Montpelier floods

 

July 12, 2023

News of the current flooding in Montpelier triggers memories – memories of my father... and memories of a recent Montpelier visit. 

My father, Nathan "Nick" Nichols, had told us many stories of his youthful years in Montpelier, including a huge flood that ruined his mother's garden and swept away barns. 

This spring on a roadtrip in VT, I had stopped briefly in Montpelier to buy gas, and happened to notice a "High Water Mark" sign on the wall of the gas station.  As I stood beneath it, I tried to reach up, but could not touch it, even on my tiptoes.  I would have been completely UNDER WATER if there in 1927.

That fact startled me, and made me reflect on Daddy's stories. No wonder barns were moved and gardens ruined. The most amazing story I recall was of a barn that seemed to have survived in place, yet a fancy car stored inside that barn had disappeared! Daddy said that a strong cable from the house to the barn had held the barn, allowing it to float upwards while its contents were washed downstream. When the flood waters receded, that barn rested back on the ground, as if it had never moved. Close examination, however, revealed that it wasn't exactly on its original foundation. 

The date on High Water Mark sign enabled me to connect my father's stories to real history. Montpelier was his home base from age 6 in 1918 to 1934, the year he graduated from college. He was born in January 2012, so would have been 15 in 1927. 

His father, Rev. William S. Nichols, was then minister of the Unitarian Church of Montpelier, 130 Main Street. In April 2023 I took these photos of that same church, which is, according to a plaque on the wall, "listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Architect Thomas Silloway, 1865."

Note how close the river is to the rear of the church building (right) 

My thoughts go to that church, which must have been damaged in 1927 and again this week. Here's an update on the church's website, written by the current minister: 

7/15/2023 6:45am. A lot has been accomplished since Tuesday night! Thank you to ALL the volunteers who have mopped floors, hauled buckets of mud, moved ruined items, and dropped off food and water.

We have a couple of teams lined up to help today with removing damaged sheetrock and power washing the basement. ... 

With our cleanup moving along, I encourage you to help out in other places if you can. There’s a great opportunity to do so tomorrow (Sunday), July 16 starting at 9am across the street at Trinity Methodist Church and the Montpelier Food Pantry.  

See also the minister's earlier message reporting on the flooding:

             https://ucmvt.org/2023/07/12/historic-flooding-july-12-2023/