OUT OF THE PAST: The 1937 Flood: As Waters Rise, Temple, Church Become Hospitals; Theaters Close, With Seats and Carpet Moved to Higher Ground
by Tony RutherfordHuntington News Network Columnist
Huntington (HNN) — On Jan 19, 1937, engineers had refused to predict a final Ohio River crest, but most noted that 55 feet appeared likely. In fact, by Jan. 21, 600 families had fled the high waters. But heavier rains upstream could through calculations amiss.
The Red Cross had now opened eight relief stations throughout Huntington. Among those assembled to provide helping hands were members of American Legion Post 16, nurses, physicians, Boy Scouts, Sea Scouts, Marine Corp. Reserve officers, WPA officials and laborers.
The Chev Shalom temple at 10th and 10th and the Jefferson Avenue Baptist Church at 9th Street and Jefferson in the West End became makeshift hospitals. The church had been designated an isolation hospital and three children suspected of having Scarlet Fever were taken there.
Meanwhile, at Portsmouth, Ohio, screeching alarms and factor whistles roared at 11 p.m. last night giving citizens and businesses four hours to abandon buildings on the city’s riverfront streets. Continued seepage from the dike protecting the city from the Scioto River had officials worried that it might collapse. While fire trucks helped residents move stock and household goods, officials decided to open the sewer system to prevent the collapse of the concrete flood wall, which had been built to withstand a 61 foot flood. The river measured 60 feet at the floodwall.
Portsmouth City Manager Frank Sheehan estimated that 13,000 of the city’s 43,000 residents were in the danger area.
Last night 25 people were rescued from the icy Ohio after the ferry boat Captain John sank.
Today, evacuations continued under a steady driving rain, which has now lasted 24 hours.
Meanwhile, back in Huntington, news from Pittsburgh indicated that rain would push the river’s crest higher. Rain had fallen yesterday in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Ashland, Parkersburg and Huntington. Mr. Devereaux, a government meteorologist, told the Herald Dispatch that the river was again rising with the forecast calling for more rain, possibly changing to sleet or snow.By January 23, crest predictions at Lock 28 had been raised to 60 feet. “The crest,” wrote Hugh Maxwell, “will exceed by three feet or more the high water mark of the 1936 flood and it will come within six feet of the 1913 flood crest.” Still, according to writer Geneva Kent, 1,200 families had been moved from their homes leaving approximately 6,000 people homeless. Last night, “water covered most of Westmoreland, West Huntington, and Guyandotte” and “encroached” more of the city tying up “transportation by street cars, buses and private automobiles.”
Downtown, businesses and theatres are now threatened by the waters. Some businesses have moved merchandise from the basements and first floors. All Third Avenue basements are flooded. Several theatres are closed today. At the Keith Albee, seats and carpets have been moved to higher levels, while a sandbag barricade has been built across the lobby, wrote Maxwell.
The Orpheum and State Theatre have moved seats and carpets into storage until after the flood. The Roxy began removing its furnishings last night after the final show. At the Palace, management has decided to “sit tight” declaring an intention to remain open unless waters moved into the theatre.
NEXT: Fire sweeps three miles of Cincinnati’s riverfront; people rescued from second floors; twelve days of flooding predicted.
The writer, Tony Rutherford, can be reached by email at .
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