The "Only the Chimney can be seen" Story

It was an ordinary day. Hurricane Agnes is starting to make it's way up the east coast. Not really a windy storm at this time, but it sure is raining. Lots of flood warnings out for our entire state as well as states to our south and north. Then, I get a call from my Mom and Dad and ask if I can head out to my Aunt Lillian's house to help move everything out of the house. She lives along the Conestoga River and it is starting to rise. My Uncle Bud died a few years ago and my Aunt stayed in the family home on Pitney Road. My uncle had a body and paint shop and the river was about 50 yards from the shop and their house. I headed out and when I got there the rain was starting to ease up, but the river was just starting to rise. Getting pretty close to the house and shop. My cousin George, who took over the garage from his dad, was moving some of the most expensive equipment from the shop to higher ground and my aunt and a few of her neighbors were moving furniture and belongings from the house. I pitched in as well as others who were arriving. In an hour the river was coming into her basement. Never saw anything like it. You could watch it rise every time you made a trip with something and returned. In no time at all it was to the top of her basement steps. Wow, one last trip is about all we are going to make. The house is a rancher and it doesn't look good. Everyone moves their cars and trucks to higher ground as we watch the fast moving Conestoga start to rise in the house and shop. A few hours later all that can be seen is the top foot of the chimney in the house. The shop is totally covered with water. Large logs and other debris are floating down the river. Everyone seems to be in shock. My aunt and cousin stayed with neighbors that night and the next day the river started to recede. The damage was unbelievable. What a chore is in store for the neighborhood. Locally, a large bridge that goes across the river at Engleside was washed away, stopping traffic on southbound 222. There were over 50 deaths in Pennsylvania and over 2 billion dollars of damage in the state. Lots of it was in the Susquehanna River Valley. Months passed and things started to get back to normal. My aunt had all the interior walls removed and replaced and had an exit door put in the basement. Everything in the basement was put on rollers for easy removal. The heating system, hot water heater, freezer and fridge all could be moved quickly if needed. My cousin Judy's husband Lance and I redid the siding and did some painting and the roof and windows were replaced. The auto shop received a new coat of paint and a good cleaning and my cousin was back in business again. Time passes and life returns to normal. Almost! The memories and horrors of Hurricane Agnes will always remain with those who witnessed it. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - I'm sorry I have no photos to show of the devastation of my aunt's house, but everyone was so amazed at the strength of the river that we didn't take photos.