[Goodwin, Robert H. Family--films] Reel 42

2878.0042
This item may be available for reuse, please contact Northeast Historic Film for more information
1954
Aug 31 1954 Hurricane Carol - 9 - 11 EDNA
1937-1954 Goodwin-Hollis Family Movies (11 reels)
Script for Goodwin-Hollis Family Movies DVD#3 (Original reels 8-11) (When movies were digitized, damaged sectors were cut) Reel #10 1954 Hurricane Carol hit Southern New England at high tide on August 30, 1954 and devastated the region. Bobby and I were camping on Mishaum Point with the Junior Sailing group to celebrate the end of the season. In those days we did not have the early warnings and coverage of weather 24/7 as we do today in 2016, so the storm took ups by surprise. Our parents arrived at the campsite around 2:00 A.M. to evacuate us. We had to leave boats, camping gear, the sleeping bag that had accompanied Daddy for all his excursions - everything- and get to home and safety, especially before the Padanaram Bridge became impassable. We viewed the storm from our house and when the eye of the storm, which is calm, came over us, we accompanied Daddy on a walk around the village to see the damage. The water flooded the roadbed of the bridge, washed skiffs and dories and debris way ashore. Bridge St. was awash as was the village end of Water St. and it was all water from Bridge St, south to the boatyard and yacht club. It was disheartening to see huge and beautiful Concordia yachts and many other boats hung up on the bridge - the hulls on one side, the moorings and mooring lines on the other, a few boats stranded on the roadbed. We returned home to prepare for the ferocious winds coming from the other direction as the eye passed over and the storm resumed. Here we see scenes of the mature American Elm trees in the hurricane-force winds, the water covering Fitch's pier, the flotsam and jetsam stranded on the empty lot across the street, trees down across Water St., a floating roof, flooded streets and buildings of Padanaram village. One boat held anchor! As the wind shifted the northerly winds occurred at low tide, leaving everything washed up and stranded. Looking North from the bridge toward Whitney's wharf. Power was out for days. Militia men were stationed at almost every corner for days to guard against looting and to direct traffic. Aftermath. Sunset as the sky cleared.

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