This Week on the Island 10/16/2005

'This week on the Island' is written by Doug Bennett and is an update to friends about happenings in Key West last week. Everything is true except for those parts that are lies.
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The picture above is the Methodist Church on the corner of Eaton and Simonton. See history below.

The Weather: Wonderful.

This weeks book was 'Storm of the Century' by Willie Drye and is about the hurricane of Labor Day weekend 1935 that came across Islamorada and killed about 500 people, most of them WWI veterans working on the Overseas Road to Key West. This was the most powerful recorded storm to ever hit the USA.

This week end started Stone Crab season and the restaurants have lots of specials. Jo and I have been enjoying ourselves. Next weekend will be 'Goombay', the celebration of African American heritage in Bahama Village. It also starts 'Fantasy Fest', and the weekend after that is the 'Parrot Heads', Jimmy Buffett Fans.


-----------------HISTORY-----------------------
In the Great Fire of 1886 most of Key West burned to the ground. The fire spread wood roof to wood roof. Now most houses in Old Town have metal (tin) roofs. The wood Methodist church on the corner of Eaton and Simonton was rebuilt after the fire. When the congregation outgrew the church, they built the current church with the old wood church inside to give the members a place to meet. After completion of the building of the current church the old wood church was dismantled from inside the new church.

Key West, You have got to love it
'Meet me at the end of the road' - Conky Tonkin'- Jimmy Buffett
Doug Bennett
Lat 24.5597N, Long 81.8016W