Good Morning, 🌊 On this day in 1881 (141 years ago), the inaugural U.S. National Championship took place at the Newport Casino in Newport. The first edition was won by Richard Sears of Boston, MA who went on to win seven consecutive singles titles.
I was 15yo, working at JT’s Lumberyard on Long Wharf. We were lifting all the store hardware etc inventory to temporary shelving six feet off the floor. As the winds increased and waves started coming over the sea wall, most of us were told to leave and get to higher ground.
Came back the next morning to a scene of devastation. The store had been flooded to almost five feet in depth. A 35 foot boat (give or take) had been washed over the sea wall and down the alley next to the store into the lumberyard in back. Lumber had been washed up the railroad tracks for 1/2 mile or more (no fence in the yard in those days). It took a week and more to dry out, clean up and restore some sense of normality to the business..
Boats from across the entire harbor were washed into and smashed up or sunk in the corner of the sea wall and what is now Perrotti Park. The Newport Yacht Club was located on pilings from the now Perrotti Park sea wall, and was damaged heavily and almost swept off the pilings. That led to its current relocation to what was then part of the city’s Public Works Yard.
It took months for the Island, and the state to recover from Carol.
I was 15yo, working at JT’s Lumberyard on Long Wharf. We were lifting all the store hardware etc inventory to temporary shelving six feet off the floor. As the winds increased and waves started coming over the sea wall, most of us were told to leave and get to higher ground.
Came back the next morning to a scene of devastation. The store had been flooded to almost five feet in depth. A 35 foot boat (give or take) had been washed over the sea wall and down the alley next to the store into the lumberyard in back. Lumber had been washed up the railroad tracks for 1/2 mile or more (no fence in the yard in those days). It took a week and more to dry out, clean up and restore some sense of normality to the business..
Boats from across the entire harbor were washed into and smashed up or sunk in the corner of the sea wall and what is now Perrotti Park. The Newport Yacht Club was located on pilings from the now Perrotti Park sea wall, and was damaged heavily and almost swept off the pilings. That led to its current relocation to what was then part of the city’s Public Works Yard.
It took months for the Island, and the state to recover from Carol.