March 24, 1955 - This vicinity suffered one of the biggest rains on record–10.32 inches within the space of about 24 hours, according to official measurement.
Practically all transportation was halted temporarily, and in some instances is still out; livestock was lost, land inundated and property destroyed.
Although no lives were lost, many head of livestock are missing, and a number of families in low areas had to be moved to safety by boat and otherwise.
The rain began early Sunday evening and continued almost without checking until in the afternoon Monday. At times the streets were flooded, cars drowned out, and fish were observed crossing the streets.
No. 9 highway between Bruce and Pittsboro was closed Monday afternoon after it had been covered with a mile of floodwater. Damage was considerable to the river bridge, and it may be some time before travel and be resumed.
All southbound mail was disrupted and until late Tuesday afternoon had not been resumed.
Many workers and other commuters were forced to go by Pontotoc which was the only direction which was not inundated temporarily. 32 west was blocked for a time and the road damaged in places. Many bridges were out in roads over the county.
A number of head of stock is missing. Many have been moved to higher ground. Land, where it was plowed especially, is badly washed and property damages other than to road and bridges will run into the thousands of dollars.
Bruce school was suspended Monday afternoon because of the high water. Old folks say they never saw anything quite like it.
The Mississippi and Skuna Valley Railroad and the highway that runs somewhat parallel with it from the county line to Bruce was greatly damaged from the high waters held back by Grenada Reservoir.
Tuesday afternoon a good portion of the railroad was still under water and, of course, the damage could not be estimated. All except one place on the highway, by being extremely careful, could be traveled by a pickup truck after the abutments of several bridges had been bridged.
At several places water from the reservoir had backed the water across the highway. Holes have been washed out deep enough to bury an automobile, gravel washed away and the abutment of bridges caved in so that runners had to be placed in order for even a truck to get by.
Attention will be called to government engineers and to our representatives in Congress to the damage done, and necessity for the road to be raised or relocated.