The Crescent-News2-TMhe Crescent-News, Tuesday, Mareh 28,1982 Defiance, Ohio An unforgettable experience When the rivers ran wild ‘By PRANK CRAIG “EN Stat Writer ‘onsen century” Pew of us believed on Saturday, Marck i, hat te Maumee River would reach sacha record level iin we days a by Sunday afternoon i became aloo clear ‘The Great Food of 1962 was gong tobe 2 record: ‘mater. was a combination of tard weather sn harder tuck, The coldest winter in a century blanketed the {thsiate area ina record amount of sno, ee, nd {tonen ran Inthe seeond week of March, tempers {es suddenly roe. On Priay of hat week, Hives {eebrake up inthe ty. And later tha afteroon, a ‘ra if brie rain daclved the snow inthe Dak of ‘a Saturday, vvers became cataracts: The St Joseph and St Marys, lowing frm Michigan and ee When Auglaize Street took a ‘Oio inte the Maumee at Port Wayne, Ind. The TH {a streaming down from Michigan and into the Maumee at Defiance. The Blanghard and Lite “Auglaize, pouring Tato the Auglaize Beare i 0, ‘et he daumeen Defiance BY Sunday morning, the Auglale vas surging more han eight fet over the top ot Feledo Edcon’s Power Darn just op river rom eience. It washed ver ts banks and into low ying neighborhoods on {tye east and west ides ‘The Tifin almost isolated Evansport and licked atback dors in Branersbung ‘The Maumee slowly but steadily rept up, unt it cured frst nto Kingsbury Tvaler Court, then ito ‘tsaide nelghtorhoods, and nally info the edges tthe downtown, Farther down river, drove 20 Napoleon femles from tein homes'and surged ‘hrough the community of Grand apis, trad dling Henry nd tucas counties, Photo credits CRESCENT-NEWS photographers spent fch of aren 18 15, and. 7 brelessly Slogging through wa ferand mid Wo record thers historic Norte sweat” Obio flood on ‘im, Ts pect se. on alapiays nly 8 ‘mall portion of thelr ‘torts Contibut Dphotrgraphers inciude ‘Wes MeFariend, Mize cele, Ty Guillam, Katty’ Riley, Kathy Punches, steve. Dix ‘nd Dennis Shall tok rescue teams answered the S.0.S. Deatrick-Horman-Galliers-Mix Insurance Agency Defiance. Ohio ora 1208 Emroy Street Defiance, Ohi 1962 Food Setion ‘That night, city officials feared the food might i. ‘The Maumee had already jumped a tenth o two oot pr hour, rom 13 Teton Saturday io 0 feet by eightfall Sunday — 10 fel oficial flood sage iy lost omentum unt — a.m Monday it rested at 203 feet. Five and hall {est shor ofthe 101 Pood, Deflance’s wort on cord ‘Despite fears the river might go up again i n't a week Iaer. Sil, as worse than ae many ofushad ever een "Wore tan sping and summer Noodig i 1881 that devastated crops, Worse than teas Fecord of 18 fet ae ino Soenits shook ther beads at “once n'a century" measurements, Theo of wa tee a reord Ot billon, 4 bilo, and 58 billion fallons a day bythe Mauinee, Auglaie, and Tif, ay and tines normal, respectively ‘Newsamen and Film crews from Toledo, Fort Wayne, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and else ‘there descended sometimes Iteraliy, by one of ‘many bellcopters beard almost constantly over ead, Federal and state disaster teams came, poked, noted, et Ctzens drove around and ted amazed ate spectacle ofthe surging to" Fentsof muddy water Bul what wae an exciting diversion for some was teagiefor others, ‘An estimated 720 people ip Defiance ety and aunty ~ and spother sto in three other area coun {ies ed theirhomes, More han 1b houres and 4b {oe bosinesses were foade, Damage in Defiance ‘asst at near $6 millon But that dolar figure ‘oul not begin to account forte palatal pertonal loss for thove retiring to slurated, mud lick tomes and soaked or rulned belonging ‘Nor could t erase the tragedy of death Eunice ‘arp, 1, Cloverdale, drowned Saturday when ber ‘ar Became stranded in lonswater south of Cont ten Onde Seve Rabe. Granant ‘id from exposure ale being tapped ins te the loding Mauinee. Four days ater, Kathy Bish 3: Delpon downed wen anther ear submerged that officials hoped would bring res emia daaher declaration "ond federal id = to ftrekes commutes and eltiaensn Defiance, Ful. top, Henry Paulding. Willams, Wood, and Lucas ‘unten ‘Maumee receded further in Deflance though and eluent looked hesanty ete west. ‘there stil rampaged in Fart Wayne Ind after « ‘il by President Heag ‘And, asthe difclt and embitering task of leaing up continued, te Pood of 192 Seemet fo promise wo tings. People weuld refer with ate less reverence to ‘he 113 Flood, ater coming so closet equaling it ‘And they would regard the Maumee with aot more ave foratleastsome weeks to come LUTHER => Second & Perry Sts.-Downtown DefianceWaterfall effect is created as water-logged field drains into ditch southeast of Holgate In Napoleon Saturday, the Maumee River began to inch closer to the Perry Street Bridge deck The Crescent-News, Tuesday, March 23, 1982 Deflance, Ohio~3 DI€HL ine, Defiance, Ohio “Dependability Plus” 1420 Ralston Ave., Defiance Ph, 784-4285 JOHNSON PHOTO SHOP and RADIO SHACK Phone 782-8931 1515 Second Defiance, O. MAUMEE VALLEY NATIONAL BANK WToledo Trustcorp Bank Defiance + 784-1221 Paulding + 399-5085 319 Clinton St. Phone 782-9836| TE CERAMICS Phone 784-4993 416 E, Second Defiance, OhioThe Maumee pays a call to homies ‘These two Defiance women wonder — near Defiance’s railroad bridge deine one aint Healt otek Cor. Fifth & Clinton 1e Location Over 50 Yoors KECK’S MARKET ‘The gine 19705; Jefferson Ave. Ph. flood left many autos stranded in the ‘Goosetown’ area of Napoleon PHIL’S TV | | BELL & BECKWITH aay “Since 1898" Bien a aaa Mombers of New York Stock Exchange Phone 782-3035 518 Clinton St. Defiance, Ohio Pome 183-1200 cue eon See Defiance, Ohio Defiance Sewing & Vacuum Cleaner Center SIS Fifth st. Phone 782-2176 Defiance, Ohie Since 1908 -GALE E. HALE CO. ‘Your Flower location since 1892" lr Fla by Bab and Carat MEYERS HEATING ond AIR CONDITIONING, Inc. BALDWIN PIANOS, ORGANS and FUN MACHINE FOR CHURCH - HOME SCHOOL. 7126 MopkinaStrest Phone 782.886 Dellance, hie smplete Plena Service and Rebuilding Phone 782-4851 619 Fith st. Defiance, 0.HORNISH INSURANCE ori or “joirlnSease ase 608 Clinton St. Detionce 782-7176 Maumee flood waters did more than lap at NAPA Auto Parts ZELLER CORP. eee Ere Photographer Bill Parker : aire found time to clown amid cris ale oo Fal Sere Ceuta was turned into a submarine T=} Ee HOME Soy|The Crescent-News, Tuesday, March23, 1982 Deflance, Ohio 11962 Flood Section ABlack Lantern Restau damage sustained at the Catheryn Patterson cleans up the floor at Mercury Cleaners DINNER@®BELL YOUR ONE STOP SHOPPING STORE We have the good taste Phone 782-6756 to save you money. SUNEAS comet OFS 214STATEA. 2 RTANC. OHO 520 Clinton St. Defiance, Ohi “FOR GREAT ENTERTAINMENT” ee F.C. SCHULTZ DEFIANCE THEATRES xX? biznes te | | PLUMBING & HEATING *HOLIDAY CINEMA 10) ‘D" peeTeuirs Bee s AC E be 3 a Defiance a DEFIANCE DRIVE-IN Hill "Your Gift Center” || Op... 4 N Krinting Ruess & Snyder, Inc. Phone 782-9821 L__s21 clinton't. Defiance, Ohio192 Flood Section ‘The Crescent-News, Tuesday, March 23,1962 Deflanice, Ohio—7 nployee surveys heavy n Street establishment Ruth Lloyd, 109 Summit St., found debris all over porch Direct Channels (OF DEFIANCE times mirror Phome 784-8992 cable Teerinen 310 Jefferson ‘9488. Clinton W.E. OLSON ELECTRIC INC. ‘SPRUCE STEET ‘bak sufered 35000 worth of Defiance 784-4700 ‘rescenNews Photo by Kelly INDEPENDENCE DAM. State ‘Park was surveyed fr flood damage ‘The flcod also lated 6 piene ta: ie The ate at eanael a he ooks of repre ges. danceataaaee OM Ve ppenty table SeinA Black Lantern Restaurant employee surveys heavy damage sustained at the Clinton Street establishment‘The Crescent News, Tuesday, March 23, 1882 Defiance, Ohio ‘1902 Flood Séetion *'! FITZENRIDER INC. REFRIG., AIR COND., HEAT. SHEET METAL 827 Perry St., Defiance, Oh. Phone 784-0828 Had this been Venice, nobody would raise an eyebrow. However, this scene was familiar at Summit and Front BAKER-SHINDLER READY MIX PLANT 525 Cleveland Ave.-Defiance, Ohio 2 am ‘Headless’ resident totes Defiance city limit sign ‘our nezbiewor. clothes at trailer court barely visible on 424 ia Fifth Stitch 514 Fifth st. Phone 782-0991 TRO: OFFICE SUPPLY 307.311 Perry Street Defiance Sera ened DAOUST DRUGS CeCe yaa Crescent-News circulation employees bundle papers for delivery following a massive clean-up at the newspaper Pyare eeSeow DON’S HOME OIL 618 West Second St. Defiance 782-0856 FULL STOCKING INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIER FOR OVER 25 YEARS D EFIANCE B UILDING ¢c ENTER 682 Perry St., Defionce Ph. 782.7715 ‘tormerly Tema Lumber) Teg Groccent News, Tunsday, March 23, 1062 Daten 514 Thied Street cq Detiance; Ohio 43512 Beak cleaning people who care Ph, 784-5570 SPEED'S REPAIR Paul & Shirley Schroeder, Owners State Route 15 South sess Defiance Ohio Your Local Dairy 7 am McGUE PLUMBING CO, Specializing In Complete Plumbing Service PLUMBING IS OUR ONLY BUSINESS Phone 784-0614 517 First St. Dick DeWolfe ELECTRONICS SUPPLIES a lite 118 Clinton Street D.1h—The Crescent News, Tuesday, March 23,1982 Defiance, Ohio Access to many eastside homes in Defiance was gained only by boat ike A Good Neighbor, State Farm Is There ‘CARL We BROWNS GARY N. BR WINS PLUMBING Dave Nagel-Owner Rt. 8, Defiance 395-1610 COR DRY. 2 aNERs NERS) oe Pace Gals ore oa od The Crescent-News pumped out the word — and gallons of flood water The Gingerbread House - 503 Wayne - Defiance Dettance 702-20801982 Flood Section ‘The Crescent-News, Tuesday, March 23,1982 Defiance, Ohio—11 sige | Jack’s comfort shoes ei DD Ortho + Comfort + Fashion Aim ~ er Pt ‘ © Defiance, Ohio oo gne kil F . = i 2 Bridge on Stever Road collides with troubled waters ¢Andrews Insurance ransws BD cist ateot Defiance, Ohio ener ny Eerie: nana aes url R ECs} 7” DEFIANCE STAMPING COMPANY 1090 Perry Street. Defiance, Ohio Ken's Hurniture 1710. Jefferson Defiance 782-6801 _THE STORE FOR MEN ZELLER TV & APPLIANCE Area river bank scenes rivaled disaster movie footage FESS IIE WES‘12-The Crescent-News, Tuesday, March 23, 1982 etlance, Ohio 1962 Flood Section Ann Morris, 104 Summit Street, talks to television news crew DERANCE NAPOLEON ssa West ZION, PERRY HAROLD L. HAHR ‘Agent Phone 78.3009 15 Chnton St ‘Dellancs, Ohi ke 2 ood niger, uate Farm here eet canes Having a boat docked at the house was normal for many city residents “OUR SYMPATHY TO THE FLOOD VICTIMS, WE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH” Wade Roehrig, 123 Summit Street, hoses flood debris from sidewalk Glass Sales TiO Clinton Street Defiance MARK MOATS FORD-MERCURY Our Goa: No Unhappy Customers