Friday, February 26, 2016

The "Honeymoon" Cottage Is About Over






This old shack, an iconic Cedar Key landmark, is not much longer for this world. As I recall, the bottom photo was taken in 1988, the first time we vacationed in Cedar Key.

It is known as the "Honeymoon Cottage," and was built by Henry Taylor in 1959 for Phillip and Margaret Thomas of Gainesville.

Constructed on stilts about 300 feet from the shore, it was connected to land by a long narrow boardwalk also on stilts.

Over the years, various storms have taken their toll. In 1985, the cottage was pretty much destroyed by Hurricane Elena. Since then, other storms have destroyed bit and pieces of it until there is nothing left except a few of the stilts and a few boards.

Personally, I think the city of Cedar Key should rebuild the cottage for it has become such an important part of Cedar Key's soul!


RIP.  The entire photo blogging community is in mourning today after learning of the death of Tina and Tom Forrester who were killed in a car accident a couple of days ago in southern Ontario.  Tina, known as EG, or Cameral Girl, was a good friend and an excellent photographer.  We will miss her greatly.  Our deepest sympathy goes out to their families.

[This was cross-posted to Cedar Key (Florida) Photos].

18 comments:

cieldequimper said...

In the Villages, you have fake stuff but here the real stuff isn't saved... Pity.

I'm been sad all day about EG...

Laura. M said...

Yes must be rebuilt, Lowell. I feel the death of Tina and Tom, they rest in peace, it is sad news.
Un abrazo.

Lois said...

I like your idea about rebuilding the cottage. Sad that it's almost gone. I was very upset to hear about Tina and her husband last night. Such a huge loss for their family and for us.

William Kendall said...

Rather poignant, I think.

Kay said...

I think I agree with ciel.
I'm still in shock about EG. She seemed like such a nice person, had such a great blog and posted consistently gorgeous shots.

stardust said...

Dear Lowell - Everything has beginning and end. The cottage is going to be over through gradual decaying and declining, it is natural process. To personize it, you made a nice portrait of it in its prime time (the second photo). Sometimes we are caught by unpredictable incidents. Really shocking news to hear that EG and her husband were killed in such a sudden tragic way. She was my blog friend since my early period of blogging. We hadn’t visited each other so often recently, but her sudden appearance to my blog always made me smile.

Yoko

Andy said...

It looks the way the honeymoon feels in my household. After 49 years of marriage it's over. ;))

Shammickite said...

I knew Tina (EG) through her lovely photographs and I will miss checking her blog to see what she had captured in her lens. Tina and Tom lived not far from me. Strangely, a good friend of mine mentioned that her friends had been killed in a car accident this week, I had no idea at the time it was Tina. I am so sad.

Sharon said...

What a lovely tribute to Tina and her husband. You are so right, it is a profound loss to the blogging community.

VP said...

I could copy and paste ciel's comment...

Karl said...

I'm with Sharon, Lowell !
Beautiful photo you took in 1998.

Small City Scenes said...

I would say that the honeymoon is indeed over. LOL

Tina will be missed
MB

RedPat said...

I'm surprised they have left it there!
EG will be missed by us all. I was always pleased to receive one of her witty e-mails and to see her wonderful pics.

Gunn said...

The image with the reflection is just fantastic!

PerthDailyPhoto said...

Oh dear, another big wind and it's overs for what's left of the honeymoon suite :)
Unbelievably sad about Tina, the thought that someone can be here one moment and gone the next is horrifying and a little to close for me as it happened in my family just eight months ago. I know what their family will be going through right now, my heart aches for them.

Leif Hagen said...

They just don't build lake homes in Florida like they do up here in Minnesota! ha ha
Cheers from Eagan, Minnesota

Halcyon said...

Too bad about the cottage, it must have been a fine place back in the day. I was so sad and shocked to hear about Tina's passing. :(

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

I think they should rebuild with a historical plaque. A nice tribute to sweet Tina. Such a shock.

"Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again." — Henri Cartier-Bresson