As I said in my last post, the worst is yet to come. I just hope it doesn't reach us but there can be a lot of water coming down the mountains into the foothills like the Thursday night, Sept. 20, 1979, that washed away Lowes Hardware when it was on HWY 52 and 40 million dollars in damage to other buildings in Mount Airy and the county.
Sep 21, 2020 — It started to rain on Thursday night, Sept. 20,
1979. It rained all Friday morning the way it does in the fall sometimes. Then Friday night at game-time Flash Flood, All area football games canceled. We were looking forward to the North Surry vs Mount Airy Football game but had to wait till Monday and still played on a Mount Airy rained mud-soaked field. Riverside Park looked like a lake as the water was 5 to 6 feet high in the park as it was in many other areas all over town. town. My Girlfriend at the time was 5'3" and standing at the front of a Laundry Mate with several other business the muddy water level was over the top of her head on the side of the large glass windows
Best I can remember it Was around 40 million dollars in damages with President Jimmy Carter getting involved in disaster relief.A lot of damage to the Mount Airy football field and Field house. Maybe
Bareman remembers more about the damages at the high school than I do. Best I remember water level got up into the bleachers and maybe the school ; lower level of the school. Several rivers and creeks run through Mount Airy,
Lovills Creek & Ararat River gave most of the damage in town both became lakes in places
The news continues on several pages of each newspaper. Who remembers more about the damage to Mount Airy High School & Football field and field house, only one at that time which is the visitor field house now.
I hope you can get this as it tells it all. It was headlines for 3 or 4 or more issues of the Mount Airy News which was a 3 day per week paper back then. Up until last year the online was free and I subscribe now but not much longer. Not very happy with it.
It started to rain on Thursday night, Sept. 20, 1979. It rained all Friday morning the way it does in the fall sometimes. It stopped for a few hours Friday
www.mtairynews.com