Just as those who live near an inactive volcano can never completely escape from the fear of a future eruption, people living near a river must occasionally deal with the effects of flooding. So it was with a lot of Wallins townsfolk. I personally experienced two floods first hand. The first one was in 1963. It had rained for several days and nights straight without letting up. We anxiously watched as the Cumberland River rose and eventually overflowed its banks. This coupled with all the runoff into the creeks caused deep flooding in parts of Wallins.
I remember watching the water back up and rise as it approached through the bottoms near the main highway. We were scared but fascinated by the speed and force of the water as it swept debris along in its swift current. I was fearful as I watched that I could accidentally fall in. This would have meant being swept away to a certain death. The river eventually overflowed the Wallins Bridge, cutting off the town from the outside world. I remember that another route out of town was found by going over Happy Top to Dixietown.
We stayed in our home on Back Street for as long as we could. We eventually had to be evacuated by boat. This presented problems as my grandma was an invalid and was confined to her bed. We wrapped her in blankets, and Muscles Osborne carried her out in his arms. She stayed with her sister, Vinie Brock, who lived on the other side of the bridge near the turnoff from Highway 119 into Wallins.
Before we evacuated the house we raised what furniture we could, hoping that it would be above any invading water. We also tried to take a few other things that we could carry. Other personal items were picked up off the floor and were placed on top of furniture to hopefully protect them from water damage.
An evacuation shelter was opened at the school for all the displaced persons. The American Red Cross and the Salvation Army provided surplus army cots and blankets. They also provided food and other necessities. At first I thought it was pretty neat, but after a few days I was ready to go home.
There were quite a large number of people using this facility. We were very appreciative of the volunteers and other services that were provided. We later received additional financial assistance from the Red Cross to help us replace the things that we lost. I really don't know what we would have done without their assistance. God bless the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. I have not forgotten their generosity.
After the water had receded enough to allow us to get back inside the house, we discovered the magnitude of the devastation. By measuring the watermark inside the house, we determined that the water was 4 1/2 feet high in the house. All of the precautions that we had taken went for naught. All of the furniture that had been raised, had been toppled, spilling all of the other items that had been placed on top. Everything was ruined. The most heartbreaking loss that we incurred was the loss of photos and other irreplaceable documents.
When the water receded, it left a layer of mud throughout the house. This mud created a distinctive sour smell. I don't think that I will ever forget this smell. It also swelled and warped any furniture or other wooden material. All appliance motors including the stove and refrigerator were ruined. All rugs or linoleum had to be taken up from the floor and thrown away. We had to move everything out of the house in order to shovel and hose the mud out. This was repeated over and over, as the mud and dirt would simply re-appear when it dried. Throughout this process we were dealing with cold and dampness. It was bone chilling.
I remember that we had a lot of people that came to our aid. Some were family, others were friends and neighbors. There is no time like a flood to test the mettle of a small town. I was very grateful for all the help we received. I can only remember a couple of the folks who helped us. They were Delbert "Deb" Long and his wife, Edna. I think my Uncle Syl Osborne had sent some other people to help us.
We eventually were able to get back into our house again with the help of our families, friends and relief agencies. It was never the same however. We had lost so much. The ravages of the flood had left scars on the house that could never be healed. It had also taken from us something that could never be replaced. I think this was our dignity and sense of well being. There were other things which I mentioned previously, such as the photographs and family treasures. These were irreplaceable. Money could not buy these back. Our lives were forever changed.
