Our little island is pretty quiet during the summer months, but it's the time of year when all the winter residents are returning.  And that means the resumption of clubs, organizations and events.  Winters here on Cedar Key are pretty busy.

And yesterday morning was the first coffee of the season for the Historical Society.  Ray and I are both members and I'm a docent at the museum downtown. 

Dr. John Andrews is the President of the Society and seated at the far right of the table in the above photo.  He brought some great slides for us to see of people from years ago.  Many of which are no longer alive.  I've heard the family names.....Watson, Coulter, Wadley, Johnson....and it was nice to see the faces of those long-ago locals.

There were some speakers and they related information and humorous anecdotes of living in Cedar Key during the 1940's.  There was actually a drug store downtown.  (none now)  One of the speakers worked there as a young girl.  A Mr. Goss had a store on the corner of SR24 and Second Street and everyone used to refer to that area as "Goss's Corner."  And across the street, where the bookstore and Pelican Realty are now located....there was a pool room and bar downstairs and upstairs they held Saturday night dances with a fiddle player. 

Some things have changed since those years.....Where the Historical Society Museum is now located on Second Street used to be a restaurant.  And the Coffee House on 24.....that was Joe Watson's fish house.  Mullet sold for a penny a piece back then and during the depression fishermen would trade their seafood to the farmers that came to the island for fresh fruits and vegetables.  So while food may have been scarce in other parts of the country during those depression years, it wasn't on Cedar Key. 

One of the women talked about loving both the island and the people.  She said, "you don't have to know the people to love them.  You love them first and then get to know them."

I know exactly what she means.  When I began visiting this island over fifteen years ago, it was love at first sight.  Both for the area and the people.  I knew it was a very special kind of place.  The kind of place where everyone knew each other, helped each other and enjoyed the simple things in life.  The kind of place where sixty years later it's still important to remember both the stories and the people.  Not only do they live on in memories, those of us that didn't grow up here feel like we almost knew them too.

See you here next time.........