Today in Wheeling History: August 21-22—Heavy, steady rains caused severe flash flooding in Wheeling, West Virginia, destroying bridges and infrastructure that had just been rebuilt after a major flood on July 19th (1888). The flooding was caused by a category 3 hurricane that made landfall in Louisiana on August 20 and moved northward along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. The Main Street stone bridge collapsed while crowded with people, narrowly avoiding loss of life. Railroads were again wiped out, isolating the city. The South Side was left without a water supply. Damage was widespread, hampering recovery efforts from the first flood. (https://rb.gy/87fmh) (https://rb.gy/ku907)
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