1937 Flood

Big Four Bridge at Shelby Street (C & O Trestles) during the 1937 flood, Turah Thurman Crull, Filson Historical Society

In a 1984 publication of the Filson Club History Quarterly, the staff author remembers the flood: “The Filson Club faced a watery crisis during the great January flood of 1937. As the waters rose, a plumber was called in on January 23 to cut off the water, drain the heating system, and disconnect the gas and electricity. The staff left a key with their next-door neighbor, Mr. Joe Pryor Neff. That evening, when he saw the waters lapping at the door, Mr. Neff, his mother, and a young nephew crossed to the Club on a bridge of planks and hurriedly moved everything they could to higher levels. The Neffs were rescued by boat on Monday; they got back to their home on Friday. As soon as possible, Mr. Neff fired up the furnace to start drying out the building.”