B-R-R-R: For a while this winter, Bradford was the envy of
people in the West and Midwest who have been experiencing the kind
of cold and snow we remember all too well. Yes, we’re getting a
taste of it now, but, so far, we haven’t had one of those
memory-making seasons.

Along those lines, former Bradfordian Terrence McGuire drops us
a line about his winter out West, reminding us of just how lucky
we’ve been:

“I lived most of my life in Bradford and miss it very much
-except for the long winter. I live in Denver, Colorado, now and
have been watching your weather with envy this winter, (with its)
unseasonable warmth and lack of snow -not how I remember winter in
Bradford.

“This year’s winter here in Denver has included three blizzards
totaling over 70 inches of snow and bone-chilling below-zero
temperatures. Take heart, Holiday Valley skiers! You’re a plane
ticket away from waist-high powder.”

MEMORIES: As Terrence reminds us, we’ve had our share of “long”
winters – and a few doozies, among ’em, too.

Jim Piscatelli sends along a copy of ‘RTS from Feb. 18, 1992,
that featured some reminiscences about a real old-fashioned
Bradford winter 70 years ago. In that column, Roy “Butch” Alexis’
recalled the long-ago winter of 1934.

Back then, Roy said it was 42 degrees below zero at 7:30 a.m.
Feb. 10 at Thompson’s store in South Bradford.

“Herm Exley and I went to work for the South Penn Oil Co.
(Pennzoil) about 1933, the fall of 1933, to be exact, and Roy
Gustafson went to work for Dresser about the same time,” Roy
wrote.

“It never went above zero all during the month of February 1934
in Bradford. Here in Mount Jewett, the frost was down to five feet
and Dave Dann wore out his electric welder, thawing out water
lines,” he added.

Jim’s clipping noted that back in February 1934, temperatures in
Bradford one morning were 40 degrees below zero.

A look through our files showed that national reports back then
showed the East was experiencing one of the “worst winters ever.”
In spite of the cold, Bradfordians, ever hardy, carried on. After
all, cold weather is nothing new to us. The Feb. 12 edition of the
paper notes that back in February 1914, temperatures in Bradford
and vicinity were reported as being 10 to 20 degrees below
zero.