Today in History

May 31, 1889
Water, Water Everywhere
Heavy rains cause the earthen South Fork Dam to burst, sending 20 million tons of water and debris crashing into Johnstown, Pennsylvania 14 miles away. Some 2,200 people are killed. The disaster response team includes Clara Barton, president of the new American Red Cross. Two more major floods in Johnstown, one in 1936 and 1977, cause Congress to allocate $40 million for a flood protection project in 1991.



Today's Feature History Article

After the Deluge

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, a writer looks back at the repercussions of another great disaster—, the Mississippi flood of 1927




 



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