The Storm of 1954
by Tricia Noel
On July 14, 1954, around 6:30 pm, the sky over the west side of the Bluff turned a weird color. Described as “brassy,” “livid,” and a “sulphureous topaz” color by the Chronicle-Express, the color settled over the Bluff as a monstrous storm decimated other parts of the county. Seemingly out of nowhere, the storm sprang up, surprising people while eating dinner, driving, swimming, and doing farm or yard work. Without warning, the day turned from pleasant to terrifying for people all over the community.
Although no one reported a funnel cloud touching down, the storm had the hallmarks of a tornado. In some places, especially along the West Lake Road, cottages literally flew away into the air. Frank Andrake, Gus Wladis and Ray Wachob were just a few that reported severe damage. Wladis’ entire roof came off and flew one hundred feet away. In a dramatic incident, Betty Wager Babcock was at her parents’ home on County House Road, attempting to shut a window when the rain started. The wind was so strong that she was carried across the room into a closet, which was then jammed shut by heavy linoleum that rolled up against the closet door. A Mrs. Grady on Burns Terrace in Penn Yan was pinned to the front of her home by the wind when attempting to run into the house. Rose Bassage of Elm Street in Penn Yan reported watching her own chimney sail past her window. A Mrs. Berg on Kimball Avenue walked out of her kitchen to call her husband to dinner, only for a tree to crush the kitchen seconds later.
Businesses were also affected. Mack’s Marina, next to Red Jacket Park, suffered a great deal of damage. According to the Chronicle-Express, “an inboard motorboat was lifted into the air and placed on a boat mooring that was not its own.” The business also reported broken windows, which allowed wind and water damage to the office, and the broken glass flew in at such a speed that the furniture was “pitted” with it. The roof of Penn Yan Express’ dock flew away and crashed into a light pole, landing on the back of a car. The employees at the Merry-Go-Round were forced to hide from flying debris behind a large refrigerator. An airplane at the airfield was crushed.
Trees all over were uprooted and dropped onto cars and buildings, and broken branches littered streets and yards. In typical tornado fashion, while one part of the county was devastated, others experienced nothing. Those who noticed the strange sky over the Bluff were spared by any unusual weather, while the village of Penn Yan and the outer edges of the lake were ravaged.
Those who managed to avoid serious damage still had to deal with the aftermath of the storm. Power was knocked out, some places flooded, and others lost clean water. Still, the local electric board worked hard to get power restored. Several businesses that relied heavily on electricity – such as ice companies and dairy farms – reported their power came back in time to avoid any losses. Telephones came back into service within 48 hours.
Despite the heavy damage, the saddest instance was the severe injury of two boys at the Penn Yan Little League field. The sudden storm ripped the roof off one of the dugouts and dropped it onto Wally Rhinehart,11, and Paul Cassetta, 12. Both boys suffered fractured skulls and were in critical condition for some time following the storm, but eventually recovered. Many benefit baseball games were played for the boys as they convalesced.
The mayor of Penn Yan at the time, Lewis Gracey, gave a speech thanking the highway departments, the fire department, and everyone who worked hard to clear up debris and get power restored. He also revealed a kind gesture of receiving $5.00 from tourists from Quebec to add to the storm restoration fund. The kindness of members of the community towards those needing help was what stood out in the aftermath of the storm.
Unfortunately, within a few months, Yates County was hit by the remnants of Hurricane Hazel and many had to start repairs all over again.
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