Floods 3

1913  FLOOD

  The R. F. Johnston Paint Company at the corner of Pearl and Main Street obviously saw a possible gold mine of positive advertising of its product in this disaster occurring  on its own premises. Written on the backs of a couple of them is the following: "The Mail, Telegraph and Transportation facilities of Cincinnati and vicinity have been greatly impaired by floods since March 25th. If there is an apparent delay in writing you, it is entirely due to this cause and not to inattention on our part".

                    
                                                                                                                                       Pearl & Main

1933  FLOOD

   1933 was unusual in that there were 2 floods that year. The first crested at 63.6' on March 21. The second crested at 54.1' on May 15. The post card above is a modern reproduction of, I believe, the second somewhat minor flood in May.

1937  FLOOD

  The flood of 1937 was the highest the Ohio had ever risen since any type of records were kept. The very first recorded one in 1773 was measured at 76', which if true would have been the worst flooding of the area until the 1937 one. Of course how accurate that one was is debatable. The official height of the 1937 flood is listed at 79.99 feet. If this number seems rather odd to you, it is and it has long been debated on. Rumor has it, (but has never been proven) that had it officially reached 80 feet double indemnity clauses in certain insurance contracts might have become effective, and the companies would likely have been thrown into bankruptcy. For all practical purposes, the Weather Bureau now accepts 80 feet. When the crest was reached 11 of Cincinnati's 72 square miles was under water. Just picture this and I will shut up, Home Plate at Crosley Field was under 20 feet of water.

                                       
         Crosley Field                                                           card showing water nearly
                                                                                               covering lower grandstand

                       
Salvation Army roof                     Union Terminal                          Ludlow Viaduct                       Industrial District 

                       
Suspension Bridge                 Fire in Cumminsville                    Beachmont ramp                    foot of Sycamore St.

                       
     Coney Island                             Coney Island                      Beachmont Street                    Suspension Bridge
                                                                                                                                                            across the top of card

                       
      L. & N. Bridge                    View over Central Bridge           East End Union Levee           Columbia Power Station

                                                             
L. & N and Central Bridges                                                                                                                                                            
Newport, KY at top                                                                                                                                                            

                      
Lunken Airport                          Lunken Airport                   Union Terminal in center                 Cumminsville    

                               
        Store Interior                              2730 Spring Grove Ave.                            Lower Price Hill        

                       
The Zanol Products Co. (no information) This folder contains 14 pictures, (2 shown), of the 1937 Flood