Mary Ann Delaino Interview

Name: Mary Ann Delaino Age: 84
Occupation: Retired Teacher

How long have you lived in Cedar Key?

Since 1938. I have lived in this house since 1943.

Have you lived any place other than Cedar Key?

I was born in Madison. I went to college in Tallahassee. I taught one year in Madison. I taught another year in Key West. Other than that, I`ve been right here.

What do you like best about living in Cedar Key?

It`s hard to say because I like everything about living in Cedar Key. I love the fact that I`m not hemmed in. I look out my window and see the Gulf of Mexico, if I had good enough eyes. I like the fact that I know most people here and they are my friends. It has always seemed to me that we are freer in our associations. In this particular town, I don`t feel hemmed in by groups. I feel as if we are more apt to be friendly with all different kinds of people. I`m not sure if that is valid, but that is the feeling I have.

What do you see as Cedar Key's biggest problem?

I think one of our biggest problems is partially solved; I hope it is. As I have lived in Cedar Key all these years, beginning in the Depression, I saw people in need because of limited ways for them to make money. So many people depended on the water and the water is fickle. It provides lots of fish one week and not so many fish the next week. When the mullet business was eliminated, they (Project Ocean) came in here to teach the fisherman how to have a regular source of income. I thought, that is the answer. Because it seemed to me, we never knew how much money we would have. My husband was a fisherman. One week we were rich, the next week we not so rich. The idea is there was no stability to the economy of the town. It was an uncontrollable situation. The idea of letting fishermen have a stable income has made a great difference in the way the town operates. Again, too, I think our town is more varied in its means of income now. The restaurants require a lot of workers. Tourism generally does too. I`m no scholar of the town`s economy, but I see evidence of economic growth. People seem better off financially. I think most of Cedar Key`s other problems stem from the economic situation.

How has Cedar Key Changed over the years?

When World War Two came along, most of the young people in this town had never been out of Cedar Key. They knew very little about the outside world. During the war they went to faraway places with the Army, Navy, etc. They came back knowing they could achieve things that were not available here. A lot of them didn`t come back. One thing I always liked here and I think this has not changed is the way families stick together. For a long time, it has seemed to me that families are closer knit, more so than in other towns.

If you were forced to move from Cedar Key, where would you move?

I don't want to think about that. I've visited other places. I've traveled a lot. I love to travel. But, no place has impressed me enough that I would want to move there permanently.