FAIRFAX TORNADO - JUNE 11, 1973
REMEMBERED BY FAIRFAX HISTORICAL SOCIETY - JUNE 11, 2003
NEW LOOK - The Shedd Farm looks as though it's always been there. The above photo which was taken in August of 1973 does not show the two extra barns which were so damaged by the wind on June 11, 1973, that they had to be removed. Also, the Harvestore Silo shown had only been in place for a few weeks.(The above photo was scanned from a 30 year old Edition of The St. Albans Messenger)
DOWN - The Napoli barn in Fairfax blew right out into the road that fateful night - June 11, 1973 - when the wind hit. Some clean-up has been accomplished, but the shed in back of where the barn used to be still looks pretty lonely. (The above photo was scanned from a 30 year old Edition of The St. Albans Messenger)
EVIDENCE - Of the wind and a lot of hard work. County Forester Sam Hudson's front yard sports a neat stack of wood which eight weeks ago was in the form of shade tree. (The above photo was scanned from a 30 year old edition of The St. Albans Messenger along with the brief article below)
FAIRFAX - Evidence of the terrific windstorm which whipped through the area eight weeks ago is easy to find in Fairfax. Sam Hudson's barn is still missing part of its roof.
Other barns are completely missing, having been blown down or so seriously damaged that they had to be torn down.
All along the roadside, the trees felled in the storm are visible. Their brown leaves make them noticable against the background of green healthy foliage.
Debris from the storm, including crumpled metal from roofs and from tility sheds, can be seen along the road sides.
Woodpiles are a common sight, as residents work up the downed wood.
"Everyone in Fairfax has a chain saw now," commented one neighbor. "If they didn't have one, they had to go out and get one."
THOUSANDS of laying hens were rescued on Tuesday, June 12, 1973 by Fairfax students and neighbors after a 353 foot-long poultry barn on Reginald and Joyce Barkyoumb's poultry farm collapsed in the June 11, 1973 night's high winds. An estimated 18,000 hens were relayed from the barn to waiting trucks. (The above photograph was scanned from a 30 year old Burlington Free Press Photo taken by Stuart Perry)
Reginald & Joyce Barkyoumb's Hillcrest Poultry Farm After The Tornado
Like those of many other Fairfax homes, the roof of the Myron & Laura Hubbert residence was blown away by tornadic winds Monday night, June 11, 2003. John Hubbert made temporary repairs Tuesday morning. Windows were blown out and a large maple downed on the front lawn. (The above photo was scanned from the 30 year old edition of The Burlington Free Press taken by Stuart Perry)
HANGING - This was the scene after hight winds tore the roof off a barn and pretty much demolished the barn as well on the Napoli property in Fairfax. The Secretary of Agriculture has declared the county a disaster area, but there is little in sight in the way of aid for those hard hit by the storm.
This uprooted tree landed on the Reginald Broe home on Maple Street.
Trees torn by the roots as shown near the home of Sam Hudson's on the hill during the tornado in 1973
Destruction by the Dominigue/Napoli Farm on route 104
Still missing after the Tornado was part of this road sign while at right, Drew Kneeland and Maureen Keefe play in the fallen trees from the Tornado.
Henry A. Raymond
vtgrandpa@yahoo.com
June 13, 2003