Tornado Recovery Is Progressing in Big Stone Gap, Va.

BIG STONE GAP, Va. – The Southwest Virginia Museum – housed in the stone mansion that former Virginia attorney general Rufus Ayers built for his family 120 years ago – no longer hides beneath the shade of a massive oak tree.

The EF-1 tornado that swept through Big Stone Gap on March 4 exposed the gray structure to the sunlight when it cut a one-mile path of destruction through the Wise County town and toppled the giant oak that had cast shadows on the front yard for many decades.

The museum stands out now. It is seen easily from just about anywhere downtown, probably looking as it did when Ayers first brought his family to the bustling town as coal speculators swarmed Big Stone Gap during the region’s original coal boom.

"People can see us now," said Pam Smith, the museum’s administrative specialist. "Before this, we had to give people directions because they would always pass us up because of the tree."

Smith said annual programs held on the museum lawn will be a bit warmer this summer because of the tree’s demise. Plans are under way for the museum to put a portion of the felled tree on display for others to see the girth it attained before it was toppled by the 110-mile-per-hour winds.

Volunteers from Mountain Empire Community College and students from other colleges have been working to restore the museum grounds, Smith said. Staff from other state parks in the region also are lending a hand.

The museum suffered little damage because the trees fell away from the structure. One giant tree limb managed to crash into an upstairs window but the museum’s displays were unharmed, Smith said.

The facility opened the Tuesday after the tornado and is operating normally. Plenty of visitors have stopped by to look at the tree stump and to ask about damage, Smith said.

The museum, part of the Virginia State Park system, is just one of the many changes in the town’s look in the two weeks since the twister, after more than 100 truckloads of debris have been removed.

Big Stone Gap is getting plenty of the spring sun’s rays these days. Dozens of trees were uprooted and most have been hauled away.

The unmistakable growl of chainsaws was heard everywhere for days after the tornado as crews worked to remove trees from roofs, roadways and playground equipment in the town’s park.

The chain-saw buzz now has been replaced by the constant thud of hammers and the clink of ladders being hauled from work trucks to roofs.

Michael Morris, a high school art teacher, is hearing plenty of hammering this week while school is out for spring break.

Morris was buying bread and milk at a convenience store when the tornado struck. He knew his neighborhood was hit hard because police would not let him or others go home in the aftermath.

He managed to walk to his home to check on his two dogs.

Morris found his Shawnee Avenue home had $46,000 worth of damage, much of which was on the interior. He also found himself with some time on his hands shortly after the tornado, so he used his art skills to decorate the plain boards nailed in place over broken windows and damaged siding.

A large eye with tears now looks out from a window covering on the house’s side. An equally large mouth with a toothy smile is painted on a board near his front porch. A large painting of a dog guards his front door.

"I had some spray paint left over from last year," Morris said as work crews scurried to his roof to replace shingles. "I figured I might as well use it. I didn’t have anything else to do but sweep away glass and clean up around here."

Painting the giant crying eye was appropriate for the neighborhood, he said, especially since the community was teeming with sightseers and a few looters who scurried around picking up items that had blown from homes. The artwork sent the message that people in the neighborhood are watching, he said.

"My goal is – since this is spring break – is that maybe by summer we can start to get work done on the interior," Morris said. "I still have water leaking through my roof."

Morris was at home last weekend when weather forecasters were telling people to watch for a possible tornado in Wise County, but he was unaware of the predictions.

"I didn’t have a television until two nights ago," he said. "I bought a small TV after that, so I didn’t know during the bad weather if I should stay here or go somewhere else."

Tim Thomas, the girls track coach at Powell Valley High, spent the first day of spring break cleaning up the running track at Bullitt Park. He raked debris and kept a sharp eye for small hazards that could cause one of his athletes to tumble.

His team is running at the high school now instead of at Bullitt Park because of the safety factor. Thomas hopes to have team members back at the park’s track soon.

"The biggest thing is this pole," he said, pointing to the footprint of what once was a tall metal structure that kept the football field bright on autumn Friday nights. "It was broken in two. We couldn’t have the kids down here running around."

It could take some time for Bullitt Park to get back to normal. There is no estimate yet on how much repairs will cost. The nearby playground now is cleared of uprooted trees but some remain along the town’s popular Greenbelt walking trail.

The town looks different, but its residents and town workers continue efforts to put it back in order.

kstill@bristolnews.com | (276) 679-1338