Valley Girl Views: When The Mighty Susquehanna Flooded Our Towns

A look at the floods throughout the Central Susquehanna River Valley,

through photos and newspaper articles, by town

The Floods, By Year

"The first known to early history occurred in 1744, the second in 1758, the third in 1772, the fourth in 1786, and the fifth in 1800. The Indians in the valley had a tradition that a great flood occurs every 14 years, which seems to have been verified in these five instances." - Meningess

The main stem of the Susquehanna has flooded 14 times since 1810 – about every 15 years, on average.It has flooded 48 times since we began keeping records in 1786.

In the Miltonian Historical Notes, 1923, they published:

Feb 12 1731 - Greatest Flood known in the Susquehanna

1784 Ice Flood - March 15

In a memorandum on file in Harrisburg, signed by Robert Martin and John Franklin, they state that on the 15th of March, 1784, the Susquehanna rose to a flood exceeding all degrees ever known. The flood was so sudden that it gave no time to guard against the mischief; that it swept away 150 homes and 1000 persons were left destitute of provisions and clothing. The flood was later known as the “Ice Flood”

The Lewisburg Chronicle March 1865

1786 Pumpkin Flood - October

The Lewisburg Chronicle March 1865

1817 - August 9
Limestone Run, In Milton

1829 - June 28

1846 - March

1847 - October

Documented as "at least three to four feet higher than any previous rise"

1851 July 18 & 19

A great storm raged for 32 hours, and the flood that followed was greater than any previous.

1865 St Patrick's Day Flood

Mill St, Danville Pa, in the 1865 St Patricks Day Flood

Photos of the 1865 flood in Danville, Sunbury, & Williamsport

1883

The 1883 Flood, Milton Island

1889 - June 1, 1889

The 1889 Flood, in Milton, Pa

1904 North Branch Ice Flood

The 1904 Ice Flood in Bloomsburg, Catawissa, Danville, & Espy

1936

1936 Flood, Market St Sunbury

1940

April 1st

1946

1950

1972, June - Hurricane Agnes

How A Hurricane Became Pennsylvania's Worst Natural Disaster - A Time Line Of The 1972 Flood

2004

Photos of the 2004 flood in Milton

2011

The Two Branches Of The Susquehanna River

The Susquehanna River, which begins in New York and ends in the Chesapeake Bay. At 444 miles long, it's the longest river on the east coast. It's the 16th largest river in the Unites States.

The river forms into two main branches. The North Branch, also known as the "Main branch" begins in Cooperstown NY. The river dips into Pennsylvania, then bends right back to New York for a bit, before flowing down through Sayre Pa. From there it flows down through our local towns of Bloomsburg & Danville, meeting up with the West Branch in Northumberland.

The West Branch beings near Elmora Pennsylvania, and flows through Cherry Tree, & Clearfield before arriving in our local towns of Renovo, Lock Haven, Williamsport, Lewisburg & Milton, joining the North, or Main, branch at Northumberland.

When you cross the river bridge (on the left in this photo) from Northumberland to Shamokin Dam, you see the two branches of the river connect. The best view is from the overlook at Shikellamy state park.

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