Danbury Disasters

Danbury Disasters. Danbury, Connecticut. , When the Kohanza Reservoir Dam gave way on the night of February 20, 1869, sixty acres of water, ice, lumber and debris roared down north Main Street. It took shops, homes, bridges and factories with it and several lives were lost. A combination of heavy frost and a neglected earlier break were cited as the cause., Tropical storms in August and October of 1955 brought continuous, torrential downpours to the area. In October, the resulting flood paralyzed the city for days. Utilities were cut off and people were marooned in cars, trains, homes and businesses until rescued by helicopter, boat and army vehicles., Businesses were badly damaged particularly in the area of Wooster Square and White Street. Federally sponsored Flood Control and redevelopment programs led to the re-channeling of the Still River downtown. New bridges went up, new streets were added and some streets disappeared altogether. Scores of older buildings were demolished. The flood greatly changed the face and character of the city’s future., The resilience of Danbury and its citizens has been evident since the arrival of the first settlers. Just as reflected on our City Seal by a phoenix, our residents have risen from the ashes time and again., These unforeseen events may have changed the look of the downtown Danbury area throughout our history but at the same time they managed to propel our city forward.