1937 Portsmouth, Ohio Flood
updated
Jan. 13, 2012
The Ohio river began a rise in middle January
with a large volume of rainfall in the West Virginia and Pennsylvania hills. By
January 19 the river rose to 55 feet with a crest of near 60 feet forecast
for Jan. 21.
Early on Jan 21, with heavy rain throughout the
entire Ohio valley and its tributaries Portsmouth knew a flood was inevitable.
By 5 a.m. Jan. 22 the water began entering the city, backing up through the
sewers whose valves had been opened to permit recession of the water after the
flood and lapping over the floodwall.
A total of 13 inches fell during 21 days in
January four times the normal amount. On Jan. 27 a crest of 74.23 inches was
reached.
Damages totaling more than $16,000,000 was
wrought to the flood in greater Portsmouth. The loss to private homes,
garages and contents was estimated at $3,943,000. Damage to
municipal and school buildings in Portsmouth and New Boston was estimated at
$316,200. Loss to merchandise, equipment and buildings of Portsmouth and
New Boston utilities, manufactures and merchants was placed at $7,202,000.
Churches were damaged to the extent of a $100,000.
One person was drowned. Eight thousand people
were rescued by boat. At one point there was 34,248 refugees from the flood.
Many of the pictures are from the February 28, 1937 souvenir section of the
Portsmouth Times loaned to me by George Barlow (owner of Family Woodworks LLC,
Piketon, OH).
7th and Finley Street during flood
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1937 Flood Falters Drug Store Portsmouth
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1937 flood city manager Frank Sheehan & deputy of WPA
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Boat on 2nd street during 1937 flood
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Glockner Chevrolet Company located on 2nd Street
Joe Hannah photo
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On Grant Bridge looking north up Chillicothe Street
Joe Hannah photo
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Wreck house and debris in the hard hit Front-Mill street
sector
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The receding floodwaters left debris piled up as though a
hurricane had stuck
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Food at the Coliseum at the state fairgrounds in Columbus
being ready for shipment to Portsmouth
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Tom Manning, NBC radio announcer, broadcasting from a row
boat at Seventh and Chillicothe streets.
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People scarring to the Hilltop as the water rose higher in
their homes. They carried groceries, clothing and babies, such as
these people.
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Flood waters carried the Proctorville sign more than 50 miles
downstream and left it at door step of Isaac Moore, 407 Broadway street.
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Flooded Oil Tanks
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Portsmouth a typical couple getting food and shelter at
Hilltop school
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Chillicothe street looking north
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Looking west on Third Street from Chillicothe Street
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N&W tracts on the Scioto River levee
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A typical lineup at Kinney's Lane spring waiting for drinking
water.
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Washington Hotel
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Floodwaters spoiled U. S. Grant school gym, scene of
Portsmouth High school basketball games
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Flood damages typical in the North End
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The normal placid Ohio River
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A thick carpet of mud left in the Bigelow M. E. Church
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Damages left on Hayport road
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WPA workers and CCC enrollees helped hurry along the cleanup
of flood area streets after the flood left. Location Gallia and Offner.
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Some of the debris dug and shoveled out of the basement of
The Times building
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L to R: Joe Graham, Paul Holton, and Orville Fields
with police radio station WPGI
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L to R: Harold Saylor and Bill Gammon moving the
police radio station WPGI from the basement of city hall to a
higher story.
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Paul Wagner & Mrs. Marie Vandergrift looking out
the window at WPAY
WPAY signed on in 1935.
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Harold Saylor (left) and Dr. H. E. Feyler broadcasting over
Saylor's home radio
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Mrs. Marie Vandergrift at WPAY window
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WPA workers putting sand bags on the Scioto River levee
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WPA workers laying out sandbags to dry out
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The new post office on the right and note the United Brethren
church on the left now gone and is part of the Kroger parking lot.
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WPA worker is being handed a child thought the window
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Chillicothe Street looking south
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Looking north on Market Street
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Looking at East side of Market Street
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1937 flood at the N & W overpass
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2nd Street looking east
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Looking East on Gallia Street
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Gallia Street
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1937 Flood at the N & W depot
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1937 flood by the Via Duck and N& W station
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1937 flood Second Street Bridge to West Portsmouth
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View of Portsmouth 1937 flood from the Ohio River
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Some of the advertisers found in the souvenir addition are as follows:
Sears,
3rd & Chillicothe Streets;
Kobackers's; Security Central National
Bank;
J. C. Penny Co.
; Montgomery Ward; Atlas Fashion; The
Portsmouth Banking Co. 6th & Chillicothe streets.;
The Cussings &
Fearn Co. 831 Gallia Street;
Kay Jewelry Co. 817 Gallia Street;
Stewart's corner of Vinton & Young Streets;
Sheets Furniture,
526-28 Stewart Street;
Scioto Motors 1510-18 Gallia Street; Bake Shop,
6th & Chillicothe;
The Ohio Power Co where you could get Electric
Ranges and Water heaters with a low down payment of $1.98 for the range and
$1.22 for the heater plus tax;
The Southern Ohio Maytag Co., 934 Gallia;
Portsmouth Gas Co. 8th and Chillicothe streets;
Bragdon's, Portsmouth
Thrift Center;
Sutter's 1023-25 Gallia Street;
Lewis Furniture Co.;
Chabot's Super Service 9th & Offnere Sts. & at Damarin Hill Station;
Glockner Chevrolet Co. 2nd & Chillicothe Streets;
Compton
Engraving & Printing; Drs. Bennett & Babcock; Household Finance Corp
211 Masonic Temple;
The Midland Grocery Co.; Collins, 322 Chillicothe St;
L. C. Davis Showroom where they has the Nash LaFayette '400', Ambassador Six
& Ambassador Eight on display 1618-1622 Gallia;
Kroger stores; Wolff 320
Chillicothe street;
Summers & Son 906 Gallia Street;
Ideal Milk
Co. Walker's Family Shoe Store 420 Chillicothe Street;
Stewart's Drugs 904
Gallia Street & 4th & Chillicothe Streets;
People's store 308
Chillicothe Street;
Artwil Dress Shop 418 Chillicothe Street;
Universal
Auto Co. see them for the new Ford V-8 1112-30 Gallia Street;
Knose
Chevrolet Sales, 5607 Gallia;
J. F. Carr, Cash For Old God, 813
Gallia;
J.D. Williams Retail Dept. Williams Mfg. C. Bldg. Gallia at
Campbell
; Schaffer, 216 Market Street.
Gallenstein Auto Sales 1014
Gallia St. at John;
Hopkins Bros. 212 Washington St.,
Zuhars
Oldsmobile Co., Gallia at Lincoln; and
Keystone Press Co. 840-42
Forth St.;
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