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Cresco in Monroe County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

The Flood of 1955

Barrett Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania

 
 
The Flood of 1955 Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 14, 2018
1. The Flood of 1955 Marker
Inscription.

The Flood of 1955 was the greatest natural disaster to affect Barrett Township in more than a century. The Flood occurred in the waning weeks of the summer of 1955 in the midst of the tourist season. Many of the local hotels and boarding houses were filled with tourists enjoying a summer vacation. That summer had been an especially dry one when Barrett was suddenly confronted with two successive hurricanes — Connie and Diane. The first was Connie which drenched the area. Before the water could recede, Diane struck on the afternoon and evening of August 18th. The community was ill-prepared to handle such an unexpected event. The fast rising waters caught everyone by surprise. The Flood took an unprecedented toll on the local infrastructure. Travel by automobile became almost impossible in any direction into and out of the Township. All together, 22 of the Township's 26 bridges were either destroyed or severely damaged and would eventually need to be replaced or repaired. Several of the more important ones are noted on the map.

Travel by train became impossible because the tracks were destroyed in many areas and some passenger trains were stranded. In one instance, a train was stranded just north of the Cresco Station and some 250 passengers had to be evacuated. The only feasible way into and out of the Township was by helicopter.

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Supplies and medical needs were attended to in this manner. The Flood also destroyed many local dams and roads. The failed dams let forth torrents of water downstream that created many log jams. This only added to the flooding and destruction. These dams, for the most part, were never replaced. Several of them are noted on the map. In some instances, the Flood altered the course of a stream.

Many local businesses and residences were also destroyed or severely damaged with some being moved off of their foundations. Several of these were never replaced. Even cemeteries were damaged with headstones and remains being disturbed. Some coffins were upended and flowed downstream.

Several lives were lost and their bodies had to be recovered. In the end, it took some time and a herculean effort on the part of many before the Township recovered and was able to get back onto its feet.

[Bottom right photo captions, clockwise from top left photo, read]
B1:
Where the PA Route 390 bridge over the Brodhead Creek used to be in Canadensis. The Canadensis United Methodist Church is on the far side of the water. The bridge itself survived the flood, but the road approaching the bridge was washed away.

S1: The remains of the Kreckman house in Canadensis. The Broadhead Creek is in the foreground.

C1: Canadensis United Methodist Church Cemetery, on present

The Flood of 1955 Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 14, 2018
2. The Flood of 1955 Marker
PA Route 447. Headstones destroyed, and some caskets washed away.

B2: Aerial view of the PA Route 390 bridge over Mill Creek in Mountainhome. Route 390 runs from top left to lower right. The steeple of the Mountainhome United Methodist Church is visible among the trees near top center.

The Flood of 1955 Legend [not transcribed, see photo]
 
Erected 2017 by Barrett Township Historical Society.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & ViaductsDisastersRoads & VehiclesWaterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is August 18, 1955.
 
Location. 41° 9.298′ N, 75° 16.894′ W. Marker is in Cresco, Pennsylvania, in Monroe County. Marker is at the intersection of Sand Spring Road (County Route 1008) and Hardytown Road, on the left when traveling south on Sand Spring Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Cresco PA 18326, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Veterans Memorial (approx. 4˝ miles away); a different marker also named Veterans Memorial (approx. 6.6 miles away); The Sullivan Expedition Against The Iroquois Indians 1779 (approx. 7 miles away); World War 1 Honored Dead (approx. 7.8 miles away); World War 2 Honored Dead

The Flood of 1955 Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 14, 2018
3. The Flood of 1955 Marker
Looking SW toward the former Cresco railroad depot
(approx. 7.8 miles away); Swiftwater Valley World War Memorial (approx. 7.8 miles away); Vietnam War Honored Dead (approx. 7.8 miles away); Korean War Honored Dead (approx. 7.8 miles away).
 
Also see . . .
1. Devastation on the Delaware: Stories and Images of the Deadly Flood of 1955 (Shafer). World Forge books website entry (Submitted on October 26, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.) 

2. Flood Of 1955. on Barrett Township Community Portal website video (17m 52s) (Submitted on October 26, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.) 

3. Floods of August 1955 in the Northeastern States (USGS). (Submitted on October 26, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on March 29, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 26, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 485 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3. submitted on October 26, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

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Mar. 28, 2024