The 1936 Flood In the North Central Region Of Pennsylvania

Three days of flooding caused 175 deaths throughout Pennsylvania, and caused more than half a billion dollars in damage. The 1936 St Patrick's Day Floods remain on the list of the worst floods to ever occur in the Susquehanna River Valley.

It is because of the 1936 flood that Sunbury has a flood wall, Williamsport has a levee, and the state of Pennsylvania has an extra tax on alcohol.

This flood was also one of the most photographed events I have found in our area so far. There are hundreds of photos of Sunbury alone, in 1936. Photographers came from hours away, in addition to the many photographers already living and working in the area.

I have compiled the photos and stories, and even videos, on their own pages, by town.

This is the index.

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Photos & Stories By Town - On The West Branch

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The Reading Company Refugee Train took 433 Sunbury Flood victims to Shamokin. Others were evacuated to Northumberland, and some families simply walked from the city .

One Sunbury journalist commented, "The sight, as the hundreds boarded the trains, looked like the exodus of exiles, from a town of revolution. They bore boxes, paper bags, dogs, canaries and parrots, anything they had time to clutch when the rescue boats came up to their windows."

There are literally hundreds of photos of Sunbury in the 1936 flood. It appears that the perhaps the rescue trains brought photographers in with them.

Photos & Stories From Sunbury

Photos & Stories Of Lewisburg

Photos & Stories Of Milton

Photos & Stories Of Montgomery

Photos & Stories Of Watsontown

Next to Johnstown, that's the worst hit town I have seen." - Governor Earle, flying over Williamsport, March 1936

The 1936 Flood In Williamsport

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In Jersey Shore:

"Jersey Shore, and surrounding communities were once again flooded March 19, 1936. Bell Telephone reported that water had reached the switchboard which was located on the first floor of the present day Masonic Lodge building on S. Main St. One hundred families were homeless, but there was no loss of life.

Jersey Shore recovered quickly. The state Forestry Department used Civilian Conservation Corp. workers to clean mud from cellars of individual houses and sprayed lime to avoid a Diphtheria outbreak, which was common in other communities. "

SEE PHOTOS HERE

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THE HELPERS

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”― Fred Rogers

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F. Alan Gaes 1904-1948

"Hello Al"

Williamsport's Ham Radio operator who relayed messages from other radio operators to WRAK, throughout the flood.

READ MORE HERE

Rescued By Prisoners

The Soup Line at Stearns, during the 1936 Flood

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THE LIBRARIES

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The 1936 flood caused millions of dollars worth of damage - including to at least

14 public libraries. Of those 14 libraries, 3 of those with the most severe damage were in our area along the West Branch - Lock Haven, Williamsport, and Milton.

Williamsport Library -
James V. Brown
In the 1936 Flood

Mary Goss

Lock Haven's Librarian

Milton Library

In The 1936 Flood

Pennsylvania Public Libraries and the Great Flood of 1936

Dark Clouds and Silver Linings

Bernadette A. Lear

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BECASUE OF THE FLOOD

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The Johnstown Flood Tax We Still Pay Today

In Pennsylvania, we pay a tax on a tax, on alcohol - Because of the 1936 flood.

A "hidden" 18% tax was added to all alcohol sold in Pennsylvania, as part of an effort to fund the flood relief efforts. This tax is already on the alcohol, so we then pay 6% sales tax on TOP of that tax. It's sometimes referred to as the Johnstown Flood Tax. Read more about it here:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/06/do-we-still-pay-johnstown-flood-liquor.html

Williamsport got a levee

Sunbury got a wall

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READ MORE
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Geological Survey - Floods Of 1936