Whitney's Blizzard of 1978

Memories of the Blizzard of 1978 (and the snow of 2011) – Dick Whitney
Feb 3, 2011

As I am writing this recollection, it is February of 2011 and I am again snowed in from a series of storms that have provided record snowfalls for a season; there is so much snow that there is no place left to put it, and I have had difficulty finding the fire hydrant buried deep in the snow banks. This year, ice melts are causing major problems for many, and I am holding my breath as to how that will play out at my home on Pine Ridge Road.Thinking back however to the Blizzard, the snowfall for that storm was truly memorable in amount all at one time. I do think Jan – Feb 2011 will be another memorable year for snow, it was just less dramatic as it happened over time.

At the time of the Blizzard of ’78, I was working at AO (as was my Dad) and living on Old Sturbridge Road as a newlywed to Peg. We had an apartment over the line in Sturbridge on the second floor of a home owned by Romeo and Alice Duchesneau. I recall walking home from the Globe area to my apartment after getting out of work. I believe Dad had dropped me off there on his way home to Litchfield Ave. The wind and snow made it a blinding walk. This was our first time being snowed in, and we were fortunate to be at home with heat and power during the height of the storm. I recall the car was snowed in and took hours to dig out as it was on the side of the road near the apartment.

My most vivid recollection of the snow and size of this storm came when Dad and I wen t to work at AO in spite of the Governors State of Emergency. When we came down Main street, the snow banks were impressive. What I was most impressed by was looking at the mail boxes in front of the post office and seeing that they were buried by this one Blizzard. I took several other photos, but to me, the image of the postal boxes is what I think of when I think of the Blizzard of ’78- that, and being snowbound with Peg!

Whitney 'Blizzard of 78' Photos

Below are Dick Whitney Feb 3, 2011 photos of this years snowfall to date

My mailbox is almost buried (on right)

The photos below are of the snowbanks from plowing Moms driveway - Feb 3, 2011