1937 photo from Effie Josephine Henry’s photo album, likely sent by Albert’s brother and sister-in-law, Charles and Magdalena Henry, who lived in Cinicinnati. Charles was an iron worker and he died six months after this photo was taken, at the age of 57. The caption states “Water by Church of Brethren, Chase & Chambers St. Jan 27, 1937. Great Flood”
The location of the photo is Chambers Street facing south across the intersection of Chase Ave, next to (then) Church of the Brethren. This is a few blocks from Mill Creek and about 5 miles from the Ohio River. Here is the present day street view:
The Ohio River flood of 1937 took place in late January and February 1937. With damage stretching from Pittsburgh to Cairo, Illinois, 385 people died and 1 million were left homeless, including 100,000 in Cincinnati where river gauge levels reached 80 feet, the highest level in the city’s history to this day. Federal and state resources were strained to aid recovery as the disaster occurred during the depths of the Great Depression and a few years after the beginning of the Dust Bowl.
While 15-20% of the City of Cincinnati itself was water-covered, leaving thousands homeless, much of the city outside of the flooded area was largely paralyzed due to lack of fresh water, electricity and heat.
