The last day of July in 1767 was a day the folks in and around Windham got the surprise of their life, as what they called a hurricane formed on Sebago Lake and headed east.

It went through Gorham, crossing the Presumpscot River at the Covered Bridge, through the middle of Windham, directly over Highland Lake and continued on its way to the ocean. It was estimated to be three-quarters of a mile wide.

A Westbrook man was on the river, rolling logs, and reported the weather was extremely hot and not a breath of air was stirring. According to him, “all the men as well as the oxen were suffering from the heat. Around noon we were startled by a strange rushing sound and we climbed the river bank to get a better view. We saw a portentous looking cloud headed right where we were standing.”

The July weather phenomenon tore trees from the earth and shattered tree limbs, and it took hours to free the oxen that were unharmed, but hemmed in by fallen trees.

No rain, hail, thunder or lightning were present – just the wind. No doubt, this event is the origin of the name Hurricane Road in Gorham.

In 1775, an extensive forest fire began at Gambo Falls on the Presumpscot River and following the same path as the 1767 wind storm, created a great deal of damage. Four houses near the corner of Webb and Chute roads were destroyed, along with at least three others in the Gambo (or Newhall) area of town.

The “Dark Day” was experienced throughout New England on May 19, 1780. No sunlight at all made the superstitious people imagine the world was at an end.

The town has suffered from several “freshets” over the years – another word for floods, but these were primarily caused by people who tried to change the course of water routes. When one of these attempts failed, the increase of water at the outlet of the river washed away two sawmills, seven bridges and did countless damage for miles around.

Fortunately for those interested in history, there were residents who recorded their experiences in journals, many of which are preserved in the archives of Windham Historical Society.