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WINTER BLIZZARD OF ‘77
© Harold Fox
Pictured here are six photographs taken at Lake Erie during the snow blizzard that paralyzed much of the area. Erno Rossi wrote the classic book “White Death-The Blizzard of ‘77” which covers the spectacular events of that winter.
| It was a four day storm. People went to work on Friday January 28, by late morning the snow began to fall. High winds by the afternoon had visibility at zero. It was not until Monday night did the storm loosen its’ grip. It had paralyzed much of south Niagara.. | |
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| Many vehicles were left abandoned on the roads, hampering clean up operations. The storm stranded about one hundred and thirty people at Niagara schools, Fort Erie, Wainfleet and Port Colborne.. About one hundred people were stranded at the Seaway Mall in Welland. Hotels and motels were filled as well. | |
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| There were twenty and thirty foot drifts along Lakeshore road in Port Colborne. C-HOW radio broadcast emergency operations providing assistance and information. The Lincoln and Welland Regiment helped in Welland and Port Colborne .Private citizens with snowmobiles helped police and fire rescue.
Many people opened up their homes giving food and shelter to strangers. Many people were stranded in vehicles buried in the snow. |
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| Farmers in the area suffered due to running out of food for animals. Unable to get milk to the dairy, they had to dump the milk at a high cost. Turkeys died, heavy snow caused roofs to collapse.
The cost of the storm was believed to be around three hundred million. The Blizzard of 1977 carved a place in our history books. Did you have a personal experience in this blizzard, if so we would appreciate any comments you wish to make. |
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| Reference: Welland Evening Tribune Thurs Feb. 10, 1977 | |
I was only 14 years old in 1977 and I remember where I was living and where I was living it was on a corner of a street in Welland and I was standing on a big big big hill that was in the middle of the street by my house. And I have pics of that year.
Great memories of that time. Thanks for contributing, Wendy.
I was working overseas and it made the news there.
My father was living in the Beaver Brook subdivision (sure most people didn’t know the real name of West Wartime) on Achilles Av and he ended up dropping down from the bathroom window towards the driveway so he could feel and push his way back up the front steps to get the snow shovel on the porch to dig out the front door. Went in to warm up and re-dress a bit warmer and proceeded to shovel his way to the street then shuffled his way to the various widow neighbours to dig them out a bit. They gave him coffee and a bite and he went on to the next (even peeing in the snow as he was wet with sweat and didn’t want to tramp inside their homes but the snow was so deep no one could see him.
A bit of a laugh, when he dropped down into the driveway, the snow was deeper than he was tall and he basically burrowed his way to the door.
Later, the young guys came out and helped as did the city workers. The ladies made sure they had a bite to eat and some drink.
Memories to all till they passed.
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