The Great Floods

[Shelley Dziedzic]

Just on the edge of Gilded Age proper is the Great Molasses Flood of 1919 in the city of Boston. They marked the anniversary last year. I remember being taught about this eons ago in elementary school-I doubt many students today have heard of this. Here are some photos and a good brief summary of the devastating event.

CNN.com - Great molasses flood remembered - Jan. 23, 2004

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

Also not to be forgotten is the May 1889, Johnstown Flood. The death toll was very high, over 2200, when the town was swept away by a dam which burst without warning after a storm.

History of the Johnstown Flood

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

Billed as America's deadliest disaster ever was the hurricane/flood in Galveston, Texas in 1900. The loss of life was in the 6-8 thousand range.
Several books have been recently released and also a memorial edition back in 1900 similar to the Titanic memorial books.

NOAA's Galveston 1900 Hurricane

 

[Robert T. Paige]

The great 1908 Trinity River flood in Dallas, Texas caused great damage in loss of property and life. It eventually lead to the construction of the Houston Street Viaduct in 1912 , and re-channelization of the river and construction of levees in the 1930's.

Dallas Historical Society - Dallas History Items: 1908 Flood

Dallas History Items - The 1908 Flood.

web.archive.org

 

[Darren Honeycutt]

In North Carolina, it was the great flood of 1916 which is still the storm to compare all storms to. This was in July of 1916 and it was caused by remnants of a tropical storm.