Issaquena Genealogy and History Project: The Great Flood of 1927 in Issaquena County


THE GREAT MISSISSIPPI FLOOD OF 1927: AN INTRODUCTION

The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 was the most destructive flood in the history of the United States. The flood began when heavy rains pounded the central basin of the Mississippi in the summer of 1926. By September, the Mississippi's tributaries in Kansas and Iowa were swollen to capacity. On New Year's day of 1927, the Cumberland River at Nashville topped levees at 56.2 feet.

The Mississippi River broke out of its levee system in 145 places and flooded 27,000 square miles or about 16,570,627 acres. The area was inundated up to a depth of 30 feet. The flood caused over $400 million in damages and killed 246 people in seven states.

The flood affected Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Arkansas was hardest hit, with 14% of its territory covered by floodwaters. By May of 1927 the Mississippi River below Memphis, Tennessee reached a width of 60 miles.

Source: Wikipedia: Great Mississippi Flood of 1927

For more information on the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 visit the PBS American Experience site, Fatal Flood.

The photographs below are from the C.B. "Buddy" Newman photograph collection.

A SPECIAL THANKS TO JAMES NEWMAN FOR SUBMITTING THESE PHOTOS
TO THE ISSAQUENA GENEALOGY AND HISTORY PROJECT
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Entire Contents Copyright © 2007 Bob Franks.
THE ISSAQUENA GENEALOGY AND HISTORY PROJECT
Some of the photographs on this page are courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division