JULY 3, 2005 --

LPR was in Winsted, Connecticut, July 1 -- which happened to be the traditional first day of camp at Camps Wabigoon (for boys) and Wahanda (for girls) on Winsted's Smith Hill. (This writer attended Wabigoon from 1947 [as freshman] to 1961 [as counselor].)

There was, of course, no way of knowing, July 1, 1955, that seven weeks later -- August 19 -- Winsted would be ravaged by the flooding Mad River that took seven lives and destroyed Main Street. August 18, 1955 there were buildings on both sides of Main Street.

The Mad River turned Main Street into a canyon of rubble, destroying many of the buildings that stood above it along the eastbound edge of Main Street.

The photos accompanying this note show Main Street -- and the Mad River-- today. The river still flows along (and below) the east bound lane of Main Street greatly-widened following the disaster that struck
this small,and very special, northwestern Connecticut city, 50 years ago.

Main Street in Winsted looking Westbound - with 448 Main Street the third building on the right (see Observations...).

Main Street in Winsted looking Eastbound. The Mad River is on the right beyond the tree line.