A hundred years ago, between 21st-26th March 1913, a massive flood hit Dayton, Ohio, and became that state's worst recorded natural disaster.
The flood led to the creation of the Miami Conservancy District, one of the USA's first river management and flood control agencies.
More than 360 people were killed, as well as about 1,400 horses and 2,000 other domestic and farm animals. Over 20,000 structures were damaged or destroyed and more than 65,000 people were displaced, some for up to a year.
Here's a report from the Weather Channel remembering the disaster.
A special Web site has been set up to commemorate the centenary of the flood. It makes interesting reading, particularly for Miss D. and myself, since we've visited Dayton several times and she has family there.
Peter
I couldn't load the site so I don't know if it was mentioned, but the flood (as experienced in Thurber's hometown of Columbus which I think is upstream of Dayton) was the subject of a humorous(!) work: The Day the Dam Broke in James Thurber's My Life and Hard Times.
ReplyDeleteHis The Thirteen Clocks is a truly strange fantasy and well worth reading as well. So is Men, Women and Dogs; his drawings are very good. And Is Sex Necessary is pretty dated but has a great title.