When the "Big Chill" hit Eastern North Carolina

Looking north along the County Bridge towards Washington, NC

Do you think the “polar vortexes” of late have made it unusually cold in eastern North Carolina? Granted, it’s been cold enough during the past few days for Jack’s Creek (historically known as Windmill Creek) to ice over several times. But it hasn’t been anywhere near as cold as it was during a ten-day period of sub-freezing temperatures during the winter of 1917/1918. 

As the New Year approached in late December of 1917, the river and sound region of North Carolina was figuratively “in the icebox.” Albemarle and Pamlico sounds completely frozen over. Lighthouse keepers became stranded in their screwpile lighthouses for weeks without fresh supplies or food. Without the luxury of modern winter weather warnings, commercial fishermen and their boats found themselves icebound.

In Washington, for the first 48 hours of the cold spell, the temperature never rose above twenty degrees. The lowest registered at two above. A headline in the December 31, 1917, Washington Daily News read “Skating Today on the Pamlico River.” The story stated that the river between the downtown waterfront and Castle Island had frozen to a thickness of two inches. Several brave souls tested their ice skating skills on the thin ice and lived to tell about it. Anticipating the ice getting even thicker, the story added, “Skates are greatly in demand and everybody is trying to borrow someone else’s.” Who knew that more than a single pair of ice skates would have existed in Washington?

But fun and merriment soon changed to suffering and misery. By January 3, the mercury had dropped to one degree below zero. The water pipes and wells in almost all of the homes in town became completely frozen, along with the radiators of many of the cars. The Tar and Pamlico rivers completely froze over with ice reaching a thickness of eight inches. It was said that it was possible to walk the entire distance from the mouth of the Pamlico River all the way to Tarboro on the frozen waterway. Of course, the frozen conditions made it impossible to travel by boat. In addition, the region was hit by several heavy snowstorms. Train and motor vehicle travel ground to a halt. Soon, fuel, food, and water supplies ran low. 

The Washington Daily News stated, “’ Light bread’ has been out for the past few days. None of the stores has had any for sale, although they expect to get in some within a day or two. Kerosene is almost out now. There is less than fifty gallons in the entire town.” 

Knowing how essential seafood was to the diets of the Washington populace, one headline announced in bold letters, “No Oysters Are to Be Had in the City.” Because of the lack of fuel, town officials and the Associated Charities, a local aid society, did their best to provide heat and shelter for the needy. The town jail and the A.M.E. Zion church served as shelters and kept big fires going for those without fuel.

Finally, on January 7, the paper announced “Thermometer Takes Big Jump.” The mercury reached 45 degrees, and an ensuing hard rain managed to sweep away much of the snow. Over the next several days, the warmer temperatures allowed the ice-covered river to thaw along with frozen water pipes. Slowly, as weather conditions improved, commerce resumed, allowing food and fuel supplies to return to normal.

So the next time the Weather Channel heralds the arrival of the next polar vortex, keep in mind the time the Big Chill iced over the Pamlico.

References

"Big freeze Bath Belhaven" Newspapers.com, Greenville News, January 7, 1918, https://www.newspapers.com/article/greenville-news-big-freeze-bath-belhaven/92935105/

"Skating on the Pamlico River" Newspapers.com, Washington Daily News, December 31, 1917, https://www.newspapers.com/article/washington-daily-news-skating-on-the-pam/190417829/

"No Oysters, River Frozen Over" Newspapers.com, Washington Daily News, January 4, 1918, https://www.newspapers.com/article/washington-daily-news-no-oysters-river/190446991/

"Skating on the Pamlico River" Newspapers.com, Washington Daily News, December 31, 1917, https://www.newspapers.com/article/washington-daily-news-skating-on-the-pam/190417829/