Floods--Maryland

The westside of Hancock was extensively flooded in the flood of 1936

Main Street, Hancock, near the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue, March 1936

Marian Golden reported that her father, the photographer, told her that the 1936 flood was higher, more rapid, more intense that the 1985 flood. He said it was cleaner, in the sense there was only mud left behind, rather than the oily, polluted garbage that later floods have brought.
 

East end of Hancock, after the 1936 flood. Notice the telephone pole in the water.

Marian Golden remembered her father reporting that the majority of the flooding was in the west end of town. Only "Ice Hollow", the site of Hardee's today, was flooded in the east end.

The boat is being rowed down Main Street in Hancock, passed Dr. M.H. Cohen's dentist office and the sign in the water for Southern Dairies Icecream.

This annotated photograph shows the effect of the 1936 flood on the bridge crossing the Potomac River at Hancock. The high water mark on the bridge is marked where the span was washed away. A collection of leaves wedged at high water level in a tree is also marked.

The top image is from an undated postcard showing the three span bridge over the Potomac from Hancock to West Virginia. The booklet, "A Sketch of Hancock, Maryland, September, 1925", author unknown, notes that "the Big Bridge across the Potomac is now owned by the States of Maryland and West Virginia and is free to the public."

The lower picture, taken by Arthur White, shows the center span of the bridge underwater. The Report of the State Roads Commission of Maryland for the years 1935-1936, produced by the Maryland State Roads Commission noted:

ROSTER OF COMPANY PARTICIPATING IN FLOOD DUTY

1st. Lieut.       Guy S. McKee       
2nd Lieut.       Carl J. Schlotterbeck       
1st.Sgt       Charles B.Minnebraker       
Sgt.       Carter, C.R.       
Sgt.       Conrad, V.P.–#       
Sgt.       Farrie, M.       
Sgt.       Metz, J.F.       
Sgt.       Rogers, C.B.       
Sgt.       Schlotterbeck, E.P.       
Sgt.       Smith, E.W.       
Corp.       Adams,E.L. Jr.–%       
Corp.       Edwards, W.L. –%       
Corp.       Grimm, H.R.       

From Dr. Tabler and Mr. Resley, of the State Road Commission and the Mayor of Hancock it was learned that there were approximately twenty feet of water over the bridge at west end of Hancock. It was found that there were a number of row boats available for crossing, but as there was no light and large objects were floating as well as wires under the water, it was decided that such a crossing at night would entail too much risk in view of the instructions from Gen. Reckord. Capt McCleary then called Gen.

about noon, Wednesday Morning, March 25th. when they were relieved of duty and returned to Hagerstown,

FLOOD DUTY----March 18th. to 25th, 1936

"Captain McCleary, Company "G" on flood duty in Cumberland needs assistance. Mobilize Company "B" at once and proceed to Cumberland, reporting to Major Flook. Some of the roads are flooded, you will have to select any route that is open. Take no unnecessary risks"

That order from Major General Reckord by telephone at 11.50 A.M. March 18th. launched the first mobilization for duty of Company "B" since reorganization after the World War.