Christmas 2000 Ice Storm

Detailed ice storm photos
Linda Cobb of Fort Smith shares close-up photos of ice on trees

Linda Cobb of Fort Smith took these detailed photos of trees in her yard immediately after the Christmas 2000 ice storm. This close-up of ice-laden tree limbs was a familiar scene to River Valley residents. "We were without electricity for 5 days," Linda says. "Then a tree limb fell on the telephone and cable wires and we were without telephone for 3 1/2 days and cable for a week at least."

"We didn't have any wood except what we could scrape up from the garage," Linda remembers. "We had saved scraps from projects. "One night when I was so cold the Lord brought to my remembrance some wood scraps that I had saved when I was doing some repair on my in-law's house a few years ago. I went to the garage and got out my hack saw and brought it to the kitchen where I had candle light and began to saw. That got us through another night.

"The next night we had wood that was taken off our roof when they removed the tree," Linda says.

"It was kindly fun and challenging when I realized that I could cook in the fireplace," Linda continues. "I made fresh vegetable soup and took it to my next-door neighbors. The next day I decided I could make hot chocolate for us all. My neighbor who isn't quite as young as I am said that I had saved his life. They were really cold.

"When I help others it seems that God always supplies my need no matter how large or small," Linda shares. "I had been wishing and looking for a certain kind of hand towel for the kitchen which is very hard to find, as a matter of fact is usually home made. Sure enough my neighbor made me some after the storm. She had no idea that I would even want something like that."

"Only one tree fell on the house," Liinda says, "but it had 3 very large trunks. One split at the root and went on the house and through a window. Another broke off at the top and went through another window and the other one fell into the garden." Linda says they had loss or major damage to several trees, including a peach tree, two pecan trees, and some pine trees.

For more December 2000 ice storm stories and photos, click here.

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