RABBIT HASH, Ky. -- An emergency management team and community members of a quaint Kentucky town are bracing a beloved store for to handle rising river waters.
The historic Rabbit Hash General Store in Boone County is no exception to the rising river water around the Tri-State. Bobbi Kayser, president of the Rabbit Hash Historical Society, hopes the store doesn’t have to weather another catastrophe; the the 185-year-old landmark nearly burned to the ground in 2016.
"Two years ago the store burnt down, and we survived that,” Kayser said. “Now, we have a store to be concerned about because of the flood."
MORE: What to expect as floodwaters rise even more
Kayser said the high waters are reminiscent of the flood of 1997. The river was at 64.7 feet, and water crept inside the store.
The river is expected to crest at 59.4 feet. Manager Terri Markesbery said the river comes rushing in when it hits 60 feet, but they’re not taking any chances. Employees, and even community members, packed up everything on the ground and lower shelves Friday in case the store floods.
"The community at large has such a big heart for this, and so many people want to come down and help that it's kind of overwhelming,” Kayser said.
The store will remain open despite some potential for flooding. Kayser said this flooding is “a walk in the park” compared to the flood of 1937, when the river hit its highest level at 80 feet.
"Rabbit Hash has weathered many floods over the almost 200 years that we've been in existence, so right now I'm sitting here going, ‘Well, we've survived fire and we're going to survive the flood, the only thing I have left to worry about is pestilence,’" Kayser said.
