Haverhill, MA

How well I remember Hurricane Carol. I was 16 years old at the time and living in Haverhill, MA. My mother and I left early in the morning on a bus for Lawrence to do school shopping. We had watched Don Kent on TV early in the morning talking about the impending hurricane - down off the coast of New Jersey - but that was so FAR AWAY - and whomever thought of a hurricane coming into Haverhill!!!

My mother and I were not in Lawrence for to long - about 9:30 as we walked along Essex Street - it started to rain very hard, wind was really starting to blow heavily, stores were taping up their windows so we decided we had better head for home. We managed to get the last bus out of Lawrence and then all hell broke loose. Trees started falling in front of us - the driver had to take a different route home - we witnessed a big farm going up in flames - and the driver had all he could do to keep the bus on the road.

It was an experience I will NEVER forget - my mother prayed all the way home - we finally made it to Railroad Square and managed to get a cab to our house. My father was frantic. But we arrived safely to our home - by 3 that afternoon the sun was out and we walked the streets looking at all the damage from falling trees. We did not see my father for DAYS as he worked for the Haverhill Electric Company - To this day - 2008 - we have been very fortunate in not seeing another like this in Haverhill.

Elaine (Fiset) Barker