Photographs of the Great Flood of 1913

The Great Flood of 1913 impacted nearly every part of Ohio and much of the region beyond. As the waters receded, they left in their wake widespread devastation and loss since unseen in our state. Considered the greatest disaster in Ohio history, the 1913 flood claimed more than 400 lives and left thousands homeless. The flood is further credited with bringing about a final end to the nearly century-long canal era that first transformed Ohio from frontier to trade epicenter.

Locally, flood waters ravaged homes and businesses, carving deep channels through streets and forcing many to seek higher ground as water levels reached as high as ten feet in some parts of Akron. Throughout Summit County, communities were temporarily stranded by the effects of the flood as roads washed away, railroad tracks dislodged and damaged interurban lines brought streetcars to a halt.