Grafton is located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. I wanted to get an idea of the year these postcards were printed. Good luck! When I searched Google for "flood in Grafton", I got all sorts of information on the Great Flood of 1993, and the one in 1995. I also found information on the big flood in 2008. A little more delving and I found there was also a great flood of 1844, after which many people left for good. I guess the waters recede and then we forget it ever happened and rebuild. In fact, it looks like flood levels exceeding 27 feet occur about every three years in Grafton. You'd think it would be hard to forget...and hard to rebuild.
After the flood of 1993, the federal government (with a 25% match by the State of Illinois) offered a buyout program for residents in the flood area as part of the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The offer was accepted by 120 residents and the project cost $110 million.
Here's another card from whichever flood this was (1930?) it's a grainy picture, but I think I see a couple of chickens.
Posts
It is interesting what we can see from these postcards.
ReplyDeleteWhat interesting postcards. I really enjoyed looking at them and reading the information.
ReplyDeleteJudy
Very interesting, but it makes me wonder who sends a postcard of a flooded area? People who used to live there?
ReplyDeleteHmm, good question. I guess you could send one to your insurance company.
ReplyDeleteChristine -
ReplyDeleteI see you've also chosen to start the year
with a splash!
Why do those postcards of the Paris Flood look
so much more enchanting?? Perhaps Paris just
does EVERYthing with more style ;-)
Jjj
I do believe them thar chickens be runnin' towards the water. Not the brightest bulbs in the pack, are they?
ReplyDeleteI have a whole book about a flood in Pennyslvania. Not THE flood of 1889 in Johnstown, but another in 1936. The cover says "Pennsylvania's Greatest Flood Disaster in Pictures." Of course when you read about the 1889 flood it sounds like it might have been the worst. Then at Wikipedia it lists flood after flood after flood.
I think earthquakes are easier. You don't see them coming. I shouldn't say that. Any moment the ground could open and swallow me.