dated Key West September 11 1860. And the receipt was for making coffins and burying 294 deceased African slaves from the ships of the Wildfire, William and Name Unknown by order of F. J. Moreno, US Marshal. At $5.50 each for a total of $1617. Archaeologists have confirmed that Higgs Beach was the site of the original slave cemetery for Key West. But after the hurricane washed it away (some bodies were found in trees), what did not get destroyed, was moved to the present City Cemetery. F.J. Marino moved to Key West from Pensacola, Florida in 1836. His hobby was riding a pacing pony on Key West streets. He was slightly deaf and carried a silver ear trumpet over his left arm while riding the pony. He liked to tell about the time a young woman mistaking the trumpet for a cornet asked him, "Old man, when are you going to give your concert? You must be good. You always have your cornet and I would like to hear you play." So it turns out that the F.J. Marino who was the US Marshal and ordered 294 coffins for the African slaves on September 11 of 1860 also had a different job before then. Because it was today, December 8, 1852, that Fernando Joaquin Moreno was elected as Mayor of Key West........ and that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. This show is also available as an Alexa flash briefing, visit http://43keys.com To find out more about our glorious past and all that's currently going on in our beautiful Florida Keys.  

At the end of World War II Chief Naval Operations, Admiral Chester Nimitz ordered the formation of a flight demonstration team to keep the public interested in naval aviation. In a short three months, the naval flight exhibit team performed at its first flight demonstration on June 15, 1946 at their home base, Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida. Lieutenant Commander Roy "Butch" Boris led the team and flew the Grumman F6- F5 Hellcat. The new Navy flight exhibition team was only the second formal flying demonstration team to have been created in the world since the Patrouille de France formed in 1931. The team was introduced as the Blue Angels at a show in Omaha, Nebraska in July of 1946. Right wing pilot Lieutenant Maurice "Wick" Wickendoll came across the name in the New Yorker Magazine and a column called Goings on About Town. Voris said, "That sounds great! The Blue Angels -Navy, Blue and Flying!". That first year the team also employed in North American aviation SNJ-5 Texan, later known as T-6, which was painted and configured to simulate a Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero and flown to simulate arial combat. It was painted yellow and affectionately named "Beetle Bomb". The team continue to use the "Beetle Bomb" in their performances, but later traded it in for a Grumman. F8F1- Bear cat, the same aircraft, the team transition to on August 25, 1946. A big loss came to the Blue Angels when on September 29, 1946, slot pilot, Lieutenant JG "Ross" Robinson failed to recover from a dive while perform the Cuban 8, maneuver at NAS Jacksonville and was killed. Robinson died only four shows before the end of the season and became the first of 26 Blue Angel pilot fatalities in the team's 70 year history. In 1947, flight leader commander Robert "Bob" Clark introduce the now famous Blue Angels diamond formation. With the new formation the team introduced to new maneuvers, the diamond loop and the diamond barrel roll - two maneuvers that are still performed today. The following year, in the fall of 1948, the team moved to NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. In 1949, flight Lt. Commander Rollie "Dusty" Rose designed the first official Blue Angels insignia or crest. It is nearly identical to the current design - only the aircraft silhouettes in the cloud have changed with each aircraft the team has flown. It was today December 6, 1960 that the Navy announced that the Blue Angels the world famous precision flying team would return to NAS Key West in January for their six weeks winter training schedule. For several years thereafter, from 1958 to 1962, the Blue Angels could be found every winter holding their trainings at NAS Key West. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media to learn more about our glorious past and our amazing future in the beautiful Florida Keys visit h43keys.com. This and other shows are available as an Alexa flash briefing. To learn more about how to activate that visit http://43keys.com.  

Today's nugget of Key West history comes to us from a blog post by artist, Anja Marais. I'm living on a quaint lane in Old Town Key West for the last six years in a wooden Victorian house. My first impression walking in as a tenant to be was the good feeling that just oozed out of the Dade County pine standing strong like a ship on land. It already embarked on a journey a long time ago, and I just happened to board on one of its many pit stops. I would come across small odd clues and reminisces hidden and cradled in would have forgotten ghost and on an Easter hot I started collecting questions. Why is there different layers of bright neon green paint under the door Brown, fresh painted fours? Why is there a photo of a man with a goat staring at me from its buckled copper friend? Why is this house full of antique gaudy Italian carved mirrors with crumbling flying cherubs? This is how I got acquainted with Henry fault, his art and his flagrant life. Henry fault now was born in Egypt, Kentucky, into a sad childhood that has the makings of an Edgar Allan Poe tale. From a volatile Father to the slow death of his Mother his sensitive nature was formed and overcast by becoming an orphan dumped into the welfare system moving from one to the other foster family. He even had a foster mother in remote Appalachia that treated him like a girl that she rather wanted. His adult life was peppered with debilitating incidents like being mugged with a hammer as an adult, with a blow to the head discrimination against being gay. That included slurs and beatings and after all these sets, any other human might have sunk into self pity, but not Henry, his insecurities and pain poured like a syrup into manifestations of poetry, art and a flamboyant lifestyle. He became best friends with Tennessee Williams, the Bertolt Brecht, family, and befriended Ernest Hemingway. In his Key West days, he became the life and heartbeat of many parties and art gatherings. He also became the savior of the outcast, and forgotten any animal that he could find abandoned and tortured. He will rescue and become part of his own bizarre family that included Alice the goat. The rumor goes that he had painted the floors in the house green so that Alice could feel more at home galloping through the pastures. He wrote numerous poetry and was a prolific painter. Currently his house is in the Bertolt Brecht family trust, since his son Stephen and Henry Faulkner were good friends. We are the temporary careful takers of this property. It is one of the last untouched houses in Key West that stayed exactly the same for the last five decades without any additions or changes. It still has a will on the yard and the kitchen is separate from the house built to prevent the spread of fire. There's even a couple of movies shot in the house like criss cross with building hone in 1992. Okay, well, let's just say that wasn't the greatest movie ever. I was told by a neighbor that has lived on the lane his whole life that Henry thought and Tennessee Williams had major parties. The two would sit on the front balcony and some Navy sailors would parade down the lane and only the selected ones were allowed to enter to join the party. No wonder this house has good vibes. I cringe for the day that this house will be turned into the rest of key West's now sterile "meringue cake" houses that are buff and overly manicured by rich out of towners. But for now enjoy the character of old Key West the days of poets, hippies, and famous riders. When I work in my studio, I feel a solidarity almost as if Henry is peeking over my shoulder with that sweet Mona Lisa smile of his it was today December 5 in 1981 that artists Henry Faulkner was killed in a car crash in his hometown of Lexington, Kentucky. He was killed by a drunk driver. Faulkner spent many years as a winter resident at Key West and that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. To learn more about our glorious past of the Florida Keys. Visit http://43 keys. com. This and other shows about our amazing Florida Keys are available. Also as an Alexa, flash briefing. To learn more about that visit http://43keys.com.  

The first Gato cigar factory is a three story building constructed in 1870, the first for the fact that was used for receiving tobacco and distributing scars. The second story consisted of rows and rows of benches, and rolling tables, where workers produced a wide range of cigars in front of the workers was a raised lectern for a reader. This reader was paid by the factory workers to be books, poetry, and daily newspapers. While they work on the third floor, the tobacco was both stored and sorted to the best grade of tobacco leaves that was chosen for the outer layer of the cigars. In 1915, the original building was destroyed by fire. Construction of a new fireproof factory started in 1916, and was finally completed in 1920, during the construction of the new factory. Eduardo Gato moved his operations to several buildings on the island that had been vacated by the cigar companies that have relocated to Tampa when Eduardo Hidalgo Gato open the new factory in Key West. He did everything he could to ensure that he had the best cigar artisans working under his roof to better the lives of his workers. He built a city of 40 cigar makers cottages around his factory started the first street car system, created a hospital and supported a baseball league. The average day of factory workers was very structured Saunders would arrange the Cuban tobacco leaves into 20 shades of brown, the most expensive leaves were used for the wrapper. The rollers knew exactly how many tobacco leaves to roll into cigars each day. All the rollers had their own rolling tables, and were paid by the number of cigars they crafted each day, a good roller could produce an average of 300 cigars a day, the factory itself was illuminated only by natural sunlight. cigar factories were typically built on a north south axis, so that the windows face the east and west. The maximizing the hours of sunlight in the Gato factory employed 500 workers and produce 70,000 cigars every single day in December of the factory output reached 400,000 cigars a week. From 1899-1905 Key West averaged $2.3 million a year in cigar exports. Eduardo Gato's house located at 1209 Virginia Street, with its elaborate Queen and style detailing was built in 1911 by E.H. Gato, Sr. The Gato family was one of Key West most prominent families and three generations of the family lived here all the way up until 1951. Eduardo Gato was a Cuban patriot who helped finance Cuba's revolutionary leaders, including Jose Marti who fought for freedom from Spain. Gato came to Key West in 1874 he was instrumental in Key West evolution from a small fishing town to one of Florida's wealthiest cities through his development of the Cuban tobacco industry gotta was president of the E.H. Gato Cigar Company, Vice President of the Key West Bank and proprietor of the Key West streetcar a horse drawn system and oversaw the extensive Gato real estate holdings. In 1911. Eduardo Gato donated his house to become a hospital with the stipulation that it would be called Mercedes hospital after his wife Mercedes. On a side note this property at 1209 Virginia street is currently for sale its list price, $3.85 million. It was today, December 4, 1926 that Eduardo Hidalgo Gato died in Havana, Cuba. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. To learn more about Key West's glorious past and what's going on currently on the island visit http://43keys.com you can get this show as an Alexa flash briefing as well as the Florida Keys, Fishing and Weather report every day as an Alexa flash briefing. To find out more visit http://43keys.com.  

It's Tuesday, December 4, and our weather forecasts for today. We've got some scattered thunderstorms this morning. We've got partly cloudy skies in the afternoon. Our chance of precipitation stands at 40% High today is 82 degrees with a low of 71 wins from the west southwest at six miles an hour. And our humidity is 79%. If you're thinking about trying to get out on the water and dodge some of the thunderstorms and still catch you some fish. Let's talk about the atmospheric pressure. It's falling today. 30.06 is where it starts out. And then it ends up at around 29.97. If you're out on the water all day to day the winds are going to be very low. So that is the saving grace and from looking at the hourly forecast, it looks like the afternoon has a better chance of having more precipitation. So after about two o'clock in the afternoon, those precipitation chances get a little greater. But until then it looks like it's going to be fairly clear with very low wins. So it might be a good morning to go ahead and grab you some tackle and head out on the water. Our UV index today is a six which is moderately high. So please take precautions and do not get more ultraviolet rays than you should have. We need our vitamin D we just don't need the ultraviolet rays are water temperature is holding steady at 77 degrees. It's been that way since our last little cold snap. So until we get more it's probably going to stay right there. We've got pretty calm waters today. Because of the low winds sunrise today is it 6:57am and sunset will be at 5:38pm. We look over to our high and low tide chart we can see the first low tide comes in at 1:22am. The next low tide is the first high tide will be at 8:06am and the next high tide will be at 7:43pm all day long. You've got 10 hours and 41 minutes of sunshine and daylight. So it's enough time to go out and make it an awesome day. Now our title coefficient today is 83 in case you're paying attention to that it's 83. So it's a little bit higher than it has been. And if we want to look at the periods of activity for our solunar charts, let's talk about that we've got very high three fish activity from 10:11am until 12:11pm during the lunar transit. And then during the opposing lunar transit from 10:39pm to 12:39am. We've got to fish minor activity so not too shabby during the minor periods today as well for the first minor period and then 4:03pm to 5:03pm is the second minor period. So all in all today, if you can dodge a little bit of potential thunderstorms, then you might get out there on the water and have a fantastic catching day. Today. If you look at our overall fish scale, you're going to see it is a two fish day as well as tomorrow will be a two fish day seas are going to be very, very minimal. So it's a great day to be out on the water. Actually, if you can avoid those thunderstorms. Hey, it's Tuesday. A lot of places in the country are completely frozen. They're having blizzards. They're having crazy weather. And you know what you woke up on an island, you're on an island on a Tuesday. There is the potential that you might want to go fishing. All in all I'd say that's the makings of the perfect day to have a perfect day. This weather report is brought to you by 43 Keys Media for everything you need to know about Florida Keys, weather and fishing, visit http://43keys.com. You can get this broadcast as an Alexa flash briefing, as well as a podcast on iTunes or any other place where you listen to podcast. If you're a history buff, you might like one of our other shows called "Today in Key West History" where every single day you'll get a new little piece of Florida history to add to your repertoire. That also is an Alexa flash briefing and a podcast that's available on iTunes or wherever you listen to your podcast. Visit http://43keys.com for more information.  

Happy Monday. The weather forecast for today Monday, December 3 for the Key West area and the greater lower Florida Keys. We have a gorgeous day on tap. A high today of 84 degrees low of 75. It's sunny skies. There's barely a chance of rain. Less than 10% Chance of precipitation. Winds will be coming from the south at nine miles an hour 77% humidity. So it is really really a gorgeous day. Our atmospheric pressure today is on the rise. It's 29.97 and rising to 30.06. as the day goes on. Winds will be dropping off this afternoon. Around the four o'clock hour on into sunset. You'll see those winds gradually tapering off getting down just barely three miles an hour. Our UV index for today is coming in at a six. Now like I said, it is going to be sunny all day long. So please make sure you're taking precautions there's not a ton of wind out there. But you'll definitely get a lot of sunburn if you don't take precautions. Our water temperature is holding steady at 77 degrees. Our air temperature is going to be a lot warmer than that today. So you'll definitely feel a little cool if you take a dip in the ocean. Today sunrise today 6:56am and sunset will be at 5:38pm. If we're looking at our tide chart. Today we can see that the first low tide is going to come in at 12:26am. And the next low tide will be at 12:16pm. The first high tide is at 7:09am. And the next high tide 7:04pm. Today we have 10 hours and 42 minutes of sunshine. And the solar transit will be at 12:17pm. Our tidal coefficient today is 78. So that's the amplitude of waves in the ranges of tides and currents that you'll be experiencing. If you're looking for fishing today, and we like to look at the solunar charts. And we've got some special times of high periods of activity and low periods are major periods today will give us to fish on the fish scale there from 9:22am to 11:22am. And that's during the lunar transit whenever the moon is on the rise. And we also have high - two fish high activity from which is the opposing lunar transit, which is the moon setting minor periods, just giving us one fish on that fish scale. And then 3:23pm to four 23 pm. We'red still in the waning crescent of the moon. We've got to go all the way until the 22nd till we get back to our full moon. New Moon's going to start December 7, and from there we're going to have some pretty good fishing days as it comes up today. Overall, on the fish scale, we're giving it a one fish on the saloon or scale. Now we have lower wins we have a pretty good day of straight up sunshine with very little precipitation. So if you have a day where you can get out on the water in that happens to be today, you're probably going to go out there and have some fun on the water whether you catch fish or whether you just feed them like I do sometimes. So it's a one fish day to day as we go on through the week, though, Tuesday and Wednesday to fish days. And then Thursday, Friday and Saturday, three fish on the fish scale. So we've got some better fishing days coming. So if you can hold off, you might enjoy the fruits of your labors a little bit more. No matter what happens though it's Monday and you are waking up this morning in the beautiful Florida Keys. And that means it's the perfect day to have a perfect day. This weather report is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. To learn everything you need to know about our beautiful Florida Keys visit http://43keys.com. If you like getting this weather report, you can get it as an Alexa flash briefing or as a podcast on iTunes or any other podcast app. If you love Florida Keys history and learning about what's going on in our beautiful Florida Keys. You can also get "Today in Key West History" as an Alexa flash briefing or a podcast and each day you'll learn a new fact about what happened today in Key West history. All of this is brought to you by 43 Keys Media visit http://43keys.com to learn more.  

In 1965, Fidel Castro, facing growing political unrest, and widespread economic problems, seize the initiative on refugees by manipulating US immigration policy to his advantage, knowing that the US open door policy made it politically awkward if not impossible to refuse refugees from Cuba, Castro announced that exiled Cubans could pick up relatives wishing to immigrate at the port of Camarioca in Matanzas, Cuba. Castro's unilateral opening worked and the United States welcomed some 5000 Cubans to Miami in just a few weeks, and Castro was able to defuse a serious domestic crisis in November and agreement between Cuba and the United States resulted in the Cuban airlift, which ultimately transported to 265,000 refugees to the United States. The Camarioca boat Lift and the subsequent airlift took the Johnson administration by surprise, but the president followed his predecessors policies. He stressed the Cubans desire for freedom, and provided direct federal aid to Florida and the refugees nothing was done to prevent future boat lifts the United States simply hope that Castro would not permit them again. Carioca, however, was only a prelude. Seven years after the end of the Cuban airlift, Castro launched and even bigger boat Lyft in the Port of Mariel and Havana. Again, there was little the US government could do to stop the frantic one way sea traffic from Havana to Key West. President Jimmy Carter eventually invoked the unwritten open door policy to admit the 125,000 Cubans who crossed the Florida straits. During the five months the boat lift was an operation, as in the case of Camarioca. In 1965, and the Cuban airlift of 1966 to 73, Castro unilaterally opened and close the doors to the United States at his convenience. And it was today December 2, 1965 that the Cuban boat lift from Matanzas Bay ended when the first airliner with 93 refugees landed in Miami. During the boat lift 4598 refugees came through the port of Key West. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. If you like this show, you can hear it as an Alexa flash briefing or as a podcast on iTunes. Any other place you listen to your podcast. We also have other shows about weather and fishing reports that are Alexa flash briefings and podcasts to find out everything you want to know about the beautiful Florida Keys, visit http://43keys.com.  

Yellow Fever, also known as the yellow plague, or the yellow jack was one of the most dangerous and dreaded disease is prevalent in Florida. During the 1800s, the diseases viral and we now know that it's spread primarily by a certain type of mosquito, but this wasn't known back then. And in the meantime, we had huge epidemics that broke out in Florida, mainly during the summer months, but especially in the cities with no good understanding of how the disease was caused or spread. Floridians often blame the infection on contact with another yellow fever patient or the presence of swampy areas called me OS. mamas, who had these fumes that were very difficult to breathe, probably similar to this Sargasso grass die offs that we see sometimes here in the Keys and the pungent smell made them think they had come in contact with something infectious. Preventing yellow fever became an essential part of life in Florida, and entire communities were built and developed to provide a place for those who could afford it to get away from the sickly downtown areas during the summer months. Yellow Fever even affected the social seasons as many businesses and schools just closed down during the hottest month of the year to avoid the danger as more people moved into Florida, and transportation by rail became faster and more common. Well, the yellow fever epidemics became larger and even deadlier. A series of outbreaks emerged in cities across the state infecting thousands of workers and wrecking local commerce. Larger port cities like Key West Tampa, and Jacksonville, where the hardest hit. Hundreds of residents fled the cities, while those who remain tried every conceivable method to combat the skirt whose origins they could not understand. In Jacksonville, people built large fires with heart pine, believing that the pungent smell of the burning pitch would cleanse the air. They even shot cannons packed with heavy charges in the center of town with the belief that the shock waves would break up the invisible organisms responsible for causing the fever. Yellow Fever brought considerable destruction in Florida, and it indirectly benefited the state as well the severity of the epidemics and led legislators to take action by forming the State Board of Health to help combat the problem. The board met for the first time in 1889 with Dr. Joseph Y. Porter of Key West as the first State Health Official. Porter and his colleagues across the state immediately set to work to establish quarantine policies for ports and working with local governments to clean up potential breeding grounds for disease. Survivors of yellow fever actually became immune to further infection and the State Board of Health issued immunity cards to these individuals so they could travel during the epidemics without even being subject to the quarantines. And it was today November 27, 1889, that Dr. Joseph Yates Porter, the State Health Officer, finally lifted the yellow fever quarantining Key West. Dr. Joseph Y. Porter lived at a house on for 29 Caroline St. On June 4, 1973, his house was added to the US National Register of Historic Places. The house was originally constructed in 1838 by Judge James Webb, who was the first federal judge in the Southern District of the Florida territory. The house at 429 Caroline Street is best known the lifelong home of Dr. Joseph Yeates Porter Jr. His father bought the property in 1845 and Porter lived in the home for 80 years, dying in the same room he was born in. He was Key West first native born physician and Florida's first public health officer from 1898-1917. He was instrumental in controlling yellow fever, reforming sanitation and parenting practices and initiating health legislation. Porter was among the first physicians to recognize yellow fever as transmissible by mosquitoes. And today, if you find yourself in Key West, you'll want to stop by for 29 Caroline Street and visit The Porch and Caroline's Other Side which are in the ground floor of the historic Porter mansion. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. If you want to learn all about our glorious past and what's going on currently in our beautiful Florida Keys. Go to http://43 keys.com.  

Location, location, location. It's the cry of any good businessman. In 1825, the Federal wrecking act prescribed that all property record in US waters be taken to a US port of entry. It was in 1828, that Key West was designated one of these us ports of entries. POS grew from a desolate Island into a bustling city within just a few years. Eventually Congress acknowledge Simonton as the owner of the island and Key West incorporated twice, once as a city, and then as a town, Congress created the Superior Court of the Southern District with Admiralty power. Judge James Webb was its first judge, but his successor William Marvin will probably be most remembered. He was the one that authored the Law of Wreck and Salvage and later it was a provisional governor of Florida. At the close of the Civil War. In 1832, Key West reverted to a charter type city government. It was during this time that John Whitehead's brother William surveyed this city in 1929, Southern was the Secretary of the Navy hints Southern Street and eaten was the Secretary of the Army hints eaten Street. William Duvall was the first territorial governor of florida hence we have the famous Duval street. Wrecking could provide quick monetary rewards. One of the early Charleston settlers in Key West was Richard Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick was a 30 year old when he arrived in Key West and he became the only authorized auctioneer for wrecking property before the 1928 wrecking bill. Reportedly, in one year, he made around $10,000 thousand dollars and auction hearing fees alone that would be equivalent to $280,000 today.   Two years after the aforementioned 1928 events, the Census of 1830revealed Key West population was 517; the year before 150 acres were mapped out as a town with 64 blocks these early settlers to Key West or primarily from the New England states, not from the Bahamas. Key West grew as a maritime military and County community. Five years after Monroe County was established Key West was incorporated and became the county seat. The population at that time was less than 600 people, and the main industries by 1830 were salvaging the shipwrecks on the reef and fishing. By 1845, Florida was granted state it was during the American Civil War, while Florida succeeded enjoying the Confederate States of America. That Key West remained in the Union hands because of the naval base. Fort Zachary Taylor, which is still standing today was constructed between 1845 and 1866, and it was an important Key West outpost during the Civil War. But as a result of the wartime population increase, Key West just continued to grow. Monroe County's population by 1870 was 5657 and only 641 with outside of Key West. During the late 1800s, the economy of Key West was changing from ship salvaging to cigar production. Construction of the lighthouses along the reef made the waterway more navigable and contributed to the decline in the number of ships. During this time, there was a large number of refugees that had escaped from Cuba. These refugees brought over with them their skills enhance rolling cigars. By November 26, 1890, the population of Key West had soared to nearly 18,800 residents, and it claimed to be the biggest and the richest city in the state of Florida. At the height of the cigar industry. in Key West. There was approximately 200 cigar factories producing 100 million hand rolled cigars annually. However, manufacturing competition from Tampa and Ybor City put an end to Key West hand rolled cigar industry. By 1930 today, you can still visit one of these cigar factories, but now it's actually home to the county offices Fort Monroe County. It's the gado building. If you come to Key West You can also visit for Zachary Taylor and enjoy the beautiful area and some snorkeling and all the outdoor activities that a normal state park would have. And that is what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 keys media. If you want to know more about our glorious past and even what's going on currently in the beautiful Florida Keys, please visit http://43keys.com.  

In 1822, just two years out of the shipyard, the Navy schooner was on rounds to recapture and free ships that were taken in the pirate heavy seas of the Caribbean. And alligator reef, a notoriously difficult area to navigate, the young ship ran aground. The semen struggled desperately to save it, but eventually they had to give up the ship to keep it out of pirate hands, they stripped it of all salvageable material and set it on fire. The ship soon blew up, leaving only shards and flotsam at the bottom of the shallow waters. Many other vessels have been plunged into the depths by this reef, eventually leading to the establishment of the lighthouse station, the freestanding rig and its lantern cost $185,000 to build at the time an amount equal to over $3.7 million in today's dollars. The structure required 12 inch thick iron pilings to support it. And those were drilled into 10 feet of coral by a specialized hammer that weighed literally a ton. Despite its in auspicious beginnings, the hundred and 36 foot lighthouse still stands nearly a century and a half later. at an average depth of 20 feet. The surrounding reef is ideal. For snorkelers and divers looking to explore Florida's Caribbean coast there, spiny lobsters, parrot fish, Barracuda, and abundant coral all in a jumbled graveyard of shipwrecks, and somewhere down there are the remains of the USS alligator. On November 24, 1873, the Alligator Reef Lighthouse was opened. The reef that runs near the Alligator Reef Lighthouse has more than 500 different species of marine life. There's a pirate ship wreck and 144 year old lighthouse and all of this sits just four nautical miles offshore from Islamorada in the beautiful Florida Keys. And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 keys media. If you want to learn more about the glorious past and the future of our beautiful Florida Keys, please visit http://43 keys.com.

Prior to September 10, 1978, the furthest training run that Charles McCoy had ever under taken was a successful 80 mile non-stop crossing to the Dry Tortugas. That run took him 3 hours and 55 minutes.     But on Sept. 10th, 1978, his successful crossing to Cuba from Key West of over 110 miles took 6 hours and 10 minutes. He started that trip in calm seas that built to four and five feet over the course of the day. Through most of the trip, he used an ax handle for a tow bar and he used a 10 year old ski that he later retired. That’s right Charles was making the trip to Cuba on a slalom ski!   In talking about his experience, McCoy said, “What disturbs you is that you have to maintain constant attention. You keep wanting to slack off because you are tired. The boat is rolling and pitching and you have waves coming from both side.” He was forced to make 20-30 adjustments a minute all the way to Cuba.   “I felt terrible until about 10 miles out of Key West, and for the next 100 miles I was feeling awful. After that, it just got worst. But there was no turning back. I knew I had to make it this time.”    This wasn’t McCoy’s first attempt. His first attempt was aborted when he slashed his hands open on the tow rope in rough weather and heavy waves. He still ended up skiing for 99 miles on that attempt.    On the journey, he was allowed no technical assistance. His only protection was a small belt life preserver and the constant eyes of the boat crew members.    The Cuba trip, inspired by a challenge from a local reporter, was arranged after a chance conversation with then-President Jimmy Carter at a national mayoral conference.  During the final hour, McCoy was escorted into Havana Harbor by a pair of Russian-built Cuban gunboats. Afterwards, the Cuban government hosted a welcoming party.  "I thanked everyone and invited them to come to Key West to visit us," said McCoy. "The following year 125,000 Cuban landed in Key West during the Mariel boatlift.  "I guess they were looking for me," he quipped.   Each year after this amazing achievement, Charles gathered at the Hukilau Restaurant to celebrate the achievement with friends.   It was today in Key West history, November 20th, 1979 that Charles “Sonny” McCoy was elected for his 5th term as Mayor of Key West. He became the first Mayor to ever serve for 10 years.    That’s right, Charles “Sonny “ McCoy was the Mayor of Key West when he set the crossing record for his journey from Key West to Havana on a slalom ski.   And that’s what happened today, in Key West History.

Anthony was born on August 10, 1916 in Elizabeth New Jersey. His father was an immigrant who made his living as a bootlegger during these times of Prohibition.    By the time Anthony was heading into high school, he decided his time would be better spent making whiskey and selling it to his Father’s customers.    During the war, he left to work for Boeing aircraft company in Seattle. After the war, he returned to NJ and began gambling on horse races to earn money. Well, you can imagine the mob characters that Anthony was dealing with and eventually he crossed them one too many times.   One particularly close call happened with the Mafia decided to teach him a lesson he would never forget. Anthony was beaten within an inch of his life and tossed into the Newark City dump, where he was left for dead. Instead of becoming a feather in the cap of the mafia - Anthony survived, and knew that he needed to get out of town and make a fresh start.    Anthony decided to head south to Florida. He didn’t have much money - only $18 in his pocket when he saw a sign that said “See Key West”. Anthony stopped at the race track in Homestead and started inquiring about Key West. He had already missed the last bus heading to Key West, but instead caught a ride with the milk truck. When he finally rolled into Key West, Anthony couldn’t believe his eyes. Bars were on every corner, slot machines all of the place and there were more women of ill repute than he could shake a stick at.   He immediately said to himself, “This place is for me!” Anthony got work in the shrimp yards, heading shrimp. He eventually had some shrimp captains take him under their wing and show him the ins and outs of shrimping. Later, Anthony got his Captain’s license and began his fishing career. He had a great career and became a highly sought after charter fishing captain, and he held plenty of records!   Eventually, Anthony began spending more time in the bars on Duval street. He loved the night life. He got along great with gay people because his brother was gay. He loved a good party, and knew everyone in town. He eventually had an affair with one of the Navy wines he met at a bar and caused quite a scandal. Eventually, the gay bar owner left town and committed suicide. So Anthony’s favorite bar closed down.   Anthony missed that bar so much, that eventually his friends talked him into opening that bar back up. The word-famous bar that used to be Sloppy Joe’s and plied booze to the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Truman Capote now became Captain Tony’s bar. Anthony or “Captain Tony” as everyone knew him kept the place just like it was and could be seen there nearly every day of the week, until a couple of weeks before he died.   It was today in Key West History, November 18th, 1964 that this Establishment, formerly known as the Oldest Bar at 428 Greene Street was placed “on limits” to Navy personnel.  Can you imagine the stories that building could tell? I mean, the gays, the shrimpers, the women of ill repute, and now the Navy boys - what a time they had.   And that is what happened today in Key West History.   Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43Keys Media. To learn more fascinating stories about our beautiful Florida Keys and the Eccentrics who have called it home for generations, visit 43keys.com

SEGMENTS | Custom House in Key West | History of Jai Alai in Florida | Food History in Miami

This week; Kevin Nunez and the White House Intelligence Committee. Something isn't right. Also, a resurgence in coal? I think not. Is Russia facing a revolution? The pentagon, a bottomless pit, a tid bit of Key West History, and the reason behind the increase in mortality rate of middle class whites. Always an interesting perspective on everyday issues.