Hurricane Audrey

[Gerald]

I grew up in Baton and was 10 years old. I remember Audrey as my first hurricane.


If I remember correctly.... after the storm hit SW Louisiana, it turned to the NE and passed south of Alexandria, La. Winds in Baton Rouge were about 60 mph.


I spent the morning and afternoon going from the front of the house to the back to look out the windows and see what trees or limbs had fallen. During the afternoon, a very large [3 foot diameter] oak tree fell across the street out front. Just before getting dark, we heard a car skidding to a stop just short of hitting the tree.


Dad and I went out to see what had happened. We then started to pile up branches to form a barrier to alert drivers before hitting the tree. I think the tree was cut up the next day.


We lost several other trees that day, but no damage to the house.


Weather reporting back 60 years ago was very limited and a lot of homes did not even have TV.