What Happened in Indiana in 1937 Is Terrifying and Tragic

Check out the pictures and video footage below to see this terrifying and tragic event in Hoosier history.

The Ohio River Flood of 1937 happened in late January and early February 1937.

The damage stretched from Pittsburgh to Cairo, Illinois.

One million people were left homeless, with 385 dead and property losses reaching $500 million.

Federal and state resources were strained to aid in the recovery as the disaster occurred during the Great Depression and a couple years after the Dust Bowl.

Indiana was one of four states completely devastated by this flood.

The state of Indiana declared martial law on January 24 and the federal government sent 4,000 WPA workers to assist rescue operations.

Indiana residents were quickly evacuated from river towns by train and bus in the early stages of the flood which is why Indiana was the only state to avoid drowning fatalities. Unfortunately, more than 100,000 Hoosiers were left homeless by the disaster.

Several of the smaller riverside towns including Mauckport and New Amsterdam were so devastated by the flood that they never recovered.

Here is a video containing actual footage of the devastation the flood left behind. As tragic as this event was, I think it is pretty cool that we have these pictures and this video to remind us of what happened!

Do you happen to have any family members who were alive when this flood happened? Share your thoughts and stories with me in the comments.