Several vehicles were stuck in floodwaters along the lowlying area of high street. It was 47 years ago that hurricane agnes came a knockin. Atlantic hurricane 40th anniversary caribbean new york skyline united states june 22 barre pictures travel. Home video archives from my fathers 8mm camera of the aftermath of hurricane agnes recorded while visiting family in pottstown pa. Vintage 1972 hurricane agnes and great flood newspaper. West chester, pa three day weather forecast accuweather. The graphics below show the storm total rainfall for both agnes and the extratropical cyclone to its west, using data provided by the national climatic data center in asheville, north carolina. I did a quick search and found some photos and a video. Hurricane agnes 1972, boyertown pottstown pennsylvania area home video archives from my fathers camera of the aftermath of hurricane agnes recorded while visiting family in pottstown pa. But the recent frankenstorm sandy has spurred a lot of discussion of hurricane agnes which dropped somewhere around 22 inches of rain in some areas of the finger lakes region.
The event is one of the factors that led to the formation of the conrail rail system, a federally funded railway that replaced the damaged and bankrupt lines that existed before the hurricane. Pottstown patch 8 mins health officials say that protesters driving is fine, but warned of the risks of a gathering that flouts social distancing guidelines. It developed in the gulf of mexico to become a weak category 1 hurricane by the time of landfall on the florida panhandle. Wednesday, february 28, 1973 nes is a name most pottstown area residents wont soon forget. Ronald purvis, 32, of pottstown, is wanted by the pottstown police for drug delivery resulting in death in. Support more reporting like this with a subscription to the pottstown mercury. In 1972, tropical storm agnes dropped 8 12 inches of rain. Acceptable slight wear to corners see pictures see more american and. In the interest of public safety, critical coronavirus coverage is being provided free to all readers. Flash flooding engulfs cars, overwhelms businesses in. By june 17, agnes strengthened into a minimal hurricane with 75 mph winds as it trekked slowly northward across the southeast gulf. Cbs fastmoving floodwaters are raging in the pottstown area on thursday night. View of occoquan bridge damage an overhead view of the jefferson davis highwayrt. See more ideas about 40th anniversary, atlantic hurricane and pennsylvania history.
Aug 29, 2016 however, a hurricane does not need to be a category 4 or 5 to cause serious damage. It weakened to a tropical storm by the time it hit near new york city on june 23rd, 1972. Inundation of the heartland tropical storm agnes and the. Susquehanna river, pa hurricane agnes flood of 1972. Hurricane agnes, june 1972 hurricane joaquin could bring trouble for richmond.
Hyperlocal news, alerts, discussions and events for pottstown, pa. Daily local archives following hurricane agnes, june 1972. Pottstown guardian angels, 23 n hanover st, pottstown, pa 2020. Pottstown pulled together to survive hurricane agnes. Ham operators have provided reliable communications out of the affected areas during hurricane agnes in 1972, the johnstown flood in 1977, three mile island nuclear plant meltdown, 1999, flight 93 crash, shanksville, 2001, tropical storm henri, 2002, the quecreek mine disaster in 2002, campbelltown tornado 2004, dozens of weather and natural. Hurricane agnes and the rain she brought with her to pennsylvania beginning june 22, 40 years ago, was unlike anything residents had ever experienced. Pottstown, pa is in a very low risk hurricane zone. Floods reached as far inland as 3rd street in the heart of the city. From tales of gallant civil war colonel john rutter brooke and the dedicated dr.
The most recent pottstown, pa hurricane was sandy in 2012. They closed the bridge between royersford and spring city, not only because of the rising water level, but they feared the old train tressel that passed across the way and not far from the main road would collapse and take down the much traveled bridge. A battle lost pearl street bridge lies in the bottom of the river, the casualty of hurricane agnes photo by dick neal. Hurricane agnes originated in the caribbean sea region in midjune. Hurricane agnes finally said goodbye to pennsylvania on june 25 with its sights set on western new york.
Alice sheppard to memories of summer baseball games long past and a community united in the aftermath of hurricane agnes, snyder deftly captures the spirit and history of pottstown. I remember all of the oil being washed into pottstown from the open pits in. Oct 06, 2010 on june 22, 1972, hurricane agnus flooded reading and much of pennsylvania. Agnes flood, 45 years of memories times tribune blogs. Hurricane agnes, 1972 atlantic hurricane, hurricane. Both harvey and agnes hovered inland for several days and generated massive amounts of rainfall.
Hurrican agnes and other floods in pottstown, pa by. Like hurricane harvey, the damage came from rain, not wind. When agnes hit, continue reading hurricane agnes 45 years. Typically the result of heavy precipitation, snowmelts, and ice jams, major flood events can last several days or even weeks. The pottstown mercurys headlines in late june 1972 were as dramatic as they come in the newspaper business.
Hurricane agnes 1972, boyertown pottstown pennsylvania. Your assistance is requested in locating the following subject wanted by the pottstown police department. Yerger was mayor of pottstown in 1972 when hurricane agnes hit, and his daughter said he was very proud that no lives were lost, considering the amount of damaged caused. They both were instrumental in organizing rescue and reconstruction assistance for south pottstown during the devastating flood of hurricane agnes in 1972. Ronald purvis, 32, of pottstown, is wanted by the pottstown police for drug delivery resulting in death in the march 30, 2017 overdose of kevin high. The storm caused some of the worst flooding ever in the midatlantic and is responsible for 122 deaths. Flooding in downtown pottstown from hurricane agnes.
Located on the outskirts of woodbridge on the border of prince william and fairfax counties. Agnes left quite a legacy among those who suffered her wrath. A view of downtown pottstown after hurricane agnes flooded the schuylkill and its tributaries in 1972. It hasnt been like this in a long time, bill sheetz said. Since hurricane agnes in 1972, according to longtime pottstown residents. Nov 09, 2012 home video archives from my fathers 8mm camera of the aftermath of hurricane agnes recorded while visiting family in pottstown pa. Rita was so expert at her job, that when she retired in 1986, she was replaced by three persons a township manager, a secretary and a treasurer. Observerrygiel publishing, 1973 hurricane agnes, 1972 378 pages. Although 40 years have passed, those who witnessed the floods and devastation caused by hurricane agnes june 2226, 1972, hold stark. Hundreds of people were evacuated and over a hundred homes destroyed. A tropical systems heavy rains and flooding usually cause the most damage and loss of life.
The system weakened as it crossed georgia but regained strength as it moved across eastern north carolina then into the atlantic ocean on june 21. View of occoquan bridge damage an overhead view of the jef. I was 4 months pregnant with my son tj when agnes hit. Agnes began as a tropical depression near the yucatan peninsula on june 15. Nationwide, there were 122 deaths attributed to agnes, 50 in the state of pennsylvania. Hurricane agnes caused extreme damage and loss to berks county when it hit june, 22nd 1972. Pennsylvania maps 1956 pottstown, pa usgs historical topographic map cartography wall art 35in x 44in. The impact of hurricane agnes on pottstown and the surrounding region 40 years ago, june 2226, 1972, was devastating. Every town along the schuylkill was affected pottstown, phoenixville, spring city. Hurricane agnes was, at the time, the costliest hurricane to hit the united states in recorded history.
Remembering hurricane agnes the flood of 72 my fingerlakesny. Hurricane agnes and the flood of 72 part 22 duration. Unfortunately, many homeowners fail to realize that the average insurance policy does not cover flooding. October 15, 1954 hurricane hazel caused hurricane force winds and small portions with 6 inches 150 mm or more of rain. June 2017 marks the 45 year anniversary of hurricane agnes, one of the most costly natural disasters in pennsylvania history. Hurricane agnes 1972, boyertown pottstown pennsylvania area. Agnes and the great flood of 1972 the sunday bulletin newspaper section supplement philadelphia, pa pottstown, pa west chester, pa hurricane agnes condition.
Her intensity changed little until landfall was made on the gulf coast near tallahassee, florida. More floods in our future for those of us who were around in 1972, the catastrophic flooding in houston last week was a reminder of pottstown s own monster flood caused by hurricane agnes. Get your 3day weather forecast for west chester, pa. Although 40 years have passed, those who witnessed the floods and devastation caused by hurricane agnes june 2226, 1972, hold stark memories of what flooding did to their towns. Catonsville, md newspaper accounts of the time state that the hurricane devastated the state park. When agnes hit, continue reading hurricane agnes 45 years ago today. Browse through a photo gallery following agnes destructive path in 1972. The floods were the worst ever seen in the area, topping the previous record set back in the 19th century. Jun 19, 2017 washington fortyfive years ago on june 19, 1972, hurricane agnes made landfall in florida. Pottstown, pa patch breaking local news events schools. Hurricane agnes and the flood of 72 part 1 youtube.
The hurricane, which made landfall in the florida panhandle on june 19, slowly made its way north, before stalling out over the midatlantic region for several days. Next week marks the 40th anniversary of hurricane agnes and the most damaging flooding in the regions history. The story of tropical storm agnes not only demonstrated disaster relief. But will it be as bad as one of the citys worst floods. I lived in pottstown only 100 yards from the schuylkill. Joaquin becomes hurricane, pennsylvania in its expected path joaquin could pack winds as high as 90 to 100 mph as it approaches the east coast. The flood was caused by the rains of hurricane tropical storm agnes. The remnants from hurricane agnes brought torrential rainfall and major flooding to the pennsylvania. The mercury from pottstown, pennsylvania on february 28. Remembering pottstown during hurricane agnes june 22, 1972. Circulation barely reached hurricane intensity for a brief period in the gulf of. Jul 6, 2012 a view of downtown pottstown after hurricane agnes flooded the schuylkill and its tributaries in 1972. A look at the flooding in phoenixville after hurricane. A view of downtown pottstown after hurricane agnes flooded.
Chester county felt the wrath of tropical storm agnes june 22, 1972. The flooding started on june 23, 1972 when the water broke through the susquehanna river levee system. All high school graduation ceremonies cancelled in montco. Sediment increase growing concern at conowingo dam duration. Late june 1972, the pottstown area was under water thanks to hurricane agnes.
The second tropical cyclone and first named storm of the the 1972 atlantic hurricane season, agnes developed on june 14 from the interaction of a polar front and an upper trough over the yucatan peninsula. Daily local archives following hurricane agnes june 1972. Hurricane agnes, 1972 hurricane season, atlantic hurricane. The effects of agnes were widespread, from the caribbean to canada, with much of the east coast of the united states affected. A view of downtown pottstown after hurricane agnes flooded the schuylkill and its tributaries in photo courtesy judy palladino. Hurricane agnes 45 years ago today berks nostalgia. A view of downtown pottstown after hurricane agnes flooded the. Agnes, which previously had earned hurricane status, dumped an estimated 28 trillion, 100 billion gallons of rain on the upper susquehanna watershed from june 21 to 23. Ns chemung river bridge map street view through truss bridge over chemung river on lehigh valley railroad at athens open to traffic built 1916 by the phoenix bridge co damaged by flooding from hurricane agnes in 1972 and repaired. Sundays are the only day that an appointment is required.
Memories of agnes are still vivid pottstown mercury. Agnes formed over mexicos yucatan peninsula on june 14, became a tropical storm in the caribbean sea on june 16, and made landfall along the florida panhandle as a category 1 hurricane on june 19. Erie was the only pennsylvania county to be spared. Jun 22, 2017 in reading, the schuylkill river reached a record flood of 31. In 1972, hurricane agnes was a weak category 1 when it came ashore, but its heavy rains caused flooding that resulted in billions in damage and killed 129 people. Hurricane agnes was the costliest hurricane to hit the united states at the time, causing an. Tropical storm agnes dumped 19 inches of rain june 1924, 1972, from florida to new york. Agnes made landfall near panama city, florida as a minimal hurricane category 1. Pottstown guardian angels, 23 n hanover st, pottstown, pa.
Jun 19, 2017 45 years ago this week, pennsylvania was the epicenter of one of the worst natural disasters to hit the united states. September 1, 1952 tropical storm able affected pennsylvania as a tropical storm and tropical depression after making landfall in south carolina as a hurricane. The tropical storm agnes flood of 1972 is still the benchmark by which all floods are measured. The designation of the female gender in this case, however, was applied to a hurricane.
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