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Augusta in Richmond County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
 

The Levee

 
 
The Levee Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 11, 2017
1. The Levee Marker
Inscription.
Serious flooding of the Savannah River in 1852 prompted the first consideration of the construction of a levee, a man-made earth embankment, but Augusta experienced the calamity of several other destructive floods before construction of the levee began in 1913.

The section through town was built by first erecting a long railroad trestle, using railroad cars to haul in the fill soil, and covering over the structure of the trestle itself.

The levee withstood a test of floodwaters five times between 1918 and 1928, but was severely damaged in 1929 when waters crested at more than forty-five feet. Desperate attempts to sandbag the levee failed, and several sections were destroyed. The Works Progress Administration supplied labor and much of the funding for reconstruction and enlargement of the levee during the 1930's.

Today, the Clarks Hill and other dams built after World War II harness the power of the river. While these upstream reservoirs aid in flood control, the levee remains as additional protection.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public WorkDisastersRailroads & StreetcarsWaterways & Vessels.
 
Location. 33° 28.677′ N, 81° 57.816′ 
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W. Marker is in Augusta, Georgia, in Richmond County. Marker can be reached from 8th Street north of Reynolds Street, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located on the Augusta Riverwalk near the 8th Street crossing. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2 8th Street, Augusta GA 30901, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Floods (within shouting distance of this marker); William Bartram Trail (within shouting distance of this marker); Cotton (within shouting distance of this marker); Founding of Augusta (within shouting distance of this marker); Great Indian Warrior / Trading Path (within shouting distance of this marker); De Soto In Georgia (within shouting distance of this marker); Indians (within shouting distance of this marker); Industrial Heritage (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Augusta.
 
Also see . . .
1. The Augusta Riverwalk. Explore Southern History website entry:
It was not until 1919, that the city's historic levee was completed. The safety it provided turned out to be far less than expected. The Flood of 1929, which devastated towns and farms across the South, forced the Savannah River to rise so high that it flowed over the new levee at Augusta and again flooded the downtown area. (Submitted on February 22, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.) 
Marker detail: Levee construction image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 11, 2017
2. Marker detail: Levee construction
Photograph from the Garvin Collection, Augusta-Richmond County Museum

2. History of Augusta. National Park Service website entry:
A reclaimed levee built in the 1910s to hold back the worst floodwaters from the Savannah River is now a park called the Riverwalk. Between 5th and 10th streets, the park has outdoor historical exhibits, developed in the 1980s and 1990s, to interpret the city’s history. (Submitted on February 22, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.) 
 
Marker detail: Levee construction image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 11, 2017
3. Marker detail: Levee construction
Photograph from the Garvin Collection, Augusta-Richmond County Museum
Marker detail: Level of floodwater at the Southern Railway Bridge in 1929 image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 11, 2017
4. Marker detail: Level of floodwater at the Southern Railway Bridge in 1929
Photograph from the Garvin Collection, Augusta-Richmond County Museum
The Levee Marker (<i>wide view; Savannah River in background</i>) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 11, 2017
5. The Levee Marker (wide view; Savannah River in background)
Southern Railway Bridge at normal river height image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 11, 2017
6. Southern Railway Bridge at normal river height
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on November 20, 2021. It was originally submitted on February 22, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,171 times since then and 66 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on February 22, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 28, 2024