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< History Navigation
Hurricane Donna Photos
By Jerry Wilkinson
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       Hurricane Donna was a category 4 hurricane comparable to Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The copy from the National Weather Service charts below shows that Donna was a typical September hurricane originating far out in the Atlantic, traveling northwestwardly and recurving northward. To read more about the anatomy of a hurricane,  Click HERE, and use the "back arrow" to return to this point. 
       A hurricane alert (now a watch) was issued on September 7 and changed to a "warning" on September 8 at 11 a.m. It had not yet started the steeper part of the recurve; however, the hurricane followed more or less the predicted path. The media reported that about 50 percent of the Middle and Upper Keys residents evacuated. The "eye" passed over Duck Key at about 2 a.m. of September 10, an early Saturday morning. The weekly Keynoter newspaper (from whom many of the photos were obtained) went daily.
       In the Upper Keys emergency kitchens were set up at the Matecumbe Methodist church by local citizens and Hugh MacKenzie's hotel be the Red Cross.
       The photos below graphically show that Category 4 hurricanes are extremely serious and evacuation is the only sensible thing to do. -

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The area was originally the Angus Boatwright fish camp before John and Elsie Masterton operated the Blueberry Hill. The restaurant, like many others businesses then, only operated in the winter season. MM 78
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The damaged dock leading out to the Blueberry Hill Restaurant. MM 78
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An aerial view looking about east. Bud and Mary's (Stapleton) is across the highway on the Atlantic side. MM 79.
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Looking about north at Ev Fowler's place (Papa Joe's today) and bridge and waterline wash-out.     MM 79
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Another view of the wash-out.

Establishing travel to the Middle and Lower Keys was of first priority. MM 79
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Sections of the transportable Bailey bridge being put in place.

Through traffic and potable water established. MM 79
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The memorial was built by the WPA in 1937. The Matecumbe Methodist Church was completed shortly thereafter. MM 81.5
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Formerly the Smith-Richardson estate, it was remodeled by Clara Mae Downey as the Olney Inn and shown here destroyed. It was then sold to the Twichell's who built the Cheeca Lodge. MM-81.6.
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Built by Earl Krebs in 1958. Tidal surge was 7.5 feet. Seawater was up to the door knobs in the downstair's apartments. In Hurricanes Georges and Irene seaweed was washed up about halld way onto the yard.  MM 92.5
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Reportedly about six people sought refuge in lighthouse tower during the hurricane. The Inn had been open for one year. MM 83.5
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Another view of the Chesapeake Inn. There were many reasonably large boats washed ashore as the one in the background.
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"Augle" Cockerham's garage at about MM 80.5 oceanside. His home is to the rear and right. Augle's son, Max, rebuilt Max's Marine across the highway. 
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Wilma and Ernest Poucher's original grocery at about MM 82.5 (Next to today's Ace Hardware, 2001). They rebuilt the Town Site grocery.
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The 150 foot tanker loaded with water as ballast was blown ashore at the Charles Dean home on Plantation Key. KWC 09-19-60.
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Another view of the Inagua Arrow. It took weeks to build a ramp to tow the ship into deep water.
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Rowland Craig finally gave up his mini empire after Donna. He leased the side of the railroad at about MM 72 in 1931, then the Overseas Highway in 1938 and even fared the 1935 Hurricane.
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Unroofed luxury apartments at about MM 54.
The waterline previously hung beneath the 1955 built Vaca Cut bridge and several piles were broken when a large barge smashed against the bridge.
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Ruined contents brought outside after the hurricane.
The Navy and the Red Cross served about 62,000 free meals in the American Legion building at Marathon.

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