Anna Maria Island Historical Society reopens after feet of storm surge from Hurricane Helene

After the surge: Anna Maria Island

FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon reports on the Anna Maria Island Historical Society working to reopen after experiencing devastating damage from Hurricane Helene last year.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND, Fla. - After Hurricane Helene brought three feet of storm surge to the Anna Maria Island Historical Society, the museum's volunteers found themselves rushing to save the island's history.

The backstory:

The Anna Maria Island Historical Society has helped preserve the island's history. It includes preserving history about Fig Newton cookies helping to build Anna Maria Island, movie stars like Esther Williams and Woody Harrelson filming scenes on the island, and the airport that was once built on Holmes Beach.

READ: St. Pete Beach Post Office remains closed months after hurricanes

"That’s why we were founded, to preserve that history and share it. That is what we are about: preserving and sharing," said Carolyn Orshak, the museum's president.

The museum was founded in 1992 by Carolyn Norwood and Pat Copeland, who both shared a passion for the island's history.

The Anna Maria Island Historical Society.

But as Hurricane Helene inched closer to Florida last fall, Orshak and museum volunteers worked to secure as much as they could.

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"We got here, and we said, ‘we will take two hours, and then we have to go save our own homes.’ We did that," Orshak said. "We saved a tremendous amount of things, but it was full of surprises for us when we got back."

Dig deeper:

Orshak and other volunteers returned to find feet of water in their own homes, and a water line on the Anna Maria Island Historical Society's door made their hearts drop.

"I walked in here, and it was horrendous," Orshak said. "It just took me so by shock that this much devastation for all these beautiful things just lying in muck."

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Volunteers like Judy Hildman have been working to save what they can.

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"It was like a bomb went off. I know that the people who were here valiantly worked to save our artifacts," said Hildman.

Historic glass cases were left in pieces, jewelry collections were destroyed, but there were small moments to celebrate.

"Our beautiful old bathing suit babe was thrown up in the air, but landed on top of something with her head against the wall and never got wet," said Orshak.

Local perspective:

After the storm, volunteers went to work, and they dried out items and saved what they could.

Volunteers working to save what they could after the hurricane.

"We are missing documents, many of which we don’t even know yet," she said.

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Six months later, the museum is open and coming back to life. With the help of historic restoration specialist, Ashley Burke, pieces like a bench from Roser Church remain, and new displays are being created.

"The community loves this museum, the visitors love it. For us to put this back, we had to. It’s our credo. We need to preserve it," said Orshak.

Their work, saving their own homes and the historical society, will become part of the history of the three cities on one island, weathering a storm that couldn’t wash away the spirit of Anna Maria Island.

"It’s so important that we even tell this story. If it were not for Carolyn and Pat Copeland and all the people throughout the years who worked so hard and so diligently with such passion to preserve this history, where would we be," said Hildman.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered through interviews with the Anna Maria Island Historical Society President Carolyn Orshak and volunteer Judy Hildman.

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