Today in Wheeling History: September 29--The Great Pumpkin Flood inundates Wheeling and Ohio River communities (1861).
The Great Pumpkin Flood of 1861 struck Wheeling and other Ohio River communities with sudden ferocity, catching residents off guard. This unexpected deluge, the likes of which hadn't been seen in two decades, began on the night of September 28 and reached its peak on September 29. The flood earned its peculiar name from the numerous pumpkins, squashes, and gourds swept away from riverside cornfields, bobbing alongside other debris in the swollen Ohio River.
The rapidly rising waters submerged everything within 30 feet of the riverbank overnight, causing extensive damage to properties and livelihoods. For 24 hours, the river churned with a chaotic mix of rafts, sawed timber, coal flats, barges, and various valuable items. Enterprising individuals took to their skiffs, working tirelessly to salvage what they could from the raging current. Some property owners, demonstrating remarkable determination, clung to their floating possessions for miles before finding safe harbor or assistance.
The flood's impact extended beyond Wheeling, affecting transportation infrastructure in the region. The Pittsburgh & Cleveland Railroad Company took precautions to protect their recently reconstructed bridge over the Big Beaver River, weighing it down with a train loaded with pig iron to prevent it from being swept away again.
By September 30, the floodwaters began to recede rapidly, leaving behind a trail of destruction and a community facing the daunting task of recovery and rebuilding.
To learn more: Wheeling Daily Intelligencer (https://tinyurl.com/bdfnr9tc), Weelunk (https://tinyurl.com/m4bncvzr), Newton, J. H., Nichols, G. G., and Sprankle, A. G. History of The Pan-Handle; Being Historical Collections of the Counties of Ohio, Brooke, Marshall and Hancock, West Virginia. (Wheeling, WV: J.A. Caldwell, 1879), page 249.
Photo credits: Wheeling Daily Intelligencer
The Great Pumpkin Flood of 1861 struck Wheeling and other Ohio River communities with sudden ferocity, catching residents off guard. This unexpected deluge, the likes of which hadn't been seen in two decades, began on the night of September 28 and reached its peak on September 29. The flood earned its peculiar name from the numerous pumpkins, squashes, and gourds swept away from riverside cornfields, bobbing alongside other debris in the swollen Ohio River.
The rapidly rising waters submerged everything within 30 feet of the riverbank overnight, causing extensive damage to properties and livelihoods. For 24 hours, the river churned with a chaotic mix of rafts, sawed timber, coal flats, barges, and various valuable items. Enterprising individuals took to their skiffs, working tirelessly to salvage what they could from the raging current. Some property owners, demonstrating remarkable determination, clung to their floating possessions for miles before finding safe harbor or assistance.
The flood's impact extended beyond Wheeling, affecting transportation infrastructure in the region. The Pittsburgh & Cleveland Railroad Company took precautions to protect their recently reconstructed bridge over the Big Beaver River, weighing it down with a train loaded with pig iron to prevent it from being swept away again.
By September 30, the floodwaters began to recede rapidly, leaving behind a trail of destruction and a community facing the daunting task of recovery and rebuilding.
To learn more: Wheeling Daily Intelligencer (https://tinyurl.com/bdfnr9tc), Weelunk (https://tinyurl.com/m4bncvzr), Newton, J. H., Nichols, G. G., and Sprankle, A. G. History of The Pan-Handle; Being Historical Collections of the Counties of Ohio, Brooke, Marshall and Hancock, West Virginia. (Wheeling, WV: J.A. Caldwell, 1879), page 249.
Photo credits: Wheeling Daily Intelligencer
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