Home >
The Great Flood of 1913
In Peninsula, the view from a back window - looking East.
Photo courtesy of NPS
What happens when an entire state floods?
A century ago, hurricane force winds, blizzards, and tornadoes preceded the days of the Great Flood of March 1913. And then, when the rains came - pouring down two to three months worth of rain from March 23rd through March 27th - every river in the State of Ohio overflowed its banks. In a flood whose impact would be bigger than current landmark weather events such as Katrina and Sandy - the impact on life in Ohio and 14 other states was overwhelming.
The Flood of 1913 also would bring an end to the Ohio & Erie Canal ...
Today, we take federal response to floods and other natural disasters as a matter of course. This was not always the case. In the time of the Flood of 1913 - no federal disaster plan was in place. Neighbors, communities, and local businesses stepped up to the role of hero - often deploying creative and desperate measures to help one another through a rolling string of tragedies. Scoundrels found opportunities to redeem themselves and leaders arose in unlikely places. You'll hear about these stories and so much more in the commemorative events taking place in our region.
Remembering the flood that changed everything -
Join us for Key Events
Photo at left - 1913 Flood in Boston Township, Ohio. NPS
Sunday, March 10th - CVSR
|
The Great Flood of 1913 Train Ride - Historical characters come to life and narrate your train trip. CVSR Rockside Station - 11 a.m. departure. Click here to learn more. Tickets: http://www.cvsr.com/event-spotlight
|
Saturday, March 16th - History Hike
|
Flooding Boston - Explore stories of Boston and the devastating Flood of 1913 during this two-mile hike. Boston Store Visitor Center, 9-10:30 a.m. Click for more information.
|
March 22nd - Dinner in the Valley
|
Feast Before the Flood - Enjoy this pre-Lyceum dinner, also featuring visits by special guests from the last century. Happy Days Lodge, 6 p.m. Click for more information.
|
March 22nd - Lyceum Lecture
|
Trudy E. Bell, foremost national expert on the Flood of 1913, graces the Lyceum lecture series with a talk on The Great Ohio Flood of 1913. Happy Days Lodge - CVNP - 8 p.m. Click for more information.
|
March 23rd - Soup & Slideshow
|
Soup's On, Waters are Rising! - Enjoy a hearty winter meal of homemade soups, followed by a slideshow of the Flood of 1913 images and tour. Click for details on the event at G.A.R. Hall Museum, Peninsula - 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
|
March 23rd - Stark County Exhibit opens
|
Flood of 1913 Exhibit - 3/23 - 12/31 - Stark Parks, in conjunction with Massillon Museum, opens an extensive exhibit of historic imagery, artifacts and photos. Sippo Lake, Exploration Gateway - 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on opening day; regular hours beyond. Click here to learn more!
|
March 25th - History Hike
|
Akron History Hike: The Flood of 1913 - Metro Parks, Serving Summit County and the Summit County Historical Society join talents to take you on a walk through downtown Akron, including a stop at the Richard Howe House. Meet at Lock 3 - 11:30 a.m. Find more info here.
|
Commemorating the Flood - About Guest Lyceum Lecturer Trudy E. Bell, M.A.
Now considered the foremost national authority on the Flood of 1913, Trudy E. Bell, M.A. will bring her experience and insights to the CVNP Lyceum series lecture on Friday, March 22nd.
You can get a flavor of this event in her quote "This mammoth storm system with its ferocious tornadoes and floods set records for fatalities and flood heights that still stand today - and which dwarfed both Sandy and Katrina in geographical extent - created institutions that evolved into today's United Way, Red Cross, Rotary, IBM, and Cox Communications."
The Lyceum Lecture series appearance is co-presented by CVNP and the Conservancy for CVNP.
Trudy E. Bell Writings & Publications
Centennial Blog - "Our National Calamity" - The Great Easter 1913 Flood
http://nationalcalamityeaster1913flood.blogspot.com/
The Silver Jackets - An Ongoing National Flood Response
Public outcry after the landmark Flood of 1913 event helped create the federal, state and local flood prevention and education efforts we rely on today. In a stellar example of collaboration, the Silver Jackets gather teams of federal, state and local agencies to work on state-initiated flood response and preparedness projects.
The Silver Jackets commemoration of the Flood of 1913 is being led by a team from the National Weather Service and its offices in Ohio and Indiana - in conjunction with a number of agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). A full list can be found here: http://mrcc.isws.illinois.edu/1913Flood/agencies/partners.shtml
The main Silver Jackets Flood of 1913 website - http://mrcc.isws.illinois.edu/1913Flood/index.shtml - is packed with historical information as well as current day tips on flood preparedness, mitigation, and more. It's definitely worth a visit or two.
March 22nd (Friday), Columbus. The 17th annual Severe Weather Symposium of the Meteorology Club at The Ohio State University will be themed around the Great Easter 1913 Flood. Details will be posted.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP)
Join in! Events & Watershed Stewardship efforts ...
 |
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park Spring Schedule of Events provides more info on key Flood of 1913 and commemorative events.
It's available online - nps.gov/cuva - or at various visitor centers throughout the National Park.
|
|
"Control of flooding and improving water quality will improve everyone's lives," is the underlying philosophy of CVNP's ongoing Watershed Stewardship efforts. Learn more and find out what you might do. Download the publication here: CVNP Watershed Stewardship
|
| |
|
|
|