To this day, the Mississippi River Flood of 1927 remains the most destructive river flood in the history of the United States. The raging flood waters spread over millions of acres and claimed the lives of hundreds. Extremely catastrophic, the flood had lasting effects on not only the state, but entire country. Take a look:
Dubbed the “Great Flood of 1927,” it took place between April and May. Overall, 500 people were killed and 600,000 were left homeless.
Mississippi Department of Archives and History/Flickr
Part of what makes this flood so significant, is the vast amount of land it affected. The flood waters spread across Mississippi, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana, submerging a total of 16 million acres of land!
Mississippi Department of Archives and History/Flickr
After several months of heavy rain, the Mighty Mississippi reached unprecedented levels, causing a levee to break in Illinois on April 16th.
Jimmy Smith/Flickr
A few days later, on April 21st, the levee in Mounds Landing, MS gave out. The break was so severe, the amount of water it allowed through covered nearly 1 million acres with 10’ of water in just 10 days.
Mississippi Department of Archives and History/Flickr
Before long, the swelling waters caused the entire levee system along the Mississippi River to collapse. The Mississippi Delta received some of the worst damage, with water as high as 30’ in some areas. It was two months before the flood waters subsided.
Mississippi Department of Archives and History/Flickr
In the days leading to the break at Mounds Landing, trains were used to evacuate residents from Greenville to Vicksburg and Memphis. Sadly, African Americans weren’t included in the evacuation efforts, leaving many stranded as the waters rose.
Mississippi Department of Archives and History/Flickr
Those left behind gathered at refugee camps. Eventually, the Red Cross arrived, passing out tents and building kitchens and other facilities.
Mississippi Department of Archives and History/Flickr
Though the flood was terribly tragic, some good did come of it. The National Flood Control Act of 1928, which authorized the Army Corps of Engineers to “design and construct projects for the control of floods,” was a direct result of the disaster.
Jimmy Smith/Flickr
So, were any of your relatives living in the area during the Great Flood? Remember hearing stories about? Tell us in the comments section.
Mississippi Department of Archives and History/Flickr
Jimmy Smith/Flickr
If you enjoyed this, be sure to check out “A Massive Blizzard Blanketed Mississippi In Ice In 1994 And It Will Never Be Forgotten.“
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