Hurricane

Islamorada’s Over-Seas Inn History

The 1935 hurricane struck Upper Matecumbe Key hard being just to the right of eye’s path. Four seriously damaged but recognizable structures remained standing. They were O. D. Kings’ Rustic Inn, the Methodist parsonage, The Hotel  Matecumbe and Leo Johnson’s house. The coral-rock post office was also recognizable by those who knew it before. Therefore, almost nothing was left standing and there was a great toll of human life, but the determined citizens were not to be denied. Houses, a school, post office and the church were rebuilt. This was “home.”

One wooden building was built by Eddie Sweeting using materials provided by FERA and he provided all the labor. It was a two story building, shown at the right, in which they lived in the upper floor and the lower floor was leased to the School Board.  The previously shown coral rock school on the beach was totally destroyed and a school was desperately needed as residents were returning.

The federal government subsidized the building of this wooden structure to replace business destroyed. Material only was provided to Eddy Sweeting to rebuild his grocery store as he wanted a two-story structure. Eddie Sweeting had the building shown to the right ready for occupancy on August 1936.

The above information is from http://www.keyshistory.org/uppermatkey.html

As you can see this building later became the Over-Seas Inn. Do you know what it is now?

Sea Oats Beach Islamorada’s Weak Link

By Robert Silk, The Key West Citizen Staff

Sea Oats Beach, Islamorada - after Wilma

The vulnerable section of the Overseas Highway along Sea Oats Beach was exposed anew when Hurricane Ike brushed the Florida Keys. Moderate tropical-storm force winds and a 2- to 3-foot sea-level rise were all it took to send water and debris over much of the roadway, prompting officials to close one lane for several hours.

Don’t expect that section of highway, spanning Mile Marker 74 to 75 on Lower Matecumbe Key, to be fortified anytime soon.

“Folks would like to see that area high and dry in any storm event, but I think there are other engineering concerns that make this the best we can do at this time,” said John Palenchar, a Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) environmental permits coordinator.

The waves on Sept. 9 overtopped the beach, including a newly constructed dune line, leaving seaweed, lobster traps, logs and other debris on the roadway. High tide that evening also reached the shoulder of the roadway, forcing more cleanup the next morning.

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