Population Explosions
I always struggle to come up with a new topic after having put together the rest of the NFTH. One of these days, I'll just skip this column, but for now.....
As many of you are aware, parts of North America will experience a total solar eclipse in just a couple of months, on April 8 (I'll write more about that in March and April). A big swath of the path of totality will pass through Vermont and New Hampshire, and the region has been getting ready for the onslaught of eclipse chasers from around the country. Hotels in the area are already booked, many at inflated prices, and there are concerns about traffic issues, especially because the event will take place during our infamous mud season.
Lest you think I'm exaggerating, I ran across an article the other day about a town in far northern New Hampshire, population 800, that is strategizing exactly how to accommodate the flood of guests that may number up into the thousands:
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| CLICK HERE FOR STORY |
Here in Randolph, we're about 10-15 miles outside of the path of totality, so we're not sure what kinds of crowds to expect. John and I have invited some friends from down country to join us, but we'll have to take a short drive a little further north to experience the full effect. Other than that, we're all set with our eclipse sunglasses and time tables, and are keeping our fingers crossed for a clear or nearly clear day.
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| Aerial view of Pittsburg, NH, anticipating over 1,000 eclipse tourists |
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Reading about Pittsburg NH brought to mind another small town that faced a similar dilemma twenty odd years ago - but for much more dire reasons, and with no warning or time to prepare for a sudden population explosion. The story became widely well-known thanks to a book and recent Broadway play.
The town was Gander, Newfoundland and the date was September 11, 2001. After the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, U.S. airspace was shut down. As a result, 38 incoming international flights carrying almost 7,000 passengers and crew were rerouted to Gander International Airport* in what became known as "Operation Yellow Ribbon". The town of just over 10,000 was about to nearly double in size for the better part of a week.
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| Gander International during "Operation Yellow Ribbon" |
The story of that week in Gander was documented in the 2003 book "The Day the World Came to Town" by Jim DeFede, and eventually adapted into the Broadway musical "Come From Away". John and I were lucky enough to catch a performance of it in Burlington last month, as the play is making a North American tour. If you happen to find it coming to your neck of the woods, we highly recommend going to see it. Unlike the solar eclipse, you won't need funny glasses and you may not have to travel far to see it.
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* Gander International Airport was heavily used by the Royal Canadian Air Force during WWII, and continued to be an important refueling stop for Trans-Atlantic flights in the post-war period. By the 1960's, G.I.A. diminished in importance as longer-range jets no longer needed the stopover - but the airport's ability to accommodate large aircraft and its distance from major Canadian cities made it an ideal destination for the flights rerouted on 9/11.
