Page 7 - A Flood of Memories

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Welcome to “A Flood of Memories: Images from the 1913 Flood and Today.” The Miami Conservancy District is proud to present this pictorial collection.
One hundred years ago, Ohio’s worst natural disaster, the Great 1913 Flood, destroyed cities along the Great Miami River from Piqua to Hamilton. But it could not destroy the spirit of those who survived. They bravely addressed the cleanup of their communities with a true can-do attitude that today would likely be mocked for its Pollyanna-ish enthusiasm. But it was just that enthusiasm that helped the cities recover in record time. And it was the promise of those who survived that the Great Miami River would never again overpower the region. Their determination resulted in a ood protection system that would be the envy of others for decades to come.
As we considered the best way to commemorate the 100th anniversary of this tragic event that spurred the region on to a world-renowned ood protection system, we kept coming back to the cliché, a picture is worth a thousand words. So we decided to let photos tell the story of the ood, and the communities that not only survived but are – 100 years later – using the river to drive economic development.
In these pages, we share with you scenes from the 1913 ood and its aftermath, along with those same or similar scenes today. We want to thank Dayton photographer Andy Snow for his striking images, and local historical societies for their assistance in identifying locations and providing anecdotal information. We have tried to verify that the information in these pages is completely accurate. Yet over time, stories can be embellished and memories can unknowingly be altered and massaged. While we can’t guarantee the accuracy of every piece of information, that was always our goal.
We dedicate this book to those who gave so much when they had lost so much.
Janet Bly
General Manager
The Miami Conservancy District
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