1955 Flood of Easton, Pennsylvania

[@NUKE-W.E.F.]

This video is superb quality, it's amazing. So many nostalgic images, the A&P, Atlantic and Gulf stations and those old gas pumps. This was a great time to be alive. I remember those old guardrails, they look like they would shred your car in a high speed crash. Great video !

[@M.S-f2o]

August 19 I believe, waiting for Delaware to Crest. Found Puppy in Water. No looting as far as I know.

[@vondumozze738]

Thanks for posting this. I'm a railfan and have visited Easton and the ABE region several times over the years. I was only six when Diane struck but I remember the TV coverage. We lived in north NJ at the time. I also stopped by the area before and after Agnes in 1972. That was a mess, too.

[@bpd231martinko9]

I did a lot of scuba diving in the river back in the eighties and nineties and during many dives underneath the Free Bridge I located a few sections of the wrought iron bridge walk way railings half buried in the sediment and silt, on the river bottom, directly underneath the middle of the north side of the bridge, that were ripped off of the bridge during Diane. I also had to chuckle when I saw the painted sign on the concrete wall that stated; " worlds fastest car wash", you better believe it was! I also have memories of going to Eddy Side Park when I was about 5 years old in the mid sixties (at that time Eddy Side was a camp ground) where my family visited some friends that had a camper there. My dad pointed out a painted line above the bath house entrance that marked the high water line from the flood. I'm not sure if that bath house is still there but it was on top of the steps that led down to the river quite a ways up the hill almost at Rt. 611.

[@jpamusher]

Awesome old footage! I visit Del Water Gap often and drive thru Easton. Along Rt 32 in Bucks County there is a line painted on the rocks for the flood level of 55.

[@loisslovin8185]

My father worked in Washington, NJ and got stuck there for a few days and a friend of ours worked at Laubach's and got stuck at our house. My grandmother had a fit because a married man was staying at our house and my father was not there. How times have changed. When the storm hit radio station WEST went off the air. I do not know why my mother and I went downtown. We lwalked around downtown Easton as far as we could and what was unbelievable at that time was so see the water up to the top of the light pole. Today we have television and internet and have seen a lot of floods, hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes since that time. We need to save our environment and our wildlife. Our trees and rain forests are being taken away by more and more buildings and roads.

[@jamesmerritt3267]

If the trees weren't taken down there would be no Easton. This started long before Easton. American Indians ripped the trees away from the river long before the city. I'm sure it was also done before them. Man can't stop the Earths evolution. Manhattan island was beautiful before the European intrusion. Some think it's better now. It will continue to change. Enjoy the time your here.

[@UrbanDKaye]

Seen a lot of Hurricane Diane film but hadn't seen this footage till now. Thx for posting.

[@jessicajones6032]

Thanks for the video, so interesting to see. I grew up in Easton, this was 8 years before I was born

[@jeannewalsh4984]

My parents both went through this event. It is nice someone found video of it. Now, I have the privilege to see what my parents saw and experienced.Plus, It shows how society works together after a terrible event. It also shows what is happening today in the world; never would have been a thought in someone's mind to steal or add to the damage already there.

[@TriciaLambert-w1y]

My grandfather took this video, we are coming up on an anniversary in 10 days.

[@charlesroberts7416]

was just over 4 yrs. old but I remember it , it was horrible. but do you notice there wasn't looting no fema everyone got to work cleaning up as soon as the water started to recede, they all worked together and helped each other, the people of Easton rose up through it all, within a matter of months you could hardly tell there was even a floodexcept for the bailey bridge put in by the army corp of engineers to span the river while the free bridge was rebuilt , where the middle was washed out, oh and jimmys hot dog stand was gone.

[@maryannschoeneck1828]

I did notice the difference in the way people handled adversity back then. Nowadays people would scream for government assistance rather than pick up shovel and put forth some effort.

[@glenbo9894]

I'm not sure but this might be the flood my Mom would tell me about. I wasn't born till (59) My parents were living between the Lehigh River and Canal in Walnutport, Pa. A tombstone was washed down from the Scranton, Pa area. I don't remember how old I was at the time my oldest brother did some research and made arrangements to have the stone sent back to where it originally came from. I only wish I could find pictures or video of my home town during this flood.... thanks for sharing.

[@jamesmerritt3267]

My parents talked about it also. I was born in 1960. Never left their mind.

[@radioromanoff6174]

My mother's uncle lived there.. From Castel Di Lucio (ME) Italy.. He told about that in a letter..

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[@mariannskears9436]

Wow, Look at those old cars.

[@johnlutz1347]

I heard stories about that flood as I was growing up in Southside Easton. it was bad.

[@bobjersey]

Curious how cars were still able to cross the toll bridge... with the water that high, the toll gate on the P'burg side would still have been under water... wouldn't it have been a few more years before the larger toll gate was built on the raised embankment?

[@maryannschoeneck1828]

Good question, Bob. It's possible that my father-in-law filmed that footage later, after the flood waters receded somewhat.

[@Wtmuradiotvcom]

i seen one of the other films and yes it was but not to the point to where trucks couldnt get through

[@johnhemple7459]

I like how every one came together and helped each other not like today

[@taiga2142]

I live in Easton Pa right now

[@MoistWontons]

Same, and it's absolutely garbage here.

[@ravenkolenda5434]

@@MoistWontons hi from Greenville South Carolina

[@ili3347]

it is 2019 and i live in that area i take that bridge to school

[@NUKE-W.E.F.]

has it ever flooded since '55?

[@RYMAN1321]

@@NUKE-W.E.F. Yes, most notably in September 2004 when Hurricane Ivan hit, and in March 2005 when a massive flood hit again.

[@braxton548]

Devastation on the delaware

[@Ang3lwil617]

Wait, wait, wait, HURRICANE in EASTON, PA????? That's it. I'm moving to one of the planets from those alien movies