Maine Memory Network

A Recollection of the Hallowell Cyclone of 1895

On a Tuesday morning in December, 1895, at 8:00 am, Chas A. Brown was a morning watchman on the top level of the cotton mill. As he started working, he heard an ominous ripping noise which lifted the roof right above his head. Timbers, bricks, gravel, and tarred paper began to fly around his head as Brown ran to the other end of the mill.

Grover’s Grocery Store was struck with a mass of rubble. Little Vigril White was trapped inside the store when this happening occurred.

Before the Cyclone, life went on as it usually did. Chores were done, work was completed. The people of Hallowell never suspected anything like this to disrupt their day.

The stable that was occupied by Simmons and Sterns had gotten crushed like an eggshell. A horse had gotten trapped inside a compartment made by scattered debris. This little compartment was barely bigger than it's stable.

With so much destruction, many people would have given up right then and there. But the people of Hallowell made do with what they had. They used pieces of wood for fires and to rebuild some building that were damaged. The people of Hallowell were soon back on track.