On July 10 and 11, exactly one year after Vermont’s last catastrophic flood, the remnants of Hurricane Beryl caused significant damage to our state once again. The village of Plainfield was battered by the raging Great Brook, which took down trees and washed out roads, bridges and houses. It also demolished two-thirds of a historic apartment building on Mill Street that locals called the Heartbreak Hotel.
Everyone escaped the Heartbreak in time. Twelve residents and their pets were displaced and are currently seeking housing; several cats still have not been found. Town Clerk Bram Towbin estimated that Plainfield’s infrastructure repairs will cost between $8 million and $15 million dollars. The town’s entire annual budget is less than $1.4 million, and its residents are still recovering from last year’s flood.
For the latest episode of “Stuck in Vermont,” Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger traveled to Plainfield a week after the flood to meet residents and hear about their experiences. Eli Barlow had lived in the Heartbreak for four years before losing everything when his apartment washed away. He wants to stay in Plainfield but is struggling to find affordable rental housing. Arion Thiboumery is the owner of the Heartbreak, or what’s left of the Heartbreak, which was built in the 1880s. After experiencing three floods in the past year, he is not planning to rebuild. He hopes the area will be turned into a floodplain.
Across the road, Jenni Belotserkovsky and Jim Gerstman are crossing their fingers for a buyout by the Federal Emergency Management Agency after being denied last year. Silt covered the first floor of their home of 16 years, mud packed their basement, and rushing water washed out their backyard. After staying with friends in Barre, the couple and their 12-year-old daughter have found a shared house in Marshfield. Their mortgage payments can be deferred for two months, but after that, they don’t know how they will afford rent and a mortgage on an uninhabitable home.
Susan Grimaldi lives down the street, on Brook Road. As the president of the Plainfield Historical Society, she is familiar with the many floods the town has endured. Her home of 46 years was pummeled — she lost her backyard, retaining wall, pantry, upper balcony and deck — but she hopes to fix it up and live in it this winter. After that, she will consider a FEMA buyout. Grimaldi has experienced six floods in her home, but she said this was the worst. She no longer feels safe there.
Volunteers have been working hard in Plainfield, mucking out basements and providing food and clothing. A temporary bridge is being built on Mill Street, and water crews are repairing service lines. As Plainfield’s residents recover from this devastating blow, many wonder what the future holds for their town and our flood-prone state.
Sollberger spoke with Seven Days about filming the episode.
Why did you go to Plainfield?
Like many Vermonters, I have flood fatigue. Three floods in one year’s time will do that to you. I live in Burlington and was so grateful to be unaffected by the latest flood disaster. But I was glued to my phone, watching the devastation ripple across our state. The photos of the decimated Heartbreak were all over social media. It became a symbol for what we were all feeling: gutted, discouraged, heartbroken. I wanted to see it for myself.
Was it difficult to get there?
Getting around the state is not easy after a flood. There were washed-out roads and bridges, which crews were frantically repairing. I was lucky that Route 2 opened the day before my visit, which helped me avoid a detour. One week after the flood, the streets in the village that were most affected — Brook Road, Hudson Avenue and Mill Street — still looked like a disaster zone. Houses were battered; mud, tree limbs and garbage were piled high; and large machines ruled the roads. The area should be avoided unless you live there or are there to help.
How did you connect with people?
Plainfield resident Genese Grill helped put me in touch with people ahead of my visit, which was very helpful. I was grateful to everyone who spoke to me and shared their stories. I am also thankful to the many Plainfield residents who shared photos and videos of the night of the flood and the aftermath.
Eli Barlow’s story broke my heart. It is hard to imagine losing your home in an instant. He spoke so eloquently about the Heartbreak’s tight-knit, creative community and his hopes to re-create it elsewhere. Barlow’s roommate, Jake McBride, shared a digital photo album that helped me understand how unique that dwelling and its inhabitants were. It made the loss even sadder.
What does the future hold?
As these extreme weather events become more common, I think Vermonters will have to make some hard decisions about the future of our state. Plainfield is dealing with all of this right now, along with the many towns that were hit this time around or are perhaps still recovering from last year’s flood. I hope we can come together to make our state stronger and protect our precious villages nestled along Vermont’s hills, valleys and waterways.
The original print version of this article was headlined “Disaster Zone | Plainfield residents recover after a devastating flood”
This article appears in Jul 31 – Aug 6, 2024.
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