The Flood of 1937
Written by Justin D. Lamb
Perhaps the most iconic image of the 1937 Paducah flood shows Bossy, a broad back jersey milk cow, stranded on the second floor of the home of Jimmy Houston on 527 North Sixth Street. The image appeared in a 1937 edition of National Geographic and brought national attention to the disaster in Paducah.
(Courtesy of National Geographic)
In a report completed by the American Red Cross in late 1937, the Ohio River Flood of 1937 was called the “greatest disaster to hit the United States in decades.” The cataclysmic event struck the Ohio River Valley in January and February of 1937 and left a path of destruction in its wake.
The flood affected towns and cities all along the Ohio River from as far east as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania all the way down to Cairo, Illinois. The flood waters were so great that they reached as far north as Harrisburg, Illinois. In Marshall County, the towns of Gilbertsville and Birmingham were affected greatly, but nearby Paducah received most of the damage in western Kentucky as almost 90 percent of the town was inundated and damage was estimated at nearly 22 million dollars. The Red Cross reported that nearly a million people were homeless in the Ohio River Valley and life quickly became isolated and primitive. Food and water were in great shortage and modern necessities such as heating, commodes, and electricity were no longer available. Resources from the federal and state governments was severely strained in recovery efforts as the disaster occurred during the midst of the Great Depression.
The disastrous event began in January 1937 with bitter cold temperatures followed by a two-week rain of nearly 18 inches trailed by a sleet storm which knocked out power and telephone lines. The residents of the area were caught completely off guard as the waters quickly began to rise. Living along the river made the residents accustom to rising waters and few paid any attention until it was too late.
By January 19, waters continued to rise to record levels with local officials now warning the residents of the area to evacuate. The water was cold and icy and temperatures hovered well below freezing. Cars began to freeze and stall in the mounting waters as crude john boats and rafts became the mode of transportation.
By February 2, the flood waters in Paducah reached 60 feet in some areas and the town’s evacuation became under military supervision. Kentucky Governor A.B. “Happy” Chandler visited the town and personally helped evacuate some of the town’s residents, but emergency response to the situation was crippled by downed telephone and telegraph lines. With the radio stations out, many people worried about the safety of their family and friends who lived in the affected areas. Some 27,000 residents of Paducah were displaced and forced to evacuate.
Malcolm “Mac” Meadows of Benton was born in Paducah during the flood of 1937.
For Benton resident Malcolm “Mac” Meadows, the flood of 1937 was a significant occurrence in his life as he came into this world during the devastating event.
“My parents, Harvey and Bertha Mae Meadows, were living on Clements Street in Paducah when the flood waters forced them to be evacuated and go to Bridge Street to stay with family,” Meadows said. The flood waters followed the young couple to Bridge Street as the waters continued to reach treacherous levels and the family was forced to take refuge on the second story of the house. It wasn’t long after arriving at Bridge Street that Meadows’ mother went into labor on January 22, 1937. “I was born premature and weighed only four pounds,” Meadows said. “I had developed jaundice and my daddy pulled some boards up from the house and made a makeshift raft in order to row his way through the waters to go get medicine for me,” Meadows said.
Bridge Street in Paducah was overtaken by the murky floodwaters.
(Courtesy of McCracken County Public Library)
Soon the Red Cross arrived and evacuated the family from the marooned house to take them to higher ground. “My aunt had a fur coat that she wanted to take with her, but the Red Cross workers would only let them take what clothing they had on their backs because the boat was so small they were afraid it might capsize,” Meadows said. “My aunt finally convinced them to let her wrap me up in the coat so I wouldn’t get cold and she could save her coat,” Meadows said. “They took all of the evacuees further south to about where Lowes is today on the south side of Paducah,” he stated. “We eventually went to Benton on Walnut Street to stay with Sheriff Burnett Holland and his wife which was mother’s sister,” Meadows said.
When the water subsided, the displaced citizens of Paducah including the Meadows family returned to their badly damaged homes with many being deemed unsuitable for living. Eventually, Meadows and his family moved to his mother’s birthplace of Palma in Marshall County where a young Mac grew up. Mac Meadows has called Marshall County his home ever since. He enjoys telling the story about how he and his family escaped the Paducah Flood of 1937. “I don’t remember it,” Mac joked, “But it is my claim to fame!”