I will never forget that day and the destruction it caused.
OT: Hugo hit 35 years ago…Sept 22
- Thread starter CWW
- Start date
I was a student at USC then, thanks for reminding me it was 35 years ago. 
Left Conway that morning to take my grandmother to Stone mountain Georgia for my cousin's wedding. I-20 between Florence and Columbia was a scene from a post-apocalyptic fantasy movie. Giant trees were scattered like toothpicks on the kitchen floor in the area where the eyewall crossed on its way to North Carolina. I drove my Ford Taurus over around and through the median and shoulders of the highway to get through. I was out of gas and decided to park in Columbia to figure out what to do because the stations had no power. Rounded a building to find a convenience store with power and gas. Waited in line to fill up and made it to my aunt's before dark.
I was 4 years old and my parents, 2 of my older sisters, my older brother and I had just moved into a 2 story house in Walterboro(my mom and dad had moved the family there about a year and a half before I was born) maybe 2 months before Hugo hit. This was the first time I got a bedroom all to myself, and that night I remember the lightning, thunder, and wind and for the next couple of years when it would storm at night, I insisted on sleeping on the floor in my parents bedroom.
Lived in Charlotte at the time. At first, the power was on & off causing my answering machine (remember those??) to run its cycle, with each interruption.
Chain saws in the daylight, power generators at night for 14 days 7 hours. Supermarket areas were rank with the aroma of spoiled ice cream, & milk and rotting meat.
No cell phones then. No communication with HOME OFFICE ... LOL!!!
The first 2 days .... IT WAS FUN!!! Neighborhood B-B-Q cook-outs!!! Day 3 to 10???? Survival!!! Toilet Paper = $3/roll. Peanut Butter = $7/ jar! Why sell a COLD shower for $5 when you could get $12???
Susie CREAMCHEESE, who lived across the street and got power back, the day before was almost lynched when she came tip-toeing by, asking ... " I Just Got My Power Back On!!!"
Chain saws in the daylight, power generators at night for 14 days 7 hours. Supermarket areas were rank with the aroma of spoiled ice cream, & milk and rotting meat.
No cell phones then. No communication with HOME OFFICE ... LOL!!!
The first 2 days .... IT WAS FUN!!! Neighborhood B-B-Q cook-outs!!! Day 3 to 10???? Survival!!! Toilet Paper = $3/roll. Peanut Butter = $7/ jar! Why sell a COLD shower for $5 when you could get $12???
Susie CREAMCHEESE, who lived across the street and got power back, the day before was almost lynched when she came tip-toeing by, asking ... " I Just Got My Power Back On!!!"
I was a Freshman living at Whaley's Mill. Swam in the pool that night - even though it was closed. Pretty much dumb, 18-year-old stupidity.
The girl next to me in Econ lived on the battery. Her house was destroyed. She was too good for me, but I tried to get a date with her. Big fail.
The girl next to me in Econ lived on the battery. Her house was destroyed. She was too good for me, but I tried to get a date with her. Big fail.
Over here in Sumter in 1989 I can truly say I’ve been in the eye of a hurricane.Lasted about 15-20 minutes then the backside got us.About midnight just hoping to survive.Then going without power for 2 weeks was no fun either.
Because there were no lights anywhere I remember how bright and pretty the stars were while the eye passed over.
Because there were no lights anywhere I remember how bright and pretty the stars were while the eye passed over.
I was 9 or 10y/o living in Irmo. I recall it hitting around midnight or after, we stayed up. I don’t remember much other than it being loud and scary for a bit.
The remember walking outside the next morning and the neighborhood being a mess. Trees fallen, twisted up and broke or totally just missing. Debris all over the place.
I think the only damage to our house was missing shingles and maybe other minor roof damage. So we were lucky.
We had one of those HUGE old school TV antennas on the roof connected to the fireplace. It damaged that, which allowed the family to upgrade to a smaller one.
The remember walking outside the next morning and the neighborhood being a mess. Trees fallen, twisted up and broke or totally just missing. Debris all over the place.
I think the only damage to our house was missing shingles and maybe other minor roof damage. So we were lucky.
We had one of those HUGE old school TV antennas on the roof connected to the fireplace. It damaged that, which allowed the family to upgrade to a smaller one.
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I remember as a kid breaking the rods off a discarded one of those (antennas) and using them for sword fights.I was 9 or 10y/o living in Irmo. I recall it hitting around midnight or after, we stayed up. I don’t remember much other than it being loud and scary for a bit.
The remember walking outside the next morning and the neighborhood being a mess. Trees fallen, twisted up and broke or totally just missing. Debris all over the place.
I think the only damage to our house was missing shingles and maybe other minor roof damage. So we were lucky.
We had one of those HUGE old school TV antennas on the roof connected to the fireplace. It damaged that, which allowed the family to upgrade to a smaller one.
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