The Manchester Union Leader reports in March 1936 deemed the flood there as the worst since 1896. This essay features photos taken by my father, (the late) John E. Grace (1911-1974) who was out and about in the aftermath of the storm, probably because he was an Auxiliary Policeman. Residents were urged to stay home. One good reason for that was the escape of Manchester’s zoo animals. After the rains stopped, only two of the city’s bridges remained standing. My dad took 13 photos. Here, I am sharing some of them.
If you “Google” “Flood of 1936 Manchester NH,” you will see various links to other sites with photos and newspaper accounts, one of which is the following:
http://www.gendisasters.com/data1/nh/floods/manchester-flood-mar1936.htm
The flood must have been a very memorable event because I remember my parents discussing it, years later. Funny, they did not mention the famous “Hurricane of 1938,” about which, books have been written. Manchester was very much affected by that storm, as well.
This is a photo of John Edward Grace, looking relaxed in a hotel room near La Guardia Airport, from which I departed for Spain in 1972.
I hope you have been enjoying the old photos that I have been scanning from many “pieces of the past” in the family album. I especially like the ones with historic ties.
Best wishes,
Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications
