An entire town of Floridians abandoned their barrier island in the wake of a major hurricane in the 19th century. Historians urge us to remember their decision but memory is a fickle thing.
CEDAR KEY Hurricane Sally’s outer winds were blowing hard, churning two-foot waves as Larry Woodward beached the skiff on Atsena Otie Key. The island, rich in history and wildlife, is disappearing, succumbing steadily to rising seas and hellacious storms that pummel the historic mills, cemetery and bird-loving habitats.
The race was on: To get on and off the key before the Gulf became unnavigable and to preserve what remains of the Native American, colonial, military and industrial histories. Atsena Otie “Cedar Island” in the language of the Muscogee is part of the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys national wildlife refuges.