In August of 1953 my parents and I moved from a little white
house on the banks of the sleepy Blackberry River in West
Norfolk. The house had been built in 1761 and had seen its share
of high water, but nothing like the floodwater on that August
night in 1955.  The entire house was swept into the Blackberry
River with its occupants still inside. It floated for at least a
half mile before it got hung up on something and stopped. My
friend's father, Frank Treadway, with no concern for his own
safety, crossed the river on a rope and brought the family
members back across the river to safety. Mr. Treadway was later
awarded the Heroism Medal by the American Red Cross for his
selfless action that night.  There was also damage to the
General Electric plant in Norfolk. The plant specialized in
making starters for fluorescent light fixtures. The Blackberry
River tore into and through the back of the building, pushing
the back wall into the river. Many townspeople volunteered to
take turns guarding the building until i