Wednesday, February 6, 2013

ON THIS DAY IN:

1917 Polk's Key West City Directory for 1917-18 listed 16 coffee shops and 11 attorneys in the city.

1951 Mayor John Carbonell tendered his resignation as mayor effective Feb. 25. He continued to serve as a commissioner and nominated C.B. Harvey for his replacement.

1954 The Monroe County Commission approved $100,000 to match state money to build a bridge between Marathon and Key Vaca. The cut was filled when the railroad was built, but the new bridge would allow the channel to be reopened.

1955 The shrimp catch for the Key West Tortugas area for 1954 was about 17.5 million pounds, about the same as 1953 and not far below the 19 million pounds caught in 1951, the second year of the fishery operation.

1972 The name for the Teen Center was changed in a formal dedication to the Louis Carbonell Teen Center.

1974 The restored Armory building on White Street was re-dedicated.

1979 In a special election, voters agreed to let the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority accept a loan of $53.2 million from the Farmers Home Administration for the replacement of the freshwater pipeline. Repayment was over 40 years at 5 percent annual interest.

1981Grace L. Jones died. The Grace Jones Day Care Center was named for her in recognition of her many years of service to the Keys.

1983 Record-breaking rainfall on top of the worst national economy since the Great Depression cut tourism in January. Business was down between 15 and 30 percent compared to 1982.