In the spring of 2007, not long after we moved to Gaston, Oregon, a strange wicked wind storm smashed through the area bringing down huge trees and ripping roofs. I thought we’d left such freaky weather finally behind us.
Driving to Beaverton up and over Bald Peak on Albertson Road, at the intersection of NE Spring Hill Road, NE Albertson Road, NE North Valley Road, and NE Laughlin Road, I found that the Lake View School, a small basically one room school house in District 21 in the middle of no where, east of Gaston, south of Laurelwood, and north of Newberg. I’ve seen children playing outside, so I’m not sure if it continues to be a school or is a home, but the giant tree crushed two cars parked beside it, and did little or no harm to the old building.
The tree was dozens of feet around and the compression was complete, smashing the two vehicles deep into the ground. The sound must have been amazing.
We could find no news reports and the locals told us that no one was hurt. Still, the force was amazing. It took several huge trucks and many workers to slice off the branches and cut up the tree to get to the cars underneath.
