All this talk about winter brings back memories of the winters of 1977 and 1978. I can say with certainty these were the worst winters of my lifetime. Meaning they were the snowiest and coldest :-( Tami and I were in middle school and elementary school respectively, at the time. Therefore we have a fairly accurate recollection of what those winters were like.
I lived in St. Bernard at the time and I remember snow. Lots and lots of snow. These weren't your average, every day snowstorms. Snow accumulations were being measured in feet rather than inches. Old snow didn't melt off before new snow fell on top of it and that pattern continued all winter long. I remember the snow plows having no place to push the new snow because the old piles were in the way. I remember front loaders coming around and loading snow piles into dump trucks and those trucks dumping the snow in the city park. It literally began to look like a mountain. Imagine the amount of snow we must have had if it was necessary to haul it to another location. I don't remember this, but have been told that gigantic "mountain" of snow didn't melt completely until late May or early June. That's a lot of snow! I also remember my dad shoveling the driveway... MANY times. Much like the snow plows, he was running out of places to throw the snow. I also remember really cold temperatures. The cold doesn't usually bother kids, but I remember being very aware of how cold it was. As a matter of fact, on this date in 1977 the temperature was -21. One of the coldest days ever recorded in Cincinnati. It seemed like those winters were endless. I haven't checked the facts, but I'm guessing the bad weather started early and lasted longer than most winters. It must have been tough on all the parents with kids cooped up for months on end. Keep in mind this was before computers, video games, iPods, cell phones and all the other electronic stuff that occupies the attention of kids today. Long winters? You better believe it!
Tami's situation was a little different. She lived in a more rural area than I did. Back then Lawrenceburg wasn't exactly the bustling metropolis it is today. I wouldn't say she lived in the country, but it was mighty close. Her house was up on a hill and those big snowfalls were particularly challenging for her family. Her house also had a cistern. During those winters the water in the cistern would freeze. Ice doesn't flow through pipes. Tami says she remembers her family being without water for more than a month. Her mom would go outside and gather some snow and put it in the bathtub. When the snow would melt, that would be their water source. UNBELIEVABLE! I can't begin to imagine that. Think of not having laundry capabilities. Washing dishes must have been a pain. Baths or showers? No way! Any water for drinking would had to have been boiled first. Keep in mind Tami had 3 siblings. What a nightmare!
During those unusually harsh winters, I remember the Ohio river freezing over. There are photos of dozens of people walking on the ice and even driving cars on it. I know that hasn't happened since!
Here are some photos of the Snowpocolypse!
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