Those who lived in Kansas and Missouri during the early 1950s will never forget where they were or what they were doing when heavy rains led to the flooding of four major rivers (Kansas, Verdigris, Neosho, and Marais Des Cygnes).

Approximately 518,000 Kansans and Missourians were forced to leave their homes.

And 17 lost their lives.

More than $935 million in damages were reported (which today would equal a whopping $8.52 billion).

The storm that I am referring to is of course the Great Flood of 1951, in which most of central and eastern Kansas was submerged in record amounts of water.

Thanks to recently discovered 8mm footage filmed by a lifelong Topeka resident, we can get a better glimpse at this devastating storm and how it affected the state as a whole:

Were you around during this life changing storm? What memories do you have of the Great Flood of 1951?

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