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Today in Key West HistoryEpisodes
Episodes of Today in Key West History
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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
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 pos
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 po
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
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
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 i
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
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
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 constru
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
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 i
A T2 tanker carrying molten sulphur went missing on Feb. 2, 1963. The tanker, SS Marine Sulphur Queen had so many maintenance issues and design flaws that it almost seems it was doomed from the start. The tanker last radioed its position as it
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
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
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
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 tak
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 a
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 detail
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
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 Wes
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
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 pre
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
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 ti
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 Ca
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