DAYTON — It has been nearly 110 years since the Great Dayton Flood of 1913 when the Great Miami River flooded and hundreds of people lost their lives and countless animals were killed.
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News Center 7′s Kayla McDermott says that disastrous flood actually was responsible for why we are safer today when we get severe weather.
Saturday will mark 110 years when the streets of the Downtown Dayton were flooded in the Great Dayton Flood and became part of the city’s history.
“It dumped three months of rain on Dayton in three days,” said Steve Lucht, Curator of Carillon Historical Park in Dayton.
McDermott says Carillon Historical Park displays photos, artifacts and sirens people heard as they tried to escape the waters back in 1913.
“The photographs are taken during the flood and experience a little bit of what it was like to be caught in your attic,” he said.
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People went into their attics to survive the deadly flood and many did not make it.
“It killed about 360 people throughout the Miami Valley,” Licht told McDermott.
To those who survived, it motivated those to come up with a plan.
“Remember the promises made in the attic,” he said. “Basically, we promised ourselves we’re not gonna let this happen again
The Miami Conservancy District was created as well as a system to keep the river from overflowing
Dry dams were made that turn into flood basins at our parks.
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“When there’s too much water for the river channels to contain, the water backs up behind the dams and helps control the flow,” said Lucht.
It has proved to be effective ever since.
“Every time we have a lot of rain, like we’re gonna have,” he told McDermott. “We can look at our windows and not be worried about flooding again about mass destruction.”
McDermott says if people want a full-depth experience of what the people went through during the Great 1913 Flood, this exhibit at Carillon Park is open everyday.
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