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Each day, The News & Observer is looking back at some of our headlines on August and September dates in previous years. Here is a collection of what happened — the newsworthy, the interesting or the just plain strange.
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On this day in 1996, Hurricane Fran ripped across the state from Wilmington to Raleigh, smashing houses, scattering cars, knocking down whole forests and killing 37 people — 24 of them Tar Heels.
No one who lived through Fran can forget the 100-mph winds howling all night, knocking out power, sending tall oaks crashing into the streets.
The storm ripped up Topsail Beach and washed away homes. Winds took the dome off the Duplin County courthouse. A volunteer firefighter in Durham died in his truck, crushed by a tree.
Wake County woke to flooded basements, tall oaks crashed through the roof and the sound of chainsaws and generators — a sound that still echoes in troubled memories.
“Mother Nature can kick us in the tail,” said Katherine Skinner of Durham. “It’s nice to be reminded of that every now and then.”
In all, more than 1.7 million people lost power to Fran — often for upwards of three days.
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That spelled instant trouble at the J.J. Henderson Towers, a high-rise for senior citizens in Durham: “My oxygen is run by electricity,” said Edna Meekins, 78. “I had to use my portable all day.”
Left in the dark, many turned to gas stoves and generators, never meant to be used indoors. Duke University treated eight people for carbon monoxide poisoning. “It’s like being in a closed garage with the car on,” said Dr. Bret Stolp.
With kitchens dark across Raleigh and the stores either crowded or closed, hungry families emptied their thawing freezers and tossed breakfast, lunch and dinner on the Weber kettle.
“The neighbors fired up their grill, so I ran out with some lentil burgers,” said Jeanine Ryan.
Two Duke University students found an open pizza parlor and grabbed their first meal of the day — at 4 p.m.
“We haven’t eaten all day,” said Mario Long, 23. “Nothing’s open.”
This situation would continue for days, weeks and months. In September of 1996, there was no news but Fran.
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