There are still quite a few residents today who remember the tornado which
struck Fitchburg and environs a little over fifty years ago.  On July 17,
1924, a tornado ripped across northern Worcester County in an eighteen-mile
long path from Templeton to Shirley.  Two people were killed and thiry-four
people injured as the storm passed through the area.  Of the $740,000
damage, most of it was inflicted in Fitchburg, where the Parkhill and
Dejonge mills were partially destroyed, burying one worker and injuring many
more beneath the rubble.  Homes along the south side of the river had their
roofs blown away, and walls collapsed in an instant.  Thousands of trees
were uprooted and splintered like matchsticks, causing the area to resemble
the aftermath of a war scene.

The storm formed over East Templeton around 11:00 am and skipped along an
erratic path through Gardner and Westminster.  Seen as a copper-colored
cloud descending from the sky, it touched down near Ohio Ave. at 12:07pm
during the noon hour.  The Cleghorn section of the city was hardest hit,
with subsequent damage along Laurel St. and portions of the South side.  In
the vicinity of Harvard and Summer Sts.  roofs of some building sailed two
humdred feet through the air before crashing down to the ground.  Whalom
Park was battered beyond recognition, its pine grove leveled and the
amusements swept away.  A boy was drowned on the lake as his canoe capsized,
and two weeks elapsed before his body could be found.  After roaring across
Lunenburg, the tornado's fury spent itself upon entering Shirley.  

                        THE PERILS OF PEARL HILL

The Cliffs, formerly known as High Rock, is the summit of Pearl Hill,
elevation 1024 feet, in teh northeastern section of the city.  From its top
can be seen the  entire skyline of Boston as well as the towns and vilages
from Fitchburg eastward.  The Cliffs can be approached from above or below
(by foot or by car).

To reach it from below, you must drive on Pearl Hill Road.  After crossing
John Fitch  Highway at Put's Pond, Pearl Hill Road starts to climb.  On your
left down an old, long driveway at number 110 is the old Putnam homestead,
built probably around 1820.  It is a magnificently restored three-story
yellow clapboard house with Black shutters.  Number 256 is an old two story
colonial residence, white with grey shutters.  Continue out Pearl Hill Road,
past "Horizon Hill" and Kendall Road.  At a bend in the road above Kendall
Road you will find the old Reuben Gibson house, build ca. 1755, one of the
few remaining saltboxes in Fitchburg.  This was the home of one of the
earliset settlers of Fitchburg.  Immediately beyond this farm is a level
section of road from which there's no problem seeing Boston's skyline.  Park
your car opposite a small road which branches off to the left.  This is
known as High Rock Branch, and dates back almost two humdred years.  This is
the road to the Cliffs.  You'll be walking the length of this, up past the
houses as far as an intersection with several roads.  TAke a left here onto
High Rock Road.  At the highest pont on the road take a left onto the path
to the Cliffs.  If you'r a cat with nine lives, and want to scale the
Cliffs, you should take a left before reaching the houses, but its steeper
than it looks, so take it easy.

Driving to the summit by car, you'd have to take High Rock Road.  Turn north
off John Fitch Highway onto little used Fisher Road, near the intersection
with Ashby State Road and Rindge Road.  After crossing the narrow stone
bridge (recently washed out) head up the road for about two miles, until the
road stops climbing.  High Rock Road, two hundred years old, contains
several nice old houses, well-restored.  At its intersection with Kinsman
Road there is an old, slant-roofed, central chimneyed house.  Farther uy on
the right, at a bend in the road there is a Federal style house, and at the
high gound immediatedly above this is the path to the Cliffs.  Park and walk up.

Lunenburg lies several miles in the distance, a little off to the right.
Groton Academy's Gothic spires can be seen easily, as can the church
steeples of surrounding towns.  The Cliffs are best taken advantage of in
the autumn, when the season's brilliant foliage is unfurled at your feet
like an intricate oriental rug.  In any season though, the spectacular view
makes the trip well worthwhile for the pleasure seeker.

(to be continued)