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July 10th, 2003

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July 8th, 2003

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July 3rd, 2003

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June 26th, 2003

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June 19th, 2003

Features: Pioneer Levy County Family Finds Final Resting Place
June 17th, 2003

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June 13th, 2003

Features: Levy County History
June 12th, 2003

Features: Disaster Preparedness and Your Pet
June 9th, 2003

Features: Levy County History
May 29th, 2003

Features: Levy County History
May 23rd, 2003

Features: "The Essence of Florida" - Landscape Artist Susan Dauphinee
May 20th, 2003

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May 18th, 2003

Features: Levy County History
May 15th, 2003

Features: Levy County History
May 8th, 2003

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Levy County History

Levy County History

Toni Collins

53 years ago


The following is an account of the hurricaine and storm which invaded Levy County on September 5th as written by N.F. Ishie, Journal Staff writer and published in the Levy County Journal on Thursday, September 7th:


CEDAR KEY GREATEST SUFFERER IN TUESDAYS BIG STORM
YANKEETOWN AND GULF HAMMOCK HARD HIT


By Journal Staff Writer
N.F. Ishie


Cedar Key, on Tuesday, Sept. 5th, went through the severest and most damaging storms since the famous gale and tidal wave of 1896. In its wake it left from 400 to 600 homeless, and thousands of dollars of damages with at least 95 per cent of the homes and businesses were destroyed or badly damaged.

The industrial backbone of the Island City was almost completely destroyed in a few short hours.

The fibre factory owned and operated by Dr. D.A. Andrews which employed 40 to 50 persons was knocked out. It had just underwent extensive repairs and resumed operation after being shut down since the days of World War II.

Warehouses and a large broom making plant also owned by Dr. Andrews was completely destroyed.

Every fish house, but one, was destroyed. Nearly all the boats were sunk, but can probably be repaired. Most all the fishermen`s nets are a total loss.

Both the Island Hotel and Cedar Key Hotel and every boarding house was badly wrecked.

When the roof blew off the Bank building, a section of the two story brick wall fell on the one story Drug Store known as the "Question Mark" caving the roof and destroyed fixtures and merchandise.

Several grocery stores lost roofs and plate glass doors and windows and the loss in merchandise was heavy.

One hardware store was completely demolished.

The Episcopal Church was smashed to the ground and the rectory badly battered.

Every other church there was unroofed or cracked up.

Although this writer was raised in Cedar Key, there is no way for him to describe the devastation to the homes, there. Nearly every house was destroyed or rendered virtually useless.


Continued next week...

From the Archives & History Center
Levy County Clerk`s Office
Danny J. Shipp, Clerk of Court

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