On the morning of December 5th, 1957, a major natural gas explosion occurred in the basement of Berry Pharmacy in Villa Rica, Georgia here in the United States. The blast was so large that it leveled an entire city block, killing 12 people and severely injuring 20. It was the largest disaster in Carroll County Georgia’s history, according to the historical plaque located outside the restored pharmacy building. Here is a brief YouTube video of a 1957 newsreel played in many movie theaters at the time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpe9V4pzUVY.
On December 5th, 2007, my wife Norma and I drove over to Villa Rica from the neighboring city of Douglasville to attend and capture the 50th anniversary ceremony in remembrance of this great tragedy. A large number of people still connected to the disaster appeared that chilly December day and participated in an exceptionally somber yet joyous celebration. This slice of Villa Rican history illustrates the strength, spirit and soul of a small town with timeless integrity.
Here is the front panel from the 54 minute video created by ArtonDisk.com. You may order a High Definition DVD of the 50th anniversary ceremony if you would like a permanent copy. The link will take you to ArtonDisk.com where you should click in the right sidebar to purchase the DVD. It will be sent to you in about 5 business days or less. The video includes a copy of the program from that day’s events.
Throughout the ceremony, the speakers are backlit and appear as mournful silhouettes. While this effect is the accidental result of working with a new high definition video camera set on "automatic," it lends itself to the overwhelming sadness and deeply felt meaning of the event.
The celebration inside the new Berry Pharmacy immediately after the ceremony was overwhelmingly joyous. I’ve never liked the word "closure" but there was a sense of framing the past and creating new beginnings for Villa Rica that day.
We hope you find tremendous value in this 54 minute video. Thank you to all who participated that wonderful day. Richard and Norma Nichols
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Filed as Villa Rica
Ernest Everett Blevins on 29 Jul 2009 at 2:55 am #
I thought you might like some additional background on the marker ceremony. In 2003, I got the Villa Rica Historic Preservaiton Committee started and though it struggled we were a small group. I came up with and did the initial implication of the Villa Rica Historic Preseration Plaque program.
I’m guesssing (since I don’t have my notes in front of me) that in the November or December 2006 Historic Preservation Committee meeting I suggested that the 50th anniversary was coming up the following year. I proposed that the committee attempt to get a Georgia State Historical marker for the 50th annivesary. The idea was jumped on particluarly since Valarie Wilhiem and Patricia Proctor, daughters of the Berrys, were on the committee hadn’t realized yet the next year was the 50th. Unfortunatly within months the politics of the to save the Old Library fractured the committee. Being a historic presrvation committee I tried to get them to work to save the old Library while the rest wanted to see the historic site (also associated with the Berry family) demolished. Eventually not by choice I was not on the committee when the marker was dedicated.
Unfortunatly I had to work that day on a long term archaeology project and did not attend the ceremony.
I tired your link to order a disk but it did not work. I’d like to know more about your non-profit and if you’d like to add the backdrop of the how the marker came to be I’ll be glad to talk with you about it leaving off the break up of the group since its not pertient to the story.