It’s hurricane season again and since Florida and especially Key West gets their share of storms, it’s nice to know the place where locals go.

 

It all began in 1897 when Sister Mary Louise Gabriel, three weeks after becoming a nun, arrived to Key West.   She came to teach and to serve at the Catholic school that had opened in 1868 as a school for girls and as a covenant.

 

It was the first Catholic School in the state of Florida.   Talk of hurricanes is part of the fabric of Key West.  The great Havana hurricane of 1846 and it’s indiscriminate destruction of property, including the uprooting of the Key West Cemetery with the coffins of their loved ones floating down the streets,  was likely still being discussed by the old Conchs as if it happened only yesterday.

 

Sister Gabriel then experienced a trio of devastating hurricanes– the hurricane of 1909,  the Cuba hurricane of 1910 and the 1919 Florida Keys hurricane.

 

At the time, Key West was a populous and prosperous town. Henry Flagler’s overseas railroad brought passengers from New York all the way down to downtown Key West, but the simple homes and structures were no match for flood tides and 100 plus mile an hour winds.

 

Sister Gabriel said enough to hurricanes and took it upon herself to build an enveloping wall of God’s protective mercy over the people of Key West.   Saints and Sinners all entwined, as school children collected rocks from throughout the island to make up the high arching Grotto with the rock seats and the rock kneelers that face the Grotto.

 

Key Westers of every and no faith brought rocks and cement to build the Grotto. The Grotto is open all day and all night.   No gates separates the Grotto from any of whose venture by there.  

 

There’s nothing fancy about The Grotto, nothing elaborate.   It’s not the facade outside but the intentions inside.

 

Coming forward to today’s Key West, more than one drinking establishment in Key West is reputed to have a 48 hour candle on hand to take to The Grotto just in case.

 

That might sound funny, but when you’re warding off a hurricane, whether you are religious or not you best take advantage of every opportunity to put the odds in your favor.  

 

So if you’re ever in Key West and there’s a hurricane coming and you don’t want to hop on Route 1 in the traffic heading north with everyone else, you can just head to the Grotto.

 

Hurricane party with the Conchs at the Basilica of St Mary Star of the Sea,  just off Route 1 and Windsor.