Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
The blizzard of March 15-16, 1902 had nearly everyone downtown "digging out" their businesses and workplaces. The storm stranded 83 train passengers in New Rockford. To say the least, business was anything but usual. Here several folks pose for a photo outside of the Transcript and Land Office buildings.
At the Raush Farm following the blizzard of 1907, four silhouetted figures stand upon a snow bank and survey what parts of the house have not been buried in snow.
The Brownell family and their dog find great joy in a snow pile. Mr. Brownell is at the base of the mound with a dog. Daughters Irene and Blanche perch atop of the drift.
"Aunt Margaret" didn't need a massive snow drift for a photo. Here she poses with several cats near the large cottonwood tree in her yard.
On the prairie, everyone had to be ready for winter weather. On the Glenn J. Kerr farm, hauling hay in the snow was made easier with skids. Photo taken in 1913.
1936: Two men pose with an impressive roadside snow bank. Courtesy of Ruth Bengston.
The snow is on the ground. It happens almost every year. And yet, so many of us can still be left in awe of the accumulations.
In the early days, there seemed to be no shortage of excitement around a significant snowfall. This article highlights a few of the events that residents recorded through photographs. Please note- this is by no means an exhaustive history of regional blizzards, just some insight regarding the artifacts left behind.
The earliest photographic accounts include the aftermath of the blizzard of 1902. The storm was slow moving, as it dumped snow over two days. Drifts downtown towered more than 10 feet high. Several photos in our collection document shop owners who had to dig out in order to open shop.
The blizzard of 1907 brought even more impressive drifts, as winds gusted up to 100 mph. Some drifts were reported as high as 30 feet tall. At the Raush Farm, the house was nearly engulfed by a drift. Only the upper most portions of the house peeked out of the snow. Train service was paralyzed throughout the state and town-dwellers took to sledding down the enormous drifts.
Drifts were the last thing the farmers wanted to deal with when it came time to feed their livestock. Glenn Kerr, brother to Elsie Kerr, farmed the homestead through the 1910s. Of note in the picture, he and his team are hauling hay on skids.
As time went on, people became more equipped to deal with the unforgiving conditions. Closed-cabin automobiles allowed for long distance, cold weather travel. This brings us to our final photo, which was taken following the 1936 blizzard.
Not only did February of 1936 drop several feet of snow, but it also brought record-breaking cold temperatures. The state record was set with the temperature reading of -60°F in Parshall. Closer to home, Devil's Lake reported an average temperature of −21°F for the month.
Just a few years later, in March of 1941, the wind speeds were up to 85 mph and brought a massive decrease in temperature and heavy snowfall. Visibility became impossible, leading to a total of 68 people losing their lives throughout the state during that blizzard.
With temperatures that cold, it is best to stay where it is warm. However, many were lost in the storm after abandoning their cars or trying to find their way home.
As we make our way through winter, we can always hope for the best possible weather. In the meantime, stay warm and stay safe.
