This weekend Dixie's going to one of her favorite Floridian towns -- the sleepy Gulf island of Cedar Key.
Originally the western terminus of the cross-state railroad originating in St. Augustine and passing through Gainesville, this town was once famous for its clams and its pencil factories. The juniper groves (misidentified as cedars) supplied wood for Faber, among others.
The 1896 hurricane destroyed the original town, which was on the island of Atsena Otie (At-senny Oh-tee). Following that storm, the islanders moved one closer to the coast and rebuilt. You can still kayak out to the original island and visit the graveyard there.
Today the town, population 600, is home to a mix of artists and rugged fishermen. Its clam-based aquaculture is a million-dollar industry. The weekend's excursion will include a visit to The Cedar Key Museum and Historical Society.
And which of the town's amazingly-named restaurants will Dixie choose for her dinner? Will it be The Island Room? Dock Street Depot? The Captain's Table (favorite of Harry Crews)? They all serve food straight out of the Gulf that laps at their pilings.
Trivia: During the Second Seminole War, the nearby island of Seahorse Key was used as a compound for holding captured Indian prisoners.
