Forum Title: LIZZIE BORDEN SOCIETY Topic Area: Fall River and Its Environs Topic Name: Where Fall River went in the summertime!  

1. "Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by Gramma on Mar-30th-04 at 5:44 PM

This story of the 38 hurricane reads like a who's who of Fall River and the Lizzie case!
http://www.westporthistory.com/news/archives/000125.html

Gramma


2. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by lydiapinkham on Mar-30th-04 at 8:41 PM
In response to Message #1.

Great news story, Gramma!  Thank you.

--Lyddie


3. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by Kat on Mar-31st-04 at 1:49 AM
In response to Message #1.

Thank you!

I have a picture of Rocky Point in the 38 hurricane;



(Message last edited Mar-31st-04  1:49 AM.)


4. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by Raymond on Mar-31st-04 at 12:44 PM
In response to Message #3.

Did this, with the Depression and the War, end this summer resort?


5. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by Gramma on Mar-31st-04 at 8:53 PM
In response to Message #4.

Raymond,
No, they built the cottages again in the same places and watched it all happen again in 1954, I think it was, with Hurricane Carol. The town of Westport was a favorite spot of mine. This beach is where I grew up spending almost every weekend in the summer. It is sand, not rocky like the Rhode Island beaches.  My father taught me to swim here and how to avoid an undertow. It was customary for us to leave our house, about 1/2 hour away, early in the morning with picnic lunch and frying pan for supper on the beach. No sun block, but we did use lotion on the hottest days. Major sunburns were a part of the deal. We used to set up little tents made of blankets for shade relief. Now it is State land and the dunes are protected but it has huge parking lots for beach goers. Most of the cottages are gone. Only a few left on the east side I think.

Gramma

(Message last edited Mar-31st-04  8:54 PM.)


6. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by Kat on Apr-1st-04 at 1:19 AM
In response to Message #5.

Wow, Gramma, that's really an interesting First-person story!
I think we have another member (Doug?) who knows about the hurricanes.
Here is one in 1944- I suppose before they started naming them?





(Message last edited Apr-1st-04  1:21 AM.)


7. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by Kat on Apr-1st-04 at 1:22 AM
In response to Message #6.

A picture of FairHaven



And Marthas Vineyard


(Message last edited Apr-1st-04  1:24 AM.)


8. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by Raymond on Apr-1st-04 at 12:12 PM
In response to Message #6.

I think they started to name them in the 1960s. Previously it was by the saint's day (South America) or regular date. Because they travel and dates change (I guess). This allows it to be tracked for days by the same name. IMO


9. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by FairhavenGuy on Apr-1st-04 at 1:18 PM
In response to Message #8.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) began naming tropical storms in the year 1950. They began by naming the storms based on the military alphabet: Abel Baker, Charlie, etc. In 1953, the practice of assigning female names began. (In 1954, southeastern Massachusetts was struck by two hurricanes within two weeks: Carol in late August and Edna in early September.) The WMO added male names to the hurrican list in 1979.


10. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by FairhavenGuy on Apr-1st-04 at 1:42 PM
In response to Message #7.

The Fairhaven photo shows the section of Center Street that includes my office, the Fairhaven Visitors Center. In the foreground left is the Millicent Library, 45 Center Street, dedicated in 1893. The dark rectagular building on the left side of the street near the center of the photo is where my office is, 43 Center Street. Right of the street is the First Congregational Church, which once had a spire another 100 feet high, which was blown of in the Great Gale of 1869. Then at the right of the picture (with the clock tower)is the Town Hall, 40 Center Street, dedicated in 1894.

The Millicent Library and the Town Hall were built by Standard Oil Co. millionaire Henry H. Rogers, who also built our high school and a huge gothic cathedral style Unitarian church.

This scene is about three blocks from the Moses Delano house where Emma was staying 8/4/1892.


11. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by lydiapinkham on Apr-1st-04 at 5:27 PM
In response to Message #10.

Thanks for all the identifying info!  The pictures always make the time and place more immediate.  It must be strange thinking you're working in the path of the old hurricane.  Too bad they didn't get the Delano house.  It would be so cool to have an old photo of it.  Do you suppose the three blocks were enough to protect the Delano place more than the others--that is, is the Delano place farther inland?

--Lyddie


12. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by Kat on Apr-1st-04 at 5:50 PM
In response to Message #10.

Thank you so much for the descriptions and information!
Had you seen these pictures?
If not, I'd think they were a shock!
It's so curious to see this here and have the buildings identified!
I did think that church looked sort of like the First Cong. in Fall River.  Now I find they were "related".
Town Hall looks like the same architecture as the Central Cong. Church in Fall River, where the Abbey Grill is now.

(Message last edited Apr-1st-04  5:55 PM.)


13. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by FairhavenGuy on Apr-1st-04 at 11:24 PM
In response to Message #12.

Lyddie, Fairhaven lost about 400 homes during the '38 Hurricane, but primarily seaside cottage that were completely washed away. The Delano house and the homes and buildings away from the water got little damage except from falling trees, like all the big elm trees you see down in the photo Kat posted. An the railing of an ornamental balcony was knocked off the Town Hall by a tree, but there wasn't much other damage to it.

Kat, I have books of hurricane pictures from '38, '44 and '54. I also intend to post some present-day Fairhaven photos when I get a chance, including one of the Moses Delano house.

For any of you within driving distance of Fairhaven, I'll be guiding a 90-minute historical walking tour of the center of town on Saturday, May 8, at 2:00 p.m.

(Message last edited Apr-1st-04  11:25 PM.)


14. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by Kat on Apr-2nd-04 at 12:38 AM
In response to Message #13.

Cool you have the books!
Stef bought the '44 and gave it to Terence as a gift and then he died...


(Message last edited Apr-2nd-04  12:40 AM.)


15. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by lydiapinkham on Apr-2nd-04 at 6:14 PM
In response to Message #13.

F'real?  I'll be there if I possibly can.  Hey, deafsmartie, wanna come along with me?

--Lyddie


16. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by FairhavenGuy on Apr-2nd-04 at 11:37 PM
In response to Message #15.

Yes, f'real. The tour is sponsored by the Fairhaven Office of Tourism and is free of charge. If you email my office Fairhaventours@aol.com with your name and address, I'll drop a visitors guide book and a calendar of events in the mail. The Fairhaven Center tour will be repeated again in September.

If you do come, I might go an extra block off the route to actually point out "19 Green Street." Usually, I just mention that Emma was visiting down the block.


17. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by Kat on Apr-3rd-04 at 2:52 AM
In response to Message #15.

Before you go:


http://dick.smugmug.com/Architecture


18. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by Kat on Apr-3rd-04 at 3:20 AM
In response to Message #17.

I was INSPIRED!  (This image is temporary)



(Message last edited Apr-3rd-04  3:37 AM.)


19. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by FairhavenGuy on Apr-3rd-04 at 8:44 AM
In response to Message #18.

Nice image, Kat. I, too, am inspired by being surrounded by these buildings every day.

I mentioned in another post about Harry's Green Street postcard that following the death of her mother, Helen Brownell rented a room in a house on the same block the Unitarian Memorial Church was built on. In 1901-1904, it was being built in Helen's back yard.


20. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by Doug on Apr-3rd-04 at 11:11 AM
In response to Message #6.

As a young man my father lived in South Dartmouth; he was a teacher and coach at Dartmouth High School. This was from 1931 to, I believe, 1942. He was there during the Hurricane of 1938 and used to talk about the storm and destruction it caused. Put away somewhere I have snapshots he saved of flooded streets; trees, utility poles, and wires down; boats washed ashore; and the like.


21. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by Kat on Apr-3rd-04 at 2:32 PM
In response to Message #20.

Wow Doug.  Are you tempting us?...
That's cool.
I have an old book of pictures of Williamsport, PA.  I just saved them from a trunk in the garage!
I don't know what to do with them.  They are from the turn of the century.  Some big book they put out.

Thanks Fairhaven guy.  I didn't know if you knew that Dick Smug guy.  The terms on that site are intense!

Having a church built in your back yard sounds loud and annoying and dangerous.

(Message last edited Apr-3rd-04  2:34 PM.)


22. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by Raymond on Apr-3rd-04 at 3:15 PM
In response to Message #21.

Maybe you could send an E-mail to Williamsport Penna Library and ask if they are interested in this Historical Document?


23. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by lydiapinkham on Apr-3rd-04 at 5:18 PM
In response to Message #18.

Thanks for the links,Kat.  Beautiful buildings!  I'll let you know as soon as I can, Fairhaven.  Sounds like wonderful tour--plus a very kind bonus peek at Emma's Fairhaven haven!  Thanks for the very kind offer.

--Lyddie

(Message last edited Apr-4th-04  12:05 AM.)


24. "Re: Where Fall River went in the summertime!"
Posted by Kat on Apr-3rd-04 at 6:41 PM
In response to Message #22.

It's coming apart and I was hoping to make some money?