Today in Wheeling History: October 17--Wheeling begins extensive flood recovery efforts as the Ohio River recedes, with residents and officials cleaning mud-caked streets, pumping out basements, and assessing damage while utilities work to restore services and the Red Cross continues to aid displaced families, in the aftermath of an unusual October flood that, while severe, did not surpass the record 54.5-foot crest of 1936 but was the worst since the 47.3-foot flood of March 8, 1945 (1954).
In October 1954, Wheeling, West Virginia, experienced severe flooding due to the remnants of Hurricane Hazel. The Ohio River crested at 44.7 feet at Lock 12 in Warwood on October 16, just shy of the predicted 45-foot mark. This unusual October flood inundated large portions of Wheeling Island, low-lying areas of South Wheeling, and parts of downtown.
Approximately two-thirds of Wheeling Island was submerged, with water entering Wheeling Downs racetrack by 5 PM on October 16. In South Wheeling, the Twenty-seventh Street sector was heavily affected. Downtown, Main Street between Fourteenth and Sixteenth Streets, Water Street, and Twelfth Street west of Main were underwater. The wharf parking lot was completely flooded.
The rapid rise of water caught many by surprise, forcing hundreds of families to evacuate. The Red Cross set up shelters at Lincoln School and the former Genuine Auto Parts building, caring for 127 people. Major industries like Wheeling Steel Corporation had to temporarily halt operations.
Despite the severity of this flood, it didn't reach the catastrophic levels of the 1936 flood, which crested at 54.5 feet. This difference can be attributed to the flood control dam system implemented after the 1936 disaster. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers credited these dams with lowering the crest at Wheeling by eight feet, preventing what could have been the worst flood in the city's history.
To learn more: Wheeling News-Register (https://shorturl.at/7KiYm) (https://shorturl.at/vxAtb), Wikipedia (https://shorturl.at/fd2DO)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV
In October 1954, Wheeling, West Virginia, experienced severe flooding due to the remnants of Hurricane Hazel. The Ohio River crested at 44.7 feet at Lock 12 in Warwood on October 16, just shy of the predicted 45-foot mark. This unusual October flood inundated large portions of Wheeling Island, low-lying areas of South Wheeling, and parts of downtown.
Approximately two-thirds of Wheeling Island was submerged, with water entering Wheeling Downs racetrack by 5 PM on October 16. In South Wheeling, the Twenty-seventh Street sector was heavily affected. Downtown, Main Street between Fourteenth and Sixteenth Streets, Water Street, and Twelfth Street west of Main were underwater. The wharf parking lot was completely flooded.
The rapid rise of water caught many by surprise, forcing hundreds of families to evacuate. The Red Cross set up shelters at Lincoln School and the former Genuine Auto Parts building, caring for 127 people. Major industries like Wheeling Steel Corporation had to temporarily halt operations.
Despite the severity of this flood, it didn't reach the catastrophic levels of the 1936 flood, which crested at 54.5 feet. This difference can be attributed to the flood control dam system implemented after the 1936 disaster. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers credited these dams with lowering the crest at Wheeling by eight feet, preventing what could have been the worst flood in the city's history.
To learn more: Wheeling News-Register (https://shorturl.at/7KiYm) (https://shorturl.at/vxAtb), Wikipedia (https://shorturl.at/fd2DO)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV
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