The 1907 flood was one of the worst floods Wheeling suffered. It crested at 50.1 feet making it the fifth highest on record. It is well-documented, especially in pictures. Nicoll's Art Store in Wheeling saw an opportunity: according to their advertisement, "Our Camera Experts were active and caught everything worth seeing; much that is worth preserving." What appear to be proofs of some of the the post cards they produced are in our collection. The library also is blessed with a collection of beautiful large format photographs of the flood by Charles C. Kline(who was probably one of, or the, photographer for Nicoll's).
Newspaper stories about the flood:
March 14 Intelligencer front page story
March 15 Intelligencer front page story
March 15 back page stories
"River Is Yielding Up Its Dead," Wheeling Daily News, Saturday, March 16.
"The City of Scene of Desolation," Wheeling Daily News, March 16.
"Thrilling Were Scenes," Wheeling Daily News, March 16.
Getting the Daily News out during the flood, and an editorial from the 16th about deforestation and flooding.
A collection of pictures of the 1907 flood from the collection of Ohio County Public Library.
Service provided by the staff of the Ohio County Public Library in partnership with and partially funded by Wheeling National Heritage Area Corporation.