1936 Spring Floods

The Winter of 1936 was exceptionally harsh in the northeastern quadrant of the country. Blizzards and unusually large accumulations of ice promised Spring flooding if followed by a quick thaw. By mid-March temperatures warmed dramatically and the Spring run-off of melting snow and ice caused the feared massive flooding. Particularly hard hit were the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers in Virginia and Maryland, the upper Ohio near Pittsburgh, the Allegheny and Susquehanna Rivers in Pennsylvania and the Connecticut, Merrimac and Kennebec Rivers in New England as well as scores of lesser rivers and streams. To this day the March 1936 recorded water flow on the Potomac and Connecticut Rivers stands as an all-time record.

News outlets printed a number of black and white postcards showing the flooding. Pennsylvania, Maryland and Washington, D.C. postcards are credited to the International News Service. New England views sometimes show other publishers and some are numbered. Most are just identified as to location.

Manufacture was by Tichnor Bros. in Boston with some views being issued for multiple locations. Not all locations shown in the gallery may be accurate. Known examples of duplicate locations include the militia guarding a washed out bridge labeled for both Pittsburgh and Johnstown. The bridge is in fact the Franklin Street Bridge in Johnstown. The State Road flooding views show both Wilkes-Barre and New England locations. The absence of the International News Service imprint points to New England and postcards with numbers on the image side are New England locations contrary to what may appear in the caption.

NumberStateLocalityDescription
CTHartfordFlood Scene
DCWashingtonCapital Air Field Submerged By Potomac River
MAAndoverFlood in North Andover, March 20, 1936
MAAtholFlood Scene Near Starrett Mill, Miller River
MAFitchburgFlood Scene On Nashua River
MAHaverhillFlood At Post Office And Washington Square
MAHudsonFlood Scene, Business District
MALawrenceFlood on Hampshire St. March 20, 1936
MALawrenceFlood Scene. Lawrence Dam
MALawrenceFlood Waters At Fall's Bridge. March 20, 1936
MALowellFlood Scene On Merrimac River
14RMAOrangeAutomobiles Submerged
MAPepperellRuined Bridge
MASpringfieldFlood Showing Abandoned Jail
MAWest SpringfieldUnder Water
MDHancockAir View, Almost Completely Flooded By Flood Waters
MEGardinerFlood Scene On Kennebec River
20MEHallowellFlood Scene. March 20, 1936. Water Street
METopshamBridge on Kennebec River Goes Out
MEGreat Ice Field Roaring Down The Kennebec River
17RNHConcordFlood Scene. B&M Roundhouse
NHConcordRailroad Yards Under Water
NHHooksetFlood Scene. Wrack And Ruin
2RNHManchesterBad Flood Spot
6NHManchesterFlood Scene On Merrimac Rivcer
NHManchesterFlood Scene On Merrimac Rivcer
NHManchesterFlood Scene On Merrimac Rivcer
NHManchesterFlood Scene. Merrimac River
NHNashuaFlood Scene At Goffstown Near Nashua, NH
NHPlymouthFlood Scene
NHFlood Scene On Merrimac River. The Great Flood of 1936
NHFlood Scene. Floating Down The Merrimac River To The Sea
PABlairsvilleFlood Waters Wash House Onto Bridge
PAHarrisburgAerial View Showing Submerged Steel Mills & Frt. Yards
PAJohnstownAutos Out - Canoes Useful in Flooded Johnstown, Pa.
PAJohnstownBridge Washed Away Power House Under Water
PAJohnstownFerry Transportation Popular
PAJohnstownFlood Scenes of Main Streets
PAJohnstownMilitia On Guard
PAJohnstownRescue Work In The Great Flood Of 1936
PAJohnstownRunning To Safety "The Dam Has Broken"
PANew CumberlandFlood Scenes of Main Streets
PAPittsburghBusiness Section Under Water
PAPittsburghFlood Damage of $1,000,000 To This Store
PAPittsburghFlood Waters in Downtown
PAPittsburghFranklin Street Bridge Battered (Actually Johnstown, Pa)
PAPittsburghGallery of 1936 (Men Paddling Boat)
PAPittsburghStreet Scene In Flood Area
PAPittsburghWaters Rising On Wabash Avenue
PASunburyAerial View Showing Sunbury, Pa. Under Water
PATarentumWreck Caused By Flood Waters
PAWilkes-BarreCaught On The State Road
PAWilkes-BarreRescue Work In Flooded Streets
PAWilkes-BarreRescue Work In The Flooded Area
PAWilkes-BarreTraffic Jam In "Venice" Of Mining District
PAWilliamsportFire Adds To Flood Horrors
PAWilliamsportWilliamsport Residents Move Out By Way Of Attic
VTBellows FallsFlood Scene. R.R. Station Abandoned
WVHarpers FerryFlood Scene - B&O RR Bridges
WVHarpers FerryFlood Waters Reach Second Story
UnidentifiedFlood Scene on State Road
UnidentifiedFloodwater--An Unwelcome Guest In The Parlor
UnidentifiedOverflowing Of The Susquehanna River, Pa.
UnidentifiedStranded on State Road