Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle - 1907
The Year of the Big Flood

The Big Flood of 1907
Pittsburgh struggles with the Big Flood of 1907. The rivers crested at 38.7 feet.

March 15, 1907 brought the Big Flood to the city of Pittsburgh. Heavy rains and melting snow brought the river level to 38.7 feet, Almost fifteen feet above flood stage and the third highest in Pittsburgh's recorded history, which dates back to 1762.

Many residents were unaware of the rapidly rising water but there were surprisingly few causalities. It was estimated that six to twelve people lost their lives due to the floodwaters. Property damage, however, was extensive, with total losses of over $5 million. Electricity was cut off and workers found themselves out of work due to mill and industrial plant closures.

The Big Flood of 1907.
Liberty Avenue is submerged.
Flood Waters at the corner of Liberty Avenue and Fifth Street. Citizens crowd the high ground in the rear.

At the time it was refered to as the "Great Flood," but that would happen twenty-nine years later, on Saint Patrick's Day, 1936. This flood, however, was quite devastating in it's own right. On the North Side the Pirate's Exposition Park was completely submerged. Afterwards, the city petitioned the government to take action on flood control. The Chamber of Commerce estimated that the persistent flooding in Pittsburgh had caused between $150,000,000 and $200,000,000 in damages to the city.

The Big Flood of 1907.
The Monongahela riverfront.
The Monongahela riverfront.

Those that lived to see the Great Saint Patrick's Day Flood in March 1936 witnessed an even more cataclysmic blow, with the water rising to forty-six feet, reaching over fifteen feet on the Boulevard of the Allies.

Flooding in Pittsburgh is a relatively seasonal occurance, but floods of this magnitude were rare. After the 1936 flood, the federal government finally took notice and allotted funding for a system of dams and reservoirs to provide a measure of flood control.

The Big Flood of 1907.
Front Street is submerged.
Flood waters damage the first floor of buildings along Front Street.

More Images From The Big Flood of 1907

Click on images for larger photos

The Big Flood of 1907 - Flooding
along the Allegheny riverfront.   The Big Flood of 1907 - Flooding
near Sixth Avenue and Penn Avenue.
.

The Big Flood of 1907 - Flooding
on the North Side in Allegheny City.   The Big Flood of 1907 - Pittsburgh's
firemen fought floodwater and fires.
.

The Big Flood of 1907 - A
rowboat near Hornes Department Store.   The Big Flood of 1907 - Flooding
near Penn Avenue.
.

The Big Flood of 1907 - Water levels
are near the deck of the Seventh Street Bridge.
Water and ice rose almost to the level of the decks of the Seventh and Sixth Street Bridges.

The Big Flood of 1907 - Flooded P&LERR
rail cars under the Smithfield Street Bridge.   The Big Flood of 1907 - Flooding alongside
the P&LERR terminal building.
Flooded rail cars under the Smithfield Street Bridge (left) and alongside the P&LERR terminal building.

The Big Flood of 1907 - Flooding
at the Hornes Department Store.   The Big Flood of 1907 - Workers struggle
to recover merchandise from the lower
floor of Hornes Department Store.
Flooding in front of the Hornes Department Store (left) and workers efforts to salvage merchandise.

The Big Flood of 1907 - Homes
damaged on the North Side.   The Big Flood of 1907 - A view of
Federal Street on the North Side.
Homes damaged on the North Side (left) and a view of Federal Street (right).

The Big Flood of 1907 - Factories
along the Allegheny River were flooded.
Flooding along the Allegheny River caused extensive damage to the factories located on it's banks.

The Big Flood of 1907 - Small boats
travel down Penn Avenue in downtown.   The Big Flood of 1907 - Federal
Street on the North Side.
Citizens use small boats to travel along Penn Avenue in downtown (left) and another view of Federal Street.

The Big Flood of 1907 - The
corner of Liberty Avenue and Ferry Street.   The Big Flood of 1907 - Sixth
Avenue near Penn Avenue.
The intersection of Liberty Avenue and Ferry Street (left) and Sixth Avenue near Penn Avenue (right).

The Big Flood of 1907 - Large
chunks of ice flow along Seventh Avenue.   The Big Flood of 1907 - Flooding along
the railroad tracks near Saw Mill Run.
Ice flows along Seventh Avenue in downtown (left) and submerged railroad tracks near Saw Mill Run.

The Golden Triangle under water - 1907
The message "Meet Me At Hotel Antler" is painted atop the Union Bridge during the Big Flood of 1907.

The Big Flood of 1907.   The Big Flood of 1907.
Closeups of the Union Bridge and the Point.

The Big Flood of 1907.   The Big Flood of 1907.
A steamboat and coal barges under the Point Bridge (left) and a flooded factory along the Ohio River.

The Golden Triangle under water - 1907

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