St. Charles in St. Charles County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Missouri River floods
Photographed By Jason Voigt, June 3, 2020
1. Missouri River floods Marker
The Missouri River has been flooding ever since it was created by massive glaciers melting at the end of the last ice age 10,000 years ago. In recorded history, the greatest Missouri River flood struck St. Charles in August 1993, after heavy spring and summer rainfall followed a large northern snowmelt. Across the Midwest the flooding took 52 lives, 25 in Missouri, and caused $18 billion of damage. More than 500 counties were declared federal disaster areas.
In St. Charles, river bottoms were flooded and people in low-lying parts of the city lost their homes. Fortunately most of city, built on high ground, escaped severe damage. In St. Charles County, however, almost half the land area lay under the Mississippi and Missouri rivers at one point. Before 1993, the largest known flood was probably in 1844.
Erected by City of St. Charles Ecopark and St. Charles Parks & Recreation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical month for this entry is August 1993.
Location. 38° 47.607′ N, 90° 28.416′ W. Marker is in St. Charles, Missouri, in St. Charles County. Marker can be reached from Olive Street, 0.1 miles east of North 2nd Street (State Highway 94), on the left
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. St. Charles Ecopark (a few steps from this marker); Historic Frenchtown (approx. 0.2 miles away); 1314 N. 3rd (approx. ¼ mile away); 1310 North Third Street (approx. ¼ mile away); Frenchtown Neighborhood (approx. 0.3 miles away); John Borgemeier House 1852 (approx. 0.4 miles away); 809 North Third Street (approx. half a mile away); The DuSable House (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Charles.
Photographed By Jason Voigt, June 3, 2020
2. Missouri River floods Marker
Marker is on the left.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 18, 2021
3. Sign from Lewis and Clark Boat House and Museum
Photographed By Jason Voigt, June 3, 2020
4. Modern Missouri River
Next to the Missouri River floods marker
Credits. This page was last revised on March 31, 2021. It was originally submitted on June 6, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 416 times since then and 59 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 6, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. 3. submitted on March 23, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 4. submitted on June 6, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
