Looking Back At the Great Flood
With all this dry weather we have been having lately sends thoughts to me of the Great Flood of 1927. Did you know it was the most destructive and costly flood in Arkansas history? Arkansas had 80 of the 154 Red Cross Camps and more families received relief than any other. It affected 36 of the 75 counties including St. Francis County. It flooded over 27,000 square miles and left more than 700,000 people homeless. This flood was caused by heavy rains which pushed the Arkansas River into flood stage.There were record rainfall in some areas of 16 to 20 inches. The levees that were in place were saturated with rain and at least 145 levees along the Mississippi River collapsed. Gov. John E. Martineau called up the 154th Observation Squadron of the Arkansas National Guard to assist in rescues. The American
Red Cross immediately set up refuge camps using Army tents. These tent cities were segregated. Families registered when they reached the camp and were issued a tent, cots and blankets. Meals were available and curfews were enforced. Classes were also available for sewing and canning. No federal money was given to aid those who lost homes, livestock and farms. Herbet Hoover, directed flood relief operations, eventually putting the tent cities under government control. Hoover's direction with this helped seal his presidential election in 1928. Because of treatment during this time many people affected changed from Republican to Democrat and the migration of many people to other states began. As the water went down and people returned home they received 30 days rations and packets of seeds for vegetable gardens.
After the Great Flood, Congress enacted the 1928 Flood Control Act. This act out the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in charge of rebuilding the levees along the Mississippi. They also built 29 locks and dams and hundreds of canal runoff channels to avoid such massive flooding. Looking Back on this event which helped shape and protect our future from this type of devastation makes one proud to know that good came from such a long time ago and that is something to be proud of.
This topic and many more eye catching articles appear weekly in my Looking Back column so be sure to get a paper and see what we can learn just by Looking Back.