On this date in 1913, the Great Flood was in full swing in Dayton.
On Tuesday, March 25, continuing heavy rains caused the levees to burst and send torrents of water into the central business district.
The following day, Wednesday March 26, the floodwaters crested in Dayton and downtown also suffered from the gas explosion and fires that are the inspiration for the name of the Fire Blocks district.
The flood led to lives lost (over 360 people), property destroyed (about 20,000 homes), and it also damaged a large percentage of the landmarks I cover in my book Lost Dayton, Ohio, sites both downtown and in the surrounding neighborhoods.
One question I’ve often received at my book talks is how much of Dayton was underwater during the great flood.
In several locations the waters reached 20 feet deep early on March 26th, and the average downtown was over 10 feet. But it extended far beyond the central business district, as over half of the city was flooded by waters at least 3 feet deep.
The following image paints a picture of just how far the waters reached.
Here’s another view that shows a larger map area with the flooded sections outlined.
More Photos of the Great Flood of 1913 in Dayton
All flood images are courtesy of Dayton Metro Library
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