1937 flood

1933  FLOOD

   1933 was unusual in that there were 2 floods that year. The first crested at 63.6' on March 21. The second crested at 54.1' on May 15. The post card above is a modern reproduction of, I believe, the second somewhat minor flood in May.

1937  FLOOD

  The flood of 1937 was the highest the Ohio had ever risen since any type of records were kept. The very first recorded one in 1773 was measured at 76', which if true would have been the worst flooding of the area until the 1937 one. Of course how accurate that one was is debatable. The official height of the 1937 flood is listed at 79.99 feet. If this number seems rather odd to you, it is and it has long been debated on. Rumor has it, (but has never been proven) that had it officially reached 80 feet double indemnity clauses in certain insurance contracts might have become effective, and the companies would likely have been thrown into bankruptcy. For all practical purposes, the Weather Bureau now accepts 80 feet. When the crest was reached 11 of Cincinnati's 72 square miles was under water. Just picture this and I will shut up, Home Plate at Crosley Field was under 20 feet of water.
  The photo below shows the Island Queen trapped between the bridges. The Queen and her wharf boat drifted several blocks from her spot at the foot of Broadway.

These are not postcards

 1937 flood as seen from the Union Central Building, Cincinnati, OH - looking southeast at the ramp to the Roebling Suspension Bridge. Taken January 1937 by Nelson Ronsheim (copyright 2009, Michael G Smith)”

                                       
         Crosley Field                                                           card showing water nearly
                                                                                               covering lower grandstand

                       
Salvation Army roof                     Union Terminal                          Ludlow Viaduct                       Industrial District 

                       
Suspension Bridge                 Fire in Cumminsville                    Beachmont ramp                    foot of Sycamore St.

                       
     Coney Island                             Coney Island                      Beachmont Street                    Suspension Bridge
                                                                                                                                                            across the top of card

                       
      L. & N. Bridge                    View over Central Bridge           East End Union Levee           Columbia Power Station

                      
L. & N and Central Bridges         L & N and Central Bridges                 Union Gas & Electric     
Newport, KY at top                                                                                                                      

                      
Lunken Airport                          Lunken Airport                   Union Terminal in center                 Cumminsville    

   The area around Lunken Airport is the site of the original Cincinnati. The original settlers had to move down river to the slightly higher elevation of the present Cincinnati because of the very bad flooding in this area.

               
Store Interior                    2730 Spring Grove Ave.                Lower Price Hill

  All four of these cards are views of the huge fire caused by gas storage tanks overturning and catching fire during the 1937 flood. Called The Black Sunday Fire it took more than 12 hours to put out and burned over three and a half square miles causing  $1.5 million in damages (in depression day dollars).

                       
The Zanol Products Co. (no information) This folder contains 14 pictures, (2 shown), of the 1937 Flood