The Flood of March 1936
Heavy snow and rain in March 1936 triggered the worst flood in Wheeling’s history. The river crested at a record 55.2 feet on March 19th, and floodwater inundated the Island, much of South and Centre Wheeling and even the downtown streets as afar east as Chapline. The Suspension Bridge and Steel Bridge were closed, and the Market Auditorium was converted to a refuge shelter and makeshift hospital. Utilities were shut down, supplies cut off, and disease threatened. More than 20,000 people were driven from their homes and 16 people lost their lives.
This interesting gallery of photographs of the 1936 flood is from the archival collections of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston.
This second gallery includes 36 Flood photographs from the Harry Briese Collection of the Ohio County Public Library Archives.
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