We have more memories from the Blizzard of 1949 to share. We filled our audio files from a previous story, so here's the overflow. More to come!
Longtime Alliance resident, 87-year-old David Leon, remembers the Blizzard of 1949 in Alliance. Leon was a bit shy and didn't want to be recorded, so we drafted someone to pinch-hit for David. Even though the link below does not access David's voice, they are indeed HIS memories (runs 7:04).
Helen Applegarth McConnell, a second grader at Alliance St. Agnes at the time of the Blizzard (3:07).
The Box Butte County Chapter of the American Red Cross took an active role in helping area residents recover from the Great Blizzard of 1949. The local Red Cross Chapter spent $4,298.25 assisting those in need. The Red Cross link below will allow you to hear the script of a letter drafted by H.R. Partridge (voiced by KCOW's Kevin Horn), who at the time was serving as the Superintendent of the Alliance Public Schools and was the local disaster chairman for the Box Butte County Red Cross Chapter. Partridge penned a letter to a Red Cross superior outlining local efforts. The letter was discovered in local Red Cross files (runs 6:11).
Doris Elder, now a resident at Highland Park Care Center in Alliance, was living near Marsland when the Blizzard of 1949 struck (interview runs 8:13).
Emelene Thurson Powles, Alliance, & Don Powles of Ashby, reflect on the blizzard that hit the Sandhills (runs 10:04).
Phyllis Rothwell Curtiss Knoflicek, was living in Hyannis at the time of the blizzard (runs 4:22).
John Cover, 83, Alliance, caught in the blizzard at Ashby (runs 19:47).
Jerri Nyffler, Alliance. Four-year-old who took an unplanned "sleigh ride." (Runs 4:32)
Amy Applegarth, 2006 AHS Grad, tells the story of her Grandmother, Lois Grabher Johnson, who was crowned "Miss Snowbound, 1949." (Runs 3:04)
