Hurricane of 1938
Excerpts from Diary of Hilda Hildreth

Wednesday, Sept. 21- In office 7-12:30, 6-9 p.m. Picked up apples in back yard in afternoon. Rainy off and on. At 5.00 p.m. it started blowing and raining, At 5.00 it was a hurricane. Trees, poles, wires, falling everywhere. We lost one big elm, 3 large maple trees. Marion could not get home from Nashua. Louis had to go to Pepperell, so he took me to the office early. Ma did not want me to go as she gas left all alone. About 10 p.m. Louis came up with a flashlight and helped me walk home from the Hildreths.

Thursday. Sept. 22-Everyone was out at 7:00 a.m. viewing the destruction/ Trees had fallen on Jeff Smith's house, Harold Hardy's , and our house. Roads all over town were impassable, All available men were chopping wood' all day. Only one telephone was working in the town-the one to Hildreth's residence. No electricity anywhere.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 23 - I washed windows and had a short ride on Ritzee. Mabel Hill's road was very bad from Walch's down. Mr. Frost hepled Louis get the tree off from our roof. Louis took Hills engine down to a Nashua Mill. Bed at 10. I saw Henry tonight-he works from daylight till dark with the Pepperell, Mass. electric light crew.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 24 - In office 7-12:30, 6-9 p.m. Cloudy, windy. Don't feel very good so took it easy in p.m. Ma raked up the door-yard. Louis took an engine up to Locke's to freeze ice cream, then hitched it to the School water system.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 25 - Nice day. Marion and Ma drove to Goffstown to see how Aunt Alice stood the hurricane. She was O.K.-not many trees down up that way.

I watched the stand this p.m. (apples) Louis and Grace drove around Groton. Very bad there.

MONDAY, SEPT. 26--Very clear day. In office 7-12:30, 6-9 . Ma washed by hand today. No electricity. She and Louis picked up delicious drops. Nashua tree men digging holes in front of house. (Louis took engine over to Henry Wilson's poultry plant for incubators to stay there till 12.

---------Tues. nothing written down

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 28 - In office 7-12:30, 6-9. One toll line to Nashua connected today after 7 days without. People in center of town got electricity tonight at 7:00 p.m.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 29 - Telephone office got electricity today. In office 12:30-¢. Ma and Marion picked up apples this p.m. I went up to the Library tonight. L. Rule came in and showed us pictures of his N.S. Trip.

FRIDAY, Sept. 30 - Rainy. I cleaned up baan this a.m. Office 12:30-.00 We still have no lights or telephone at home. Henry works from daylight to dark for the Pepperell Electric Co. Maynard Lund is helping Mr. Hildreth repairing Hollis Telephone Lines.

SATURDAY, OCT. 1 - Clear, Office 7-12:30, 6-~0:15. The Dudleys are working today picking up drops and patching the red barn roof, Louis roofing paper on stand. Ma pulled carrots. I mended stockings all p.m. Bed ll:oo.