3rd Grade, Unit 2, Lesson 1

Resource 1E

PLACARD 1E-1

During 11 days in January, 1937, over 16 inches of rain fell in the Ohio River Valley. The Ohio River
overflowed its banks and ran through the city of Louisville, Kentucky. During the Great Flood of
1937, the Ohio River flooded more than it ever had before or ever has since.

Most of the city of Louisville was under water. This is a picture of the West End looking toward down
town. What is the purpose of local government in this situation? What should government do to
address this need?

3rd Grade, Unit 2, Lesson 1

Resource 1E

PLACARD 1E-2

During 11 days in January, 1937, over 16 inches of rain fell in the Ohio River Valley. The Ohio River
overflowed its banks and ran through the city of Louisville, Kentucky. During the Great Flood of
1937, the Ohio River flooded more than it ever had before or ever has since.

The rushing flood water from the Ohio River flipped these houses in a Louisville neighborhood.
What is the purpose of local government in this situation? What should government do to address
this need?

3rd Grade, Unit 2, Lesson 1

Resource 1E

PLACARD 1E-3

During 11 days in January, 1937, over 16 inches of rain fell in the Ohio River Valley. The Ohio
River overflowed its banks and ran through the city of Louisville, Kentucky. During the Great
Flood of 1937, the Ohio River flooded more than it ever had before or ever has since.

As the water went down, people were able to see the damage that the flood caused. This horse
was caught in the branches of a tree. What is the purpose of local government in this
situation? What should government do to address this need?

3rd Grade, Unit 2, Lesson 1

Resource 1E

PLACARD 1e-4

During 11 days in January, 1937, over 16 inches of rain fell in the Ohio River Valley. The
Ohio River overflowed its banks and ran through the city of Louisville, Kentucky. During
the Great Flood of 1937, the Ohio River flooded more than it ever had before or ever has
since.

Over 175,000 people living in Louisville had to flee from the rising waters. Anyone with a
boat helped families get to safety on higher ground. What is the purpose of local government
in this situation? What should government do to address this need?

3rd Grade, Unit 2, Lesson 1

Resource 1E
PLACARD 1E-5

During 11 days in January, 1937, over 16 inches of rain fell in the Ohio River Valley. The Ohio River
overflowed its banks and ran through the city of Louisville, Kentucky. During the Great Flood of
1937, the Ohio River flooded more than it ever had before or ever has since.

This is a famous picture of a man in a washtub raft doing his best to escape the flood waters to
safety. People got from place to place as best as they could. What is the purpose of local
government in this situation? What should government do to address this need?

3rd Grade, Unit 2, Lesson 1

Resource 1E

PLACARD 1E-6

During 11 days in January, 1937, over 16 inches of rain fell in the Ohio River Valley. The Ohio River
overflowed its banks and ran through the city of Louisville, Kentucky. During the Great Flood of 1937,
the Ohio River flooded more than it ever had before or ever has since.

Churchill Downs is far from the Ohio River. Look at how much water flooded the race course. What is
the purpose of local government in this situation? What should government do to address this need?

3rd Grade, Unit 2, Lesson 1

Resource 1E

PLACARD 1E-7

During 11 days in January, 1937, over 16 inches of rain fell in the Ohio River Valley. The Ohio River
overflowed its banks and ran through the city of Louisville, Kentucky. During the Great Flood of
1937, the Ohio River flooded more than it ever had before or ever has since.

The streets of Louisville were like rivers. This is Main Street looking east near Fourth Street. The
water caused a lot of damage to buildings and homes. What is the purpose of local government in
this situation? What should government do to address this need?

3rd Grade, Unit 2, Lesson 1

Resource 1E
PLACARD 1E-8

During 11 days in January, 1937, over 16 inches of rain fell in the Ohio River Valley. The Ohio River
overflowed its banks and ran through the city of Louisville, Kentucky. During the Great Flood of
1937, the Ohio River flooded more than it ever had before or ever has since.

The students of Culver Military Academy in Jeffersonville, Indiana, used their boats to rescue people trapped
by the flood waters. People helped in whatever ways they could. What is the purpose of local government in
this situation? What should government do to address this need?

3rd Grade, Unit 2, Lesson 1

Resource 1E

PLACARD 1E-9

During 11 days in January, 1937, over 16 inches of rain fell in the Ohio River Valley. The Ohio
River overflowed its banks and ran through the city of Louisville, Kentucky. During the Great
Flood of 1937, the Ohio River flooded more than it ever had before or ever has since.

This is photograph of a Louisville neighborhood. It was made by 22 year-old James B. Mitchell

and was recently discovered in a trunk in his granddaughters attic. What is the purpose of local
government in this situation? What should government do to address this need?

3rd Grade, Unit 2, Lesson 1

Resource 1E

PLACARD 1E-10

During 11 days in January, 1937, over 16 inches of rain fell in the Ohio River Valley. The Ohio River
overflowed its banks and ran through the city of Louisville, Kentucky. During the Great Flood of 1937, the
Ohio River flooded more than it ever had before or ever has since.

The flooding river damaged many homes. This is a view of the Portland neighborhood from the
K&I Railroad Bridge. What is the purpose of local government in this situation? What should
government do to address this need?

3rd Grade, Unit 2, Lesson 1

Resource 1E

PLACARD 1E-11

During 11 days in January, 1937, over 16 inches of rain fell in the Ohio River Valley. The Ohio
River overflowed its banks and ran through the city of Louisville, Kentucky. During the Great
Flood of 1937, the Ohio River flooded more than it ever had before or ever has since.

People had their homes destroyed by the flood waters. These are flood victims standing in line
for assistance after the Great Flood of 1937. What is the purpose of local government in this
situation? What should government do to address this need?

3rd Grade, Unit 2, Lesson 1

Resource 1E

PLACARD 1E-12

During 11 days in January, 1937, over 16 inches of rain fell in the Ohio River Valley. The Ohio River
overflowed its banks and ran through the city of Louisville, Kentucky. During the Great Flood of 1937,
the Ohio River flooded more than it ever had before or ever has since.

This is a photograph of the Louisville Gas & Electric building in downtown Louisville. Just
like it does today, LG & E helped homes and businesses have electricity. What is the purpose
of local government in this situation? What should government do to address this need?

3rd Grade, Unit 2, Lesson 1

Resource 1E

PLACARD 1E-13

During 11 days in January, 1937, over 16 inches of rain fell in the Ohio River Valley. The
Ohio River overflowed its banks and ran through the city of Louisville, Kentucky.
During the Great Flood of 1937, the Ohio River flooded more than it ever had before or
ever has since.

Would you like to know more?

Flood stage is how high the river is when it begins to overflow or flood its banks.
The crest of a flood is the highest the river water gets during a flood.
Normal flood stage for Louisville is 51 feet of water.
The 1937 crest was 85.4 feet! This is 11 feet higher than the second highest crest in 1945,
which was 74.4 feet.
Some say that $250 million of damage was caused by the Great Flood of 1937.
(1 million seconds is 12 days, 250 million is 3,000 days, which is over 8 years!)
Today it would take over $3.3 billion to repair the damage the flood caused.
(1 billion seconds is 31 years, 3.3 billion is over 102 years!).

What is the purpose of local government in this situation?

What should government do to address this need?