The Great Flood of 1937: Rising Waters, Soaring Spirits

by Rick Bell

"Like San Francisco's earthquake and Baltimore's fire, the flood of 1937 became a Louisville benchmark; modern Louisville started with it." So said Harper's Weekly, and most historians agree. Seventy years ago, in January 1937, the Ohio River flooded in biblical proportions. Like New Orleans after Katrina, two-thirds of the city of Louisville, Kentucky was under water. But the citizens of Louisville, under the inspired leadership of Mayor Neville Miller, fought through the hardships and the challenges of the city's worst natural disaster to overcome extraordinary tragedy to save their city. This is the complete story of those heroic days. Through historic photographs, maps, log books, diaries and personal recollections, author Rick Bell re-creates, in thrilling detail, the magnitude of the devastation and the totality of the city's eventual triumph.

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 24, 2007

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of local history about the devastating Ohio River flood in Louisville and Southern Indiana. Great historical photographs and correspondence. People in Utica have told us that during the '37 flood the water reached the 2nd floor in our house.