ALTON - While always the first to flood, Mary Morrison did not expect the Irish pub she owns to be closed for this long.
Having closed due to high waters in April, Morrison's Irish Pub was only able to stay open two days in May. Otherwise, it has been vacant at the end of State Street, right where it meets the Herculean flood wall built by Alton Public Works. The basement of the establishment has been flooded for the majority of that time, and it will be a while before Morrison, her son Kenny, who co-owns it, and their seven employees can return to the work they love. When the flood does recede (as it is predicted to finally do by July 7), Morrison's will still require new floor trusses, a refinished floor and subfloor in the kitchen and lots of dehumidifiers.
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Fortunately, the community has taken it upon themselves to help.
"We have a great community here," Morrison said. "We would not be surviving if it wasn't for them - financially or emotionally. The people are great in Alton. We love it here."
Some of the contributions from the community have included as much as $2,000 donated by individuals and business owners and $3,400 raised from an event last Thursday by Dale Henderson and Mila Raye Duffy at Lovejoy's. That money was split between Morrison's seven employees.
While the community has been supportive, Mother Nature has not. Morrison said this most recent flood, which she said seems to be lasting forever, nearly broke them. In the future, she said the business may relocate - but it will always stay in Alton.
Following this flood, Morrison hopes to have a grand re-opening party for the whole town to celebrate and make up for lost time with the neighborhood watering hole filled with shanty singing and Irish whiskey (as if those two things can ever be separated).
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