Babies were torn from mothers' arms. Landslides wiped out families and homes. At least 50 people died. This was the impact of the flood of 1916 when two hurricanes collided over western North Carolina.
Mountain Gateway Museum will recall the catastrophe with the "So Great the Devastation: The 1916 Flood" exhibit, opening May 1. The free traveling exhibit consists of four interpretive panels and an interactive touch screen. It will run through May 31 before moving to Asheville.
Historic rainfall to the area in mid-July 1916 washed away thousands of jobs as rivers flooded. Damages totaled in the millions of dollars and a thick, black sludge remained where crops once stood. The town of Old Fort suffered minor damage, but the roads and railroads were impacted greatly.
In commemoration of the tragedy, the North Carolina Office of Archives and History organized the exhibit to travel across the region into March 2017. Find the full schedule at http://www.ncdcr.gov/flood-exhibit.
For more information, please call (828) 668-9259 or visit www.mountaingatewaymuseum.org.
Mountain Gateway Museum & Heritage Center is the westernmost museum in the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources' Division of State History Museums. It is located at 24 Water Street in Old Fort. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 2 to 5 p.m.; and Monday, noon to 5 p.m.