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Natural Disasters Markers

Ireland, Munster (County Kerry), Listowel — Teampaillín Bán — (The Little White Churchyard)
		Where very many nameless victims of the Irish Famine of 1845-47 lie buried Also buried here are others who died in the nearby workhouse built 1840 Saibhreas na bhflaitheas dóibh! — Map (db m23042)
Arizona (Mohave County), Littlefield — The Old Spanish Trail — 1829 - 1848
		The Old Spanish Trail, the main trade route between Santa Fe and Los Angeles, passed this way beginning in 1829. At the end of the Mexican-American War this portion of the route evolved into what was variously known as the Salt Lake Road, the Mormon Trail, the California Road, and eventually U.S. Hwy. 91. The original pack trail descended Utah Hill, passed through Beaver Dam, then followed the Virgin River toward Las Vegas. As wagon traffic increased in the 1850s the route veered westward near . . . — Map (db m22729)
California (Kern County), Tehachapi — The Great Flood of 1932 and Engine No. 3834
		On September 30th torrential rains flooded Tehachapi Creek, undermining the tracks under Santa Fe Engine No. 3834 which was waiting out the storm about ½ mile east of Woodward Station. The engine disappeared into the raging water below. It remained “lost” for two weeks, hidden under 10 feet of mud. It took one month to free the severely damaged engine. Its bell was never found. Almost three years after the flood the newly refurbished engine was returned to service with people . . . — Map (db m11912)
California (Mono County), Walker — The C-130 Crew — Lost During the Cannon Fire - June 17, 2002
		In Loving and Grateful Memory of The C-130 Crew Steve Wass, Craig Labare and Mike Davis Who gave their lives to save our community on June 17, 2002 — Map (db m23036)
California (San Benito County), San Juan Bautista — The San Andreas Fault Exhibit & El Camino Real Earthquake Walk
		In Celebration of the U.S.Geological Survey's Centennial 1879 - 1979 Dedicated July 4, 1979 by SAN JUAN BAUTISTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE In Cooperation With Old Mission San Juan Bautista-Diocese of Monterey, U.S.Geological Survey-Department of the Interior, California State Historical Park-San Juan Bautista and the Citizens of San Juan Bautista, California — Map (db m15340)
California (San Mateo County), Half Moon Bay — SMA 038 — "The Determination of One Man"
		In October of 1906, Joseph Debenedetti constructed this two story mission revival commercial style building, which immediately became the center of commerce for Half Moon Bay and the surrounding area. Rising from the ashes of the devastating 1906 earthquake, it was the first concrete reinforced building in San Mateo County and symbolized the determination of one man to recover from a natural disaster and lead the way to resurgence of the San Mateo Coastline. Despite the absence of good roads . . . — Map (db m10715)
California (San Mateo County), Milbrae — The San Andreas Fault
		The San Andreas Fault is the largest earthquake fault in North America. It passes through this point and alongside the tip of the small peninsula straight ahead. In this area, during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the west side of the fault moved nine feet northwestward. — Map (db m17165)
California (Shasta County), Burney — Fountain Fire Vista Point
		. . . — Map (db m13741)
California (Stanislaus County), Knights Ferry — Knights Ferry Covered Bridge
		Built in 1864, to replace the original bridge washed away by the flood of 1862. Fastened together with locust pins. A toll bridge until purchased by Stanislaus County in 1885. Dedicated May 30, 1948 Rededicated May 2, 1988 — Map (db m12013)
California (Yolo County), West Sacramento — Flood Control — West Sacramento River Walk
		On January 15, 1850, the fledging City of Sacramento, consisting mostly of tents and simple wooden buildings, stood in 6 feet of water. Two weeks later, the community pledged $200,000 to levee construction. But before the levee system could be completely developed, the city was inundated 3 more times – In 1852-3, 1861-2, and 1867-8. Eventually, the levee construction was completed and the low-lying areas along the waterfront were filled in, resulting in the city’s downtown streets being . . . — Map (db m15720)
California (Yuba County), Marysville — River Pumps
		In 1895 pumps were installed at the confluence of the Yuba and Feather Rivers to protect the City of Marysville from the danger of flooding. These pumps with a capacity to pump 18,265 gallons per minute, helped to keep Marysville dry during the Great Floods of 1955. Dedicated the 4th Day of April, 1990 Donated by The Rotary Club of Marysville — Map (db m17741)
Delaware (Sussex County), Lewes — SC221 — The Blizzard of 1888
		Known as the “Great White Hurricane,” the Blizzard of 1888 was one of the most devastating weather events in recorded history. Affecting coastal states from Virginia to Maine, this paralyzing storm resulted in widespread death and destruction. With its large stone Breakwater providing a buffer from heavy seas, the harbor at Lewes was considered to be one of the safest on the Atlantic seaboard at the time. For the ships that sought shelter here during the blizzard, it would be the . . . — Map (db m19316)
Florida (Indian River County), Orchid — F-222 — Site of Survivors’ and Salvagers’ Camp — The 1715 Fleet
		Late in July, 1715, a hurricane destroyed a fleet of eleven or possibly twelve homeward bound merchant ships carrying cargoes of gold and silver coinage and other valuable items from the American colonies to Spain. About 1500 men, women, and children who survived the disaster and reached the shore made their camp along the barrier island near the place where the fleet’s flagship had sunk. Governor General Corcoles sent a relief party composed chiefly of Indian auxiliaries from St. Augustine to . . . — Map (db m14306)
Florida (Monroe County), Islamadora — The Florida Keys Memorial
		The Florida Keys Memorial, known locally as the “Hurricane Monument,” was built to honor hundreds of American veterans and local civilians who perished in the “Great Hurricane” on Labor Day, September 2, 1935. Islamadora sustained winds of 200 miles per hour and a barometer reading of 26.35 inches for several hours on that fateful holiday; most local buildings and the Florida East Coast Railway were destroyed by what remains the most savage hurricane on record. Hundreds . . . — Map (db m3251)
Georgia (McIntosh County), Crescent — 035-12 — Baisden's Bluff Academy
		Located a short distance East of here, near the River, Baisden`s Bluff Academy was the main educational institution in McIntosh County in the early years of the 19th century. A Boarding School, operating the year round, its roll held the names of prominent families of this county and from the adjoining areas. "Mr. Linder" was Principal. General Francis Hopkins, Wm. A. Dunham, James Dunwoody, James Smith and Jacob Wood were Commissioners. In 1823 torrential rains washed the dormitory into the . . . — Map (db m11414)
Illinois (Alexander County), Cairo — The Meeting of the Rivers
		Long known to the Indian who used the two great rivers as his highways for trade and war, this junction of the Ohio and the Mississippi was first sighted by Europeans when Marquette and Joliet glided past in 1673. Ten years later La Salle explored the area and established France's claim to the Mississippi Valley. From that time on this confluence was recognized as a strategic site for settlement and fortification. George Rogers Clark, following the capture of Kaskaskia in 1778, stationed armed . . . — Map (db m19390)
Illinois (Cook County), Chicago — Catholic Cemetery — Hidden Truths — The Chicago City Cemetery and Lincoln Park, Then and Now
		Chicago's early Catholic Cemetery ran from North Av. south to Schiller St., and Dearborn St. to the lake, now Astor St. Established in 1845, it existed until the 1871 Chicago Fire charred the grounds. Like the City Cemetery to the north, not all remains were exhumed as had been assumed. Skeletal fragments have been unearthed during construction projects in nearly every decade since the 1890's. This two-part project by Pamela Bannos continues on the Internet: http://hiddentruths.northwestern.edu — Map (db m10665)
Illinois (Cook County), Chicago — Couch Tomb — Hidden Truths — The Chicago City Cemetery and Lincoln Park, Then and Now
		This stone vault is the oldest structure standing within the Chicago Fire zone. It was erected in 1858 for Ira Couch, a wealthy hotelier who died at age 50 while wintering in Cuba. Though some theories exist, there is no official answer as to why this tomb was left behind on the site of the Chicago City Cemetery. Varying accounts of the number entombed suggest 7 to 13 or merely Ira alone. This two-part project by Pamela Bannos continues on the Internet: http:/hiddentruths.northwestern.edu — Map (db m10664)
Indiana (Allen County), Fort Wayne — First Americans
		The confluence area of the Three Rivers was known to the native people since as early as the end of the last Ice Age, more than 10,000 years ago. As the glaciers melted and receded, they paused here creating a high point in the topography of the land. Early native people followed the edge of the glacier taking advantage of the food sources it provided, such as vegetation and wild game. The St. Mary's and St. Joseph Rivers join a few hundred yards east of this point and form the Maumee River . . . — Map (db m17064)
Indiana (Allen County), Fort Wayne — Flood Retention Walls
		The concrete retention walls at the north end of the plaza will help downtown Fort Wayne withstand future flooding when the rivers rise. They were constructed where sandbaggers and volunteers worked during the flood of 1982 to build a dike to protect the National Guard Armory and other buildings on this site. The flood protection walls, spanning both sides of the Headwaters Park Plaza, are dedicated to the people who helped Fort Wayne become known as the city that saved itself. — Map (db m17061)
Indiana (Allen County), Fort Wayne — The Floods
		Most often the rivers here brought prosperity. They are the reason humanbeings settled here; established a land portage to connect with the Wabash River system; and attracted the canal followed by rails, highways, industry, and homes. They brought good, industrious people such as Johnny “Appleseed” Chapman, who was seen in 1830 arriving near this point on the Maumee River with his small boat laden with apple seeds. One significant flood recorded in the Three Rivers area occurred in . . . — Map (db m17030)
Indiana (Pike County), Petersburg — June 2, 1990 Tornado Memorial
		In memory of those who were killed by the June 2, 1990 Tornado which Devastated Petersburg, In. Frank P. Mallott • Albin Harper • Emma Willis • Marjorie P. Mallott • Giles Evans • Billie Minniear • Sarah E. Hilgeman — Map (db m23563)
Kentucky (Fulton County), Hickman — 688 — New Madrid Earthquake
		The greatest earthquake recorded in North America centered in this area Dec. 16, 1811 to Feb. 7, 1812. 1,874 quakes felt at Louisville, 250 miles away. Tremors also felt at Boston, Detroit, New Orleans. Reelfoot Lake, covering 25,000 acres, formed when some streams changed courses. New Madrid, Mo., destroyed; very few persons died, as population of area was sparse. — Map (db m18409)
Kentucky (Hickman County), Columbus — 1398 — Columbus
		First entire town in Kentucky to be moved from one site to another. In 1927, after the most severe flood in its history, Columbus was moved from the banks of the river to this bluff, 200 feet above, by the American Red Cross at a cost of $100,000. The relocation was under the supervision of Marion Rust, national Red Cross representative. — Map (db m18466)
Maryland, Baltimore — Baltimore's Great Fire
		Started 10-48 A.M. February 7 1904 Under control 11-30 A.M. February 8 1904 Property destroyed - $100 000 000 Insurance paid - $32 000 000 Acres covered - 140 Lives lost - none Beginning at Liberty and German Streets the fire swept north to Fayette Street east to Jones Falls south to the harbor. It was one of the most destructive conflagrations in the worlds history. — Map (db m7321)
Maryland, Baltimore — On Thursday, September 18, 2003 — Hurricane Isabel, a massive Category-2 storm, slammed into the east coast.
		With its eye located just south of the Chesapeake Bay, Isabel's high winds and tidal surge caused widespread flooding, property damage and power outages from North Carolina to New York. Downgraded to a tropical storm by the time it hit the Chesapeake, Isabel's winds nevertheless drove water and waves up the Bay, inundating roads, homes and businesses. The impact of the storm caught everyone - even many experts - by surprise. Why did Isabel cause more damage than the typical tropical . . . — Map (db m6454)
Maryland (Baltimore County), Catonsville — Patapsco Superlative: — "The Premiere Flour"
		"Any Monday morning one could hear the beginnings of the stir of activity as the heavy machinery in the mill started to move, gather speed and settle into a steady rythmic rumble which was maintained at the same rate day and night until five o'clock of the following Saturday." - Thomas Phillips, former mill employee. The ruins before you are the remains of the Orange Grove flourmill of the C.A. Gambrills Manufacturing Company. Built as a modest gristmill in 1856, the mill became . . . — Map (db m8871)
Maryland (Baltimore County), Catonsville — The Changing River Valley
		Over the last 300 years, the now tranquil Patapsco Valley has seen dramatic changes. During the industrial revolution, resource-hungry industries stripped trees from the hillsides to make charcoal. Every household needed wood as its lifeline for warmth and cooking - for survival. Hillsides were left treeless, allowing mud to slither into the river, silting shipping channels, and clogging the port of Elkridge Landing. Factories dumped chemicals into the river, changing its color . . . — Map (db m8875)
Maryland (Baltimore County), Catonsville — The Destructive Power of the Patapsco
		"[Rainfall] nearly all night with a violent gale of wind. This morning the river begins to rise. The rain pours down furiously all day. The river in a freshet, rising all the time... At night the waters very high, threatening mischief to our works." - John Pendleton Kennedy, 1859. Washed here by Tropical Storm Agnes in 1972, these truck tanker remains are a testament to the Patapsco River's flooding power. That spring, the water rose 30 ft., scattering trees and cars, gutting houses . . . — Map (db m8870)
Maryland (Charles County), La Plata — La Plata Elementary School
		Destroyed by a tornado on November 9, 1926. Thirteen pupils and four townspeople lost their lives and approximately thirty-five were injured. The school stood 433 feet northwest of this site on a rise in a residential area near the junction of Wicomico and Somerset Streets. The names of the pupils are memorialized on a plaque in the foyer of the Milton M. Somers School. — Map (db m930)
Maryland (Frederick County), Emmitsburg — Fallen Firefighters Memorial
		Dedicated October 4, 1981. National Emergency Training Center. Emmitsburg, Maryland. "Dedicated to the thousands of Firefighters who have lost their lives in the very act of saving others." Ronald Reagan, President. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA — Map (db m19021)
Maryland (Frederick County), Emmitsburg — Mount Saint Mary's College
		1808 - 1983 Dedicated to Mount Saint Mary's College Quote from Helmans History of Emmitsburg: "- The great fire occurred June 15th, 1863 it originated in the livery stable of Guthrie & Beam, consuming over fifty buildings in all; the fire commenced at eleven o'clock in the night, did not get it under control until seven in the morning; the hotel was the last to burn. People in the country heard the Church bells ring; some came within a mile of town, looking at the blazing houses, but . . . — Map (db m9619)
Maryland (Prince George's County), Hyattsville — Route One, Our Hometown Main Street — City of Hyattsville
		Records from the early 1700's indicate that a riverfront settlement named Beale Town was once located on the site that later became Hyattstown. The little outpost never achieved town status. In 1742, the residents petitioned to have a new town laid out one-half mile away at Garrison's Landing (later named Bladensburg) and Beale Town ceased to function as a legal entity. In March 1845, Christopher Clarke Hyatt purchased his first parcel in the same area. The presence of the railroad and . . . — Map (db m14608)
Maryland (Washington County), Antietam — Lock 34, Harpers Ferry
		Lock 34 was often referred to as "Goodheart's Lock". Willard Goodheart was the last locktender at this location. Like nearby Lockhouse 33, the lockhouse at Lock 34 was destroyed in the great flood of 1936. Of the 1936 flood, Mr. Goodheart as quoted as saying that he and his family "escaped by boat without our possessions before the house collapsed". One of the most devastating of the post canal era floods, the 1936 flood caused major damage throughout the Potomac River Valley. — Map (db m23872)
Maryland (Worcester County), Berlin — Baltimore Boulevard
		The asphalt slabs you just walked on are pieces of Baltimore Boulevard, a 15-mile road built by developers in the 1950s and destroyed by a storm in 1962. These broken slabs are now used only by gulls, which drop and crack clams on the hard surface. Developers also cleared land for more than 130 side streets along Baltimore Boulevard. many clearings have filled in, but gaps in the forest remain visible in some locations. Baltimore Boulevard, which extended to the Maryland/ Virginia . . . — Map (db m9146)
Michigan (Wayne County), Detroit — SS Edmund Fitzgerald — 1958 - 1975
		The flagship of the Oglesbay-Norton fleet sailed for 6857 days on the Great Lakes carrying iron ore to feed the steel mills of Michigan and Ohio. She was build at the Great Lakes Engineering Works at River Rouge, Michigan- Nine miles west of here. When the keel of the Fitzgerald hit the water, she became the largest freighter to traverse the inland seas, 729 feet long and 75 feet wide. On January 7,1974, while at anchor in the Detroit River, one mile west of Belle Isle, the Fitzgerald lost . . . — Map (db m14400)
Minnesota (Pine County), Willow River — Christopher C. Andrews, Conservation Pioneer
		In the 1880's, when General Christopher C. Andrews began urging the state to consider the future of its forested lands, most Minnesotans could not believe that there might ever be a shortage of timber. But by the time of his death in 1922 the vast virgin pine forests were gone, lumber was being imported from the Pacific Northwest, and a series of devastating fires had claimed hundreds of lives and millions of acres. Andrews served as captain, and colonel of the Third Minnesota Regiment of . . . — Map (db m5288)
Minnesota (St. Louis County), Independence — The Fires of Autumn 1918
		Marker Front: The Cloquet-Moose Lake forest fire of October 12-13, 1918, which almost reached this location, was one of the most destructive forest fires in Minnesota's recorded history. Like other major fires, this one took place on cutover land the stumps and waste that remained after the great pine forests of northeastern Minnesota were harvested for lumber. Consisting of five or six major fires and several smaller ones, the Cloquet-Moos Lake fire started during a severe . . . — Map (db m21024)
Missouri (Mississippi County), Charleston — Mississippi County
		(Front): Comprising 411 square miles of Missouri's great alluvial plain, this county, organized in 1845, is a high producer of cotton, grain, and soybeans. The Mississippi (Algonquin Indian for Great Water), flowing along some 70 miles of the county's eastern boundary, separates it from Ill. and Ky. A boundary dispute over Wolf Island was settled, 1871, in Kentucky's favor by U.S. Supreme Court. Charleston, the county seat, known today as "Cotton Capital" and shoe manufacturing center, . . . — Map (db m17721)
Missouri (New Madrid County), New Madrid — New Madrid
		(Front) First American town in Missouri. Founded in 1789 by George Morgan, Princeton graduate and Indian trader, on the site of Francois and Joseph Le Sieur's trading settlement, L'Anse a laGraise (Fr. Cove of Fat). Flood and caving banks have destroyed the first town site. Named for Madrid, Spain, the town was to be an American colony. Morgan was promised 15 million acres by the Spanish ambassador, eager to check U.S. expansion with large land grants. Spain did not confirm his grant . . . — Map (db m12339)
North Carolina (Brunswick County), Oak Island — D-109 — Hurricane Hazel
		Category 4 storm made landfall at Long Beach, October 15, 1954, with winds over 140 mph & 17-foot surge. Nineteen people killed in N.C. — Map (db m5832)
Ohio (Franklin County), Columbus — The King Avenue Bridge — A Brief History
		• Around 1863 a steel truss was constructed across the Olentangy River at King Avenue. It was the first roadway to be extended across the Olentangy River. • Although the great flood of 1913 destroyed or damaged numerous bridges, businesses and houses along the Olentangy and Scioto Rivers, the old steel truss at King Avenue crossing had already been demolished and the construction of the cast-in-place arch had begun. The 1913 flood destroyed the false work for the arches before the arch . . . — Map (db m12771)
Ohio (Franklin County), Gahanna — Big Walnut Creek Flood of Jan-Feb 1959
		Historical Flood Mark, Jan.-Feb. 1959. “Encroachment on flood plains, such as artificial fill, reduces the flood-carrying capacity, increases the flood heights of streams, and increases flood hazards in areas beyond the encroachment itself. One aspect of flood plain management involves balancing the economic gain from flood plain development against the resulting increase in flood hazard.” Federal Emergency Management Agency, February 1, 1983. This boulder brought from . . . — Map (db m14446)
Ohio (Greene County), Wilberforce — 16-29 — Central State University
		Central State University originated on March 19, 1887, when the Ohio General Assembly passed an act establishing a Combined Normal and Industrial (CN&I) Department at Wilberforce University. Through various transitional changes, it emerged as an independent, state university. In 1941, the General Assembly expanded the CN&I, which offered two-year courses, into the College of Education and Industrial Arts, with four-year programs. In 1947, it separated from Wilberforce University. The history of . . . — Map (db m14056)
Ohio (Greene County), Wilberforce — 9-29 — Galloway Hall
		[Marker Front]: At the turn of the twentieth century, increased enrollment in the Combined Normal and Industrial Department at Wilberforce University (which later became Central State University) spurred construction of new teaching and dormitory facilities. Galloway Hall, which included an auditorium and a tower with chimes and a clock, was completed in 1906. Many famous personalities performed in Galloway Hall's auditorium, including the renown opera singer Leontyne Price; Robert . . . — Map (db m14057)
Ohio (Greene County), Wright-Patterson Air Force Base — In Case of Floods ...
		Huffman Prairie Flying Field lies to the right of Huffman Dam, the long earthen barrier you see below. The dam is one of five 'retarding basins' built by the Miami Conservancy District after the catastrophic 1913 flood. This dam, along with many miles of riverbank levees, protects downtown Dayton from future inundation. Because the land behind this dam can go underwater if the Mad River should rise, and because there are active Air Force runways nearby, Torrence Huffman's pasture has never . . . — Map (db m4647)
Ohio (Hamilton County), Cincinnati — Cincinnati Fire Fighters
		In Memory of the Cincinnati Fire Fighters who died in the line of duty serving in the first paid professional fire department in the United States — Map (db m24087)
Ohio (Hamilton County), Cincinnati — 14-31 — The Irish in Cincinnati
		Side A: Flatboats on the Ohio River brought many of the first Irish, some with land grants received after the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, to the Cincinnati area. In 1789, Francis Kennedy arrived in Losantiville, where he operated the first ferry service across the Ohio to the mouth of the Licking River. In 1791, Irishman Joseph Lloyd managed the first one-room schoolhouse on the riverbank west of Sycamore Street. A soapmaker whose family had immigrated from Ireland, James . . . — Map (db m24611)
Ohio (Miami County), Piqua — 5-55 — Lock Nine
		Completed in 1837, the limestone lock nine served as a catalyst for the growth of Piqua. The lock helped connect the village to Cincinnati (1837) and Toledo (1845) by way of the Miami and Erie Canal. German immigrants traveled up the canal from Cincinnati and settled within a five-block area of the lock. Industries used the lock as a source of water power and developed products as diverse as flannel, flour, and flax seed. Lock nine remained as a functioning part of the canal until its destruction during the flood of 1913. — Map (db m17277)
Ohio (Miami County), Piqua — Shawnee Bridge — City of Piqua, Ohio — 1915 - 2005
		The 1915 Shawnee (Lorimer) Bridge was dedicated in part to the forty-four men, women and children who lost their lives in the 1913 flood. The waters of the Great Miami River broke free from their banks on March 25, 1913 and devastated the areas of East Piqua, Shawnee, and Rossville. Flood waters reached heights in excess of twenty feet in some Piqua locations, destroying homes, businesses, factories and the previous iron truss Shawnee Bridge. Dedicated to the Piqua victims of the 1913 Flood — Map (db m17322)
Ohio (Miami County), Piqua — The 1913 Flood — Sign of the Past
		The Great Miami River regularly overflowed its banks during the early years of Piqua's history. The first recorded flood hit the pioneer settlers in April of 1805. During the next one hundred years the Great Miami River flooded Piqua on nine separate occasions. The March 1898 flood was the worst flood in the nineteenth century and hit a record forty-one inches above the flood level. On Tuesday, March 25, 1913, the river once again broke free of its banks and swept through Piqua, Rossville and . . . — Map (db m17297)
Ohio (Montgomery County), Dayton — The Great Dayton Flood of 1913 / And The Rivers Flowed Through The City
		The Great Dayton Flood of 1913 On Sunday, March 23, 1913, three storm systems met over western Ohio and, over the next four days, poured nine to eleven inches of rain over the Miami Valley. Falling on near-frozen and saturated ground, this rain ran directly into the Great Miami, Stillwater, and Mad Rivers, and the Wolf Creek, then rushed into downtown Dayton, where all these streams converged within a three-quarter mile radius. Dayton had flooded periodically throughout its history, . . . — Map (db m22229)
Ohio (Noble County), Ava — 2-61 — Crash of the USS Shenandoah / Lighter-Than-Air Flight
		Crash of the USS Shenandoah September 3, 1925 On a stormy autumn morning in 1925, the giant Navy airship, christened Shenandoah, crashed near this site. Initially, the Shenandoah was commissioned to perform scouting missions for the Navy; however, she would soon be flying promotional missions. The Shenandoah had recently begun a six-day publicity tour across the Midwest when she crashed. The turbulent weather of late summer created strong winds, . . . — Map (db m15998)
Ohio (Tuscarawas County), Dover — 5-79 — The Ohio and Erie Canal / Canal Dover Toll House — 1825 - 1913
		The Ohio-Erie Canal 1825-1913 Seeking an alternate transportation route to distant markets, many farmers and manufacturers in Ohio wanted to connect the Ohio River to Lake Erie with a canal. Beginning in Cleveland the Ohio-Erie Canal ran south, the length of the state, to Portsmouth. The canal was a total of 308 miles long, 40 feet wide at the surface, and 4 feet deep. The Ohio-Erie Canal opened for traffic along its entire length in 1832 and consequently effected great change. Population . . . — Map (db m15190)
Ohio (Washington County), Lowell — 5-84 — Covered Bridges
		Lowell was the site of one of ten wooden covered bridges, built from 1820 to 1887, that crossed the Muskingum River from Marietta to Coshocton. The Lowell bridge was built in 1881. Bridges were built out of wood because there was plenty of lumber available, and building with wood was easier and cheaper than using stone. Covers protected the timbers from rain. The bridge connected Lowell, on the north side of the river, with the railroad that ran on the south side. This bridge suffered from many . . . — Map (db m18016)
Ohio (Washington County), Marietta — Flood Heights
		The adjacent poles show the heights of all floods at Marietta above 49.5 feet according to current flood gauge readings. — Map (db m20179)
Ohio (Washington County), Marietta — Mighty River / Learning the River
		MIGHTY RIVER Although it remains an unpredictable force of nature, the Ohio River was far more volatile a century ago. Thirty-foot floods could wash away everything along the river's edge, only to be followed by dry spells that would lower the water level to mere inches. In the winter, giant ice gorges could jam the river, destroying boats and bridge foundations. Since 1929, locks and dams have controlled the waters on the Ohio River. These systems were replaced by the current system . . . — Map (db m21676)
Pennsylvania (Cambria County), Johnstown — 1889 Johnstown Flood Unidentified Dead
		In memory of the unidentified dead from the flood May 31, 1889 — Map (db m21826)
Pennsylvania (Cambria County), Johnstown — 1936 Greater Johnstown Flood Victims
		In memory of those lost in the March 17, 1936 Greater Johnstown Flood Daniel Gallagher • Cecilia Seifert Wehn Foster W. Buchanan • Henry Belande Mrs. Jacob Fruhlinger • Faber Eckenrod James Langham • Louis F. Ansman Joseph Runko • Andrew Gibson Gregory Kostoff • One Unidentified Man 1936 Johnstown Flood Memory Correction Plaque Correct name for family member Henry Belinda Presented by Belinda Families and Relatives 1996 — Map (db m21885)
Pennsylvania (Cambria County), Johnstown — Central Park
		On May 31, 1889, Central Park was under 18 feet of water and tons of debris. Within a few days, however, the park was cleared off and transformed into a tent city for some of the 6,000 laborers and 580 members of the 14th Pennsylvania Regiment who came to help clean up and rebuild. Most of the workers were sent by the Booth and Flinn Company of Pittsburgh to help remove acres of debris, recover dead bodies, dispose of animal corpses, tear down dangerous structures, and clear the riverbeds. . . . — Map (db m21829)
Pennsylvania (Cambria County), Johnstown — First Cambria A.M.E. Zion Church
		Formed 1873 in the loft of the Woodvale Tannery by workers there. Organized as Cambria Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church, 1874, at Napoleon and Dibert Sts. About 1877 it moved here. Washed from its foundation in the 1889 flood but later restored. — Map (db m21871)
Pennsylvania (Cambria County), Johnstown — Greater Johnstown Flood Victims — July 20, 1977
		“A people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light: to them who live in the region of the shadow of death, a light has risen.” Isaiah 9:2 [Names, ages, and residence of the 78 people who died are listed on the monument] This monument erected through gifts of the school children 1979 International Year of the Child — Map (db m21594)
Pennsylvania (Cambria County), Johnstown — Market Square
		On May 31, 1889, the Market House, which held the police station and municipal offices was completely washed away. It had occupied this northeast corner of Market Square, a plot of land laid out by Joseph Johns in his town plan of 1800. After the flood eight of the valley's small boroughs, including Johnstown, consolidated into the City of Johnstown on December 18, 1889. The city's downtown was rebuilt adhering to Johns' original plan, thus preserving Market Square. On October 5, 1900, . . . — Map (db m21886)
Pennsylvania (Cambria County), Johnstown — St. John Cathedral
		On May 31, 1889, St. John Gualbert's parish experienced not only a great loss, but also a nearly miraculous rescue. The church itself burned down in the midst of the floodwaters, having caught fire when the burning Wolfe residence crashed into it. However, in the nearby convent, the nine Sisters of Charity had retreated to a small second-floor chapel when the wave struck. The raging water tore away two-thirds of the building, but the chapel corner remained intact, and all the nuns were rescued . . . — Map (db m21593)
Pennsylvania (Cambria County), Saint Michael — May 31, 1889
		The valley in front of you once cradled a scenic lake. Held back by an earthen dam just below here, Lake Conemaugh stretched more than two miles up the valley to your left. The lake was the heart of an exclusive resort where sailboats caught the mountain breezes, and anglers pursued trophy fish. Everything changed on May 31, 1889. At 3:15 p.m., after record rainfall, the South Fork Dam gave way. In minutes the lake was gone, and in less than an hour a devastating wall of churning water and . . . — Map (db m21887)
Pennsylvania (Cambria County), Saint Michael — The Dam Melts Away
		Just below you stands the remains of the South Fork Dam, a 931-foot-long dam made chiefly of earth. The dam remains intact on the ends where it joins the sides of the valley. But at its center, a 300-foot section is gone. Through this chasm the waters of Lake Conemaugh roared on May 31, 1889. On that rainy morning, Col. Elias J. Unger began supervising efforts to save the dam. Unger, who was then President of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club, lived in the house beside this exhibit. . . . — Map (db m21866)
Pennsylvania (Cambria County), Saint Michael — The South Fork Dam
		You are now standing on what remains of the South Fork Dam. Completed in 1853, the dam was made chiefly of earth. Layers of clay one-foot-thick or less were built up one by one. Each layer was covered with a skim of water, or “puddled,” to help it settle and harden. Five large outlet pipes were installed under the dam to discharge water safely. Slopes were faced with stone. The dam's only inadequacy was its spillway (on the other side) which was too small. Although . . . — Map (db m21851)
Pennsylvania (Cambria County), Saint Michael — The Unger House
		Col. Elias J. Unger, who served as manager of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club, built this house in the mid-1880s. From here he had a commanding view of the club's lake and dam. On May 31, 1889, Unger supervised a group of laborers in a desperate attempt to save the dam. Defeated by the waters, Unger trudged back up the hill to his house and collapsed as the flood wave roared toward Johnstown. The aging Unger House and property were added to Johnstown Flood National Memorial in . . . — Map (db m21878)
Pennsylvania (Dauphin County), Harrisburg — Swenson Plaza Flood Memorial
		The enlargement and beautification of Swenson Plaza, completed in 1999, was proposed and initiated by Mayor Stephen R. Reed during ceremonies marking the 25th anniversary of Harrisburg's devastating 1972 Flood caused by Tropical Storm Agnes. As a riverfront gathering place and pedestrian gateway to Harrisburg and City Island, Swenson Plaza and the historic People's Bridge stand as reminders of this community's resilience and civic pride. To those whose leadership, service and courage are . . . — Map (db m6369)
Pennsylvania (Dauphin County), Harrisburg — The People’s Bridge
		Vehicular Era - 1889 to 1972 Now the oldest bridge across the Susquehanna River, the People's Bridge was constructed in 1889 utilizing the Baltimore Truss and Phoenix Column in its innovative cast-iron design. It was erected by the People's Bridge Company, organized by the renowned Harrisburg civic leader E.Z. Wallower, as a low-cost alternative to the nearby Camelback Bridge (replaced by the current Market Street Bridge) which has enjoyed a monopoly in fare-paying bridge traffic since . . . — Map (db m6370)
Pennsylvania (Dauphin County), Harrisburg — The People’s Bridge
		Landmark Era - Since 1972 Built to pre-automobile specifications before the turn of the 20th Century, the People's Bridge by mid century earned the nickname, "Old Shakey," because of the noisy vibrations of its cast-iron superstructure under an ever-increasing volume of traffic. It was closed to all but pedestrian and bicycle traffic after 1972, when it was severely weakened by the Hurricane Agnes Flood. In January 1996, a major ice flood destroyed three of the bridges western spans. The . . . — Map (db m6371)
Pennsylvania (Dauphin County), Harrisburg — Walnut Street Bridge
		This bridge, completed in 1890, is the oldest surviving structure to have spanned the Susquehanna River and is one of the largest multi-span, truss bridges ever fabricated by the nationally significant Phoenix Bridge Company. It is also the oldest metal span bridge of its type in the U.S. and is one of the most visible bridges in the country to preserve the technology of the company's patented Phoenix column. Originally known as the "People's Bridge" because of its lower fee to cross, the . . . — Map (db m6372)
Pennsylvania (Dauphin County), Harrisburg — Walnut Street Bridge
		Oldest surviving bridge over the Susquehanna. Opened by the People's Bridge Co. in 1890. "Old Shakey," one of the last remaining multi-span Phoenix truss bridges, was a toll bridge until 1957. Flood damage, 1972, closed it to automobiles. Three of its 15 spans were destroyed, 1996. — Map (db m7104)
Pennsylvania (Somerset County), Windber — Windber Area Victims of July 20th 1977 Flood
		Susan Zidzik Helen M. Zidzik George A. Zidzik Andrew Koharchik Margie Koharchik — Map (db m21574)
South Carolina (Beaufort County), Frogmore — 7-32 — The Great Sea Island Storm
		( Front text ) On the night of August 27, 1893, a huge "tropical cyclone," the largest and most powerful storm to hit S.C. until Hurricane Hugo in 1989, made landfall just E of Savannah, Ga. With gusts as high as 120 mph and a storm surge as 12 ft., the worst of the storm struck the Sea Islands near Beaufort - St. Helena, Hilton Head, Daufuskie, Parris and smaller islands were devastated. (Continued on other side) (Reverse text ) The storm killed . . . — Map (db m8782)
South Carolina (Charleston County), Charleston — Hurricane Hugo
		On the night of September 21, 1989, Hurricane Hugo struck the South Carolina Lowcountry. During that night winds reached 125 miles per hour and a storm surge of 15 feet swept over nearby McClellanville. The eye of Hugo passed over Charleston at midnight. This devastating hurricane caused more than six billion dollars damage in South Carolina and left thousands homeless. The greatest cost was the twenty-six lives lost to the storm and its aftermath. This plaque is dedicated to their . . . — Map (db m19171)
Tennessee (Lake County), Tiptonville — 4B 33 — Reelfoot Lake
		(Front): In 1811-12 the greatest earthquakes in North American history enlarged existing bodies of water, blocking inflowing streams, and extended the boundaries of a cypress swamp to form Reelfoot Lake, a haven for fish and wildlife which attracted Davy Crockett and other hunters. Originally about 40,000 acres, siltation has shrunk the lake to about 14,000 acres. Conservation efforts seek to preserve the lake and protect its wildlife , which includes the American bald eagle. see . . . — Map (db m19196)
Tennessee (Shelby County), Memphis — 4E 63 — Memphis Martyrs
		In August, 1878, fear of death caused a panic during which 30,000 of 50,000 Memphians fled this bluff city. By October, the epidemic of yellow fever killed 4,204 of 6,000 Caucasians and 946 of 14,000 Negros who stayed. With some outside help, citizens of all races and walks of life, recognizing their common plight in this devastated, bankrupt community, tended 17,600 sick and buried the dead. As a result many of them lost their lives, becoming martyrs in their service to mankind. — Map (db m7583)
Virginia, Hopewell — Hurricane Isabel
		Hurricane Isabel caused a storm surge at City Point on September 18, 2003. Due to a combination of tropical storm winds and reversing high tides, river levels at City Point rose to 13 feet 10 inches above flood stage resulting in the total destruction of the boardwalk. For those standing on the boardwalk at 5 feet 10 inches or less, the water level would have been over your head. — Map (db m19757)
Virginia, Manassas — Manasss 1905 - The Great Fire — Courage & Determination Save Town
		During the cold winter night of December 5, 1905, a smoldering fire began in Blossom's Alley across the tracks from the train depot. It soon raged through the young town of Manassas, destroying 35 homes, the post office, and business bordered by Main, Center, and Battle Streets and the railroad tracks. Standing shoulder to shoulder, men, women, and children of all ages passed buckets of water and wet blankets down Center street to extinguish the fire. Local lore tells that brickmaker Donation . . . — Map (db m23773)
Virginia (Albemarle County), Scottsville — Hurricane Camille
		On August 20, 1969, flood waters of the James River rose to this point as an aftermath of Hurricane Camille causing great loss to the people of Scottsville. This plaque was erected to remind all who read it of the vulnerability of mortal man to the elements and of the indomitable spirit of men who work together to rebuild. — Map (db m17948)
Virginia (Arlington County), Arlington — Navy and Marine Memorial — Dedicated to Americans Lost at Sea
		In war and in peace, in commerce and in travel, in rescue and discovery, in fisheries and in research, this nation has forged a bond with and a dependence on the sea. This monument of waves and gulls memorializes our national life at sea. It is dedicated to the thousands of Americans who have perished in the sea and to those whose destiny still is linked with our naval and maritime services. The reliefs on the sides of the pedestal of the memorial illustrate, by direct or symbolic representation, all these activities. — Map (db m5108)
Virginia (Henrico County), Richmond — HC 20 — The Flood of 1771
		On May 27, 1771, a wall of water came roaring down the James River valley following ten to twelve days of intensive rain. As water swept through Richmond, buildings, boats, animals, and vegetation were lost. About one hundred fifty people were killed as the river reached a flood stage of forty-five feet above normal. A monument to the flood was inscribed by Ryland Randolph, of Curles, in 1771-72: "... all the great rivers of this country were swept by inundations never before experienced which . . . — Map (db m9248)
Virginia (Nelson County), Faber — R 51 — Hurricane Camille
		On August 20, 1969, torrential rains, following remnants of Hurricane Camille, devastated this area. A rainfall in excess of 25 inches largely within a 5-hour period, swept away or buried many miles of roads, over 100 bridges, and over 900 buildings. 114 people died and 37 remain missing. The damage totalled more than $100,000,000 and Virginia was declared a disaster area. — Map (db m23471)
Virginia (Rappahannock County), Sperryville — Marys Rock Tunnel
		Drill, blast, and clear. Drill, blast, and clear. For three months workers repeated this process, carving through 600 feet of solid granite (granodiorite) to complete Skyline Drive's greatest construction challenge, Marys Rock Tunnel. Twice each day workers drilled 40 holes, each 12 feet deep, into the tunnel's rock face. Five hundred pounds of dynamite filled the holes, then detonation. A local newspaper described the process: "After the blast goes off with a mighty roar it requires two or . . . — Map (db m13232)
West Virginia (Jefferson County), Harpers Ferry — Floods
		Waterpower built this town, and the power of the water eventually destroyed it. The destruction of the Federal Armory during the Civil War began the town's decline. Many people who had left Harpers Ferry during the war did return, only to be driven away again - and this time permanently - by the devastating flood of 1870 and those that soon followed. Harpers Ferry never fully recovered. — Map (db m12982)
West Virginia (Jefferson County), Harpers Ferry — Jonathan Child House
		Jonathan and Emily Child owned the house that once stood on this foundation. Along with partner John McCreight, Child bought Virginius Island from Abraham Herr after the Civil War and moved here with his family in 1867. Three years later, on September 30, a violent flood trapped his family in this house. Mrs. Child gave this chilling description of the ordeal in a letter to her mother: "Last Friday toward evening the water commenced rising rapidly. Before two hours every way of escape was . . . — Map (db m18982)
Wisconsin (Marinette County), Peshtigo — In Memoriam
		To the memory of over 600 men, women and children who perished when every building in the Village of Peshtigo was burned and many surrounding farms were devasted in the great tornado of fire October 8, 1871. — Map (db m15654)
Wisconsin (Marinette County), Peshtigo — 1 — Peshtigo Fire Cemetery
		On the night of 0ctober 8, 1871, Peshtigo, a booming town of 1700 people, was wiped out of existence in the greatest forest fire disaster in American history. Loss of life and even property in the great fire occurring the same night in Chicago did not match the death toll and destuction visited upon northeastern Wisconsin during the same dreadful hours. The town of Peshtigo was centered around a woodenware factory, the largest in the country. Every bulding in the community was lost. . . . — Map (db m12456)
Wisconsin (Saint Croix County), New Richmond — New Richmond Cyclone
		The New Richmond Cyclone of 1899 remains the most disastrous tornado recorded in Wisconsin history. On the hot summer evening of June 12, with little warning and amazing force, a tornado swept through the thriving agricultural community of New Richmond, a city of about 2,000 people. In the tornado's path lay the entire business district, several Victorian neighborhoods and a visiting circus. The destruction was swift and brutal. Within minutes structures collapsed and fires ignited, . . . — Map (db m21276)

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