Photo of The Month – Jul 2010

Snow Day

Picture contributor: Phillip White

A stunning photo of the south end of town, with the curve of the river in the foreground. The snow-covered houses of South Main fill the area on the far bank. Then the imposing buildings of the mill dominate the scene. — Snow Day

A rare view of town, taken in 1940 by Hazel Haynes Bridges. It’s rare in that it shows the placement of South Main houses along the river. The village seems insular, huddled unto itself, with its collar turned up to ward off the cold wind.

The Depression still touched most families. Bread winners—and there wasn’t much bread to be won—were on short weeks; the mill stood idle much of the time for lack of contracts. But, from another perspective, it was a high point in Cliffside’s story. During the recent bad years, its people had learned to cling more tightly to each other and the Company had proven itself to be protective and compassionate of its people.

It was a different time. Note that each house had an outdoor toilet. Water was supplied by outside faucets located between every other house. Another decade would pass before many households would own automobiles. Television’s widespread use was a dozen years in the future. Radio was still our principal link to the outside world.