The Record-Shattering Thanksgiving Blizzard Of 1950 Lives On In West Virginian Lore And Memory
“November 24, 1950. Harry S. Truman was President. It was Black Friday. Over 150 million Americans were enjoying leftover turkey and pumpkin pie, and more than 2 million of them were from West Virginia, making us the 29th largest state by population. And in the atmosphere far above the Eastern U.S., a storm was brewing.”
So begins an Only In Your State article published earlier this year detailing the history of the worst blizzard West Virginia's Ohio Valley has ever experienced.
In that article, we invited readers to share their stories of the storm with us, and the response was overwhelming. Here are a few to help you relive this historic moment, which still holds the record as most snowfall ever recorded in West Virginia, in Coburn Creek: an unimaginable 63 inches.
Rather than being forced to rely on their cars, some of our readers recall that their families still had teams of horses that were better able to navigate the snow. "We had a pony and sleigh and were the only ones around for miles to be able to get around. We fed neighbors' cattle...and traveled by pony and sleigh to help neighbors," writes reader Lanna.
Schools closed for the storm; for some, it was the only time they can ever recall their school being canceled. "For us kids it was fun!" recalls Dawna. Many shared stories of sledding, skiing, and snow tunneling through the deepest snow anyone had ever seen. And of course, there was plenty of snow for igloos, snow caves, and snowball fights!
But it wasn't all fun and games. Folks were snowed in and unable to get groceries. Some were traveling when the storm started and were stuck away from home for days. Reader Christina's late husband had to spend two nights at a bowling alley! Livestock and pets died. Reader Linda recalls, "We were supposed to move that week, but instead my Dad was on the roof of the house shoveling snow so it would not collapse."
Several readers shared stories of women (including their own mothers!) who went into labor during or just after the storm, and how difficult it was for them to get to the hospital.
And reader Patricia relates, "My mother died November 23, 1950. Family stories tell about it taking 10 days to bury her because fires had to keep being built to thaw the ground so the grave could be dug by hand a little at a time."
Thank you so much to all of you who shared your stories of this blizzard with us! We found each and every one of them a vivid, fascinating glimpse into that unprecedented holiday weekend.
Read more about the Thanksgiving blizzard of 1950, including more details about snow totals, lives lost, and damages incurred, by heading here to the article referenced at the beginning of this post.
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