March 21, 1913: The Great Dayton Flood of 1913 hits Dayton, Ohio, killing 360

By the 1900, Dayton, Ohio was a city on the rise. Dayton had been a hot spot for industry and engineering, famously being home to the Wright Brothers. They tested one of their first airplanes there. The future seemed bright for Dayton. However, that would all change on the afternoon of March 21, 1913. March 21 was by all accounts a warm, sunny day, but by the early afternoon, it began to rain. The storm continued into Easter Sunday. As the townspeople lined up in their pews to give their Easter prayers, the rivers around Dayton surged. Dayton was at the confluence of three river tributaries, the Mad River, the Stillwater River, and Wolf Creek. Throughout its history, the town was subject to random flooding from the overflowing of these rivers. Eventually the town installed levies to protect them from the floodwaters. On Monday, the storm intensified, dumping 8 to 11 inches in the span of an evening. The rivers began to crest. On Tuesday morning, the levees broke. Dayton became inundated with river water. By Wednesday, the flood engulfed the town, drowning it in over 20 feet of water. The end of the week saw the waters recede, but not before exacting a deadly toll. In all, the flood would kill 360 Ohioans, and destroy over 20,000 homes.

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