Meyer, Mrs. E. Crawford, Photograph Collection, 1945.

Held by The Filson Historical Society

Creator: 

Title: The Mrs. E. Crawford Meyer Flood Photograph Collection, 1945.

Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Curator of Special Collections.

Size of Collection: 38 photographs

Location Number: 011PC17

Scope and Content Note 

The collection is compiled of thirty-eight (38) black and white photographs.  The images reflect the devastation that was brought on by the 1945 Flood of Louisville, Kentucky; except one image which is from the Great Flood of 1937, Louisville. The 1945 Louisville flood was the second largest flood to ravage the city. The images were taken by multiple photographers including: Mrs. E. Crawford Meyer, Boots Mobley, and Louisville native Arthur W. Racel (October 17, 1908- July 1, 1992). Images depict flooded streets, neighborhoods, businesses and homes. Damage caused by the flood forced many refugees to relocate. Some of these refugees are pictured standing outside of their homes, with their families, or with other refugees from the “Point”. The business district of Lloyd Street was so damaged it was not rebuilt.

The versos of many of the images included a detailed description including the photographer’s initials, date, and description of image.  The collection was arranged by the original photograph number given to each image.

Several of the images were also used in a published book produced by Meyer’s Pharmacy, 1945 Flood Pictures of the “Point” and the Surrounding Areas.”  The Point was a 19^th century Louisville neighborhood located north of present day Butchertown, east of Downtown Louisville and opposite Towhead Island along the Ohio River.

 

Biographical Note 

Bernadine Louise Saxton Meyer (1910-2006) was born on August 27^th, 1910 to Harvey Saxton (1887-1957) of Henry County, Kentucky, and Matilou Saxton (1890-1973) of Louisville. Bernadine Saxton and Edward Crawford Meyer married in 1933 and had two children, Judith and Berl Saxton Meyer.

Bernadine’s husband, Edward Crawford Meyer, was born on December 1^st, 1910 to Edward Henry Meyer (1882-1948) and Claudine Crawford (1885-1952). Edward Henry Meyer was a pharmacist and had his own business in the Butchertown neighborhood of Louisville: the Meyer Pharmacy on Story Avenue. The corresponding manuscript collection to these photographs holds Edward Henry Meyer’s ledger book, which documents his service as a “notary public.” The manuscript collection also includes minutes for the Delmont Bowling League and miscellaneous items related to the pharmaceutical profession. This photograph collection pictures the Butchertown area during the 1937 flood, including the height of the flood at the “Point” landmark in Butchertown. A pamphlet of these images was published by the Meyer Pharmacy. The pharmacy stayed in Butchertown until the mid-1960s, where it moved to Frankfort Avenue and became Gohmann and Meyer Pharmacy.

Edward Crawford Meyer passed away in 1977, and Bernadine Louise Saxton Meyer passed away in 2006.

 

People Field 

Broyle, Anna 

Burrdiges, Harry  

Cook, Monk  

Edwards, Harry, Mrs.  

Fitz, George 

Gootee, William  

Hall, Andy  

Hall, Bob 

Herman, H.L. 

Huber, Lee 

Hughes, James 

Johnson, Charlie  

Kope, John   

Mesker, Tommy  

Morrison, John  

Miller, Charlie 

Miller, Albert 

Miller, Anna  

Morgan, Marvin 

Oertel, John   

Scherzinger, Rudy 

Summitts, Ernest 

Stone, Bessie 

 

Photograph List 

011PC17.1- No. 4: Oertel’s Garage Quincy Street, John Oertel’s Houseboat.  Taken by A. W. R. 3-8-1945.  

 

011PC17.2- No.7:  Background, St. Joseph Church as viewed from 2^nd floor of Kope’s Grocery. Taken by A.W.R. 3-8-1945 

 

011PC17.3- No. 12: Mellwood Ave looking east from Bickel St. Taken by A.W.R. 3-8-1945 

 

011PC17.4- No. 16: Quincy St. looking east from Oertel’s garage. Taken by A.W.R. 3-8-1945 

 

011PC17.5- No. 17: Kope’s Grocery, Lloyd St.  Taken by A.W.R. 3-8-1945 

 

011PC17.6- No. 20: Quincy & Cabel Streets. Taken by A.W.R. 3-8-1945.  

 

011PC17.7- No. 32: Monk Cook’s House, 233 Adams St. Taken by A.W.R. 3-12-1945 

 

011PC17.8- No. 37: Van Buren Baptist Church, River Road,  on the “Point.” Taken by A.W.R. 3-12-1945 

 

011PC17.9- No. 58: Cabel St, Oertel warehouse. Taken by A.W.R. 3-8-1945 

 

011PC17.10- No. 69: Flood refugees from “The Point”. Taken by E.C.M 3-18-45  

 

011PC17.11- No.71: Geo. Fitz, His Family and the red barn, Cut Off Road. Taken by E.C.M 3-18-45  

 

011PC17.12- No. 74: Pine Ridge, Lloyd St., Taken by E.C.M 3-18-45 

 

011PC17.13- No. 76: Anna Boyle’s Grocery, 1572 Lloyd St. Taken by E.C.M 3-18-45 

 

011PC17.14- No. 77: John Kope’s Grocery, Lloyd St. Taken by E.C.M 3-18-45 

 

011PC17.15- No. 82: H.L. Herman’s House, 293 Adams St. Taken by A.W.R. 3-12-1945 

 

011PC17.16- No. 83: Collett’s Grocery, Leonhardts, and John Morrisons Houses, Ohio St., Louisville Point. Taken by E.C.M 3-18-45 

 

011PC17.17- No. 86: Charlie and Albert Miller call Anna Miller but she arrives too late to get in picture. Taken by E.C.M 3-18-45.  

 

011PC17.18- No.91: Bethel Mission Sunday School, 306 Adams St. Taken by E.C.M 3-18-45 

 

011PC17.19- No. 95: Wm. Gootee & Sons, 262 Adams St. Taken by E.C.M 3-18-45 

 

011PC17.20- No. 97: James Hughes, Ernest Summitts, Rudy Scherzinger’s & Charlie Johnson’s Houses, 424, 426, 428, 430 Ohio St. Taken by E.C.M 3-18-45 

 

011PC17.21- No. 21: River Road as viewed from Wood St., Point area. Taken by E.C.M 3-18-45 

 

011PC17.22- No. 99: Lee Huber’s House, Adams St., Taken by E.C.M 3-18-45 

 

011PC17.23- No. 100: Andy Hall’s & Bob Hall’s House, 330-332 Cabel St. Taken by E.C.M 3-18-45 

 

011PC17.24- No. 109: Bessie Stone’s, Schneider’s and Tommy Mesker’s Houses, 416-418 & 420, Ohio St. Taken by E.C.M 3-18-45 

 

011PC17.25- No. 114: House above cut off on River Road. Taken by E.C.M 3-18-45 

 

011PC17.26- No. 138: 1600 Block Story Ave. Taken by B.M. 3-7-45 

 

011PC17.27- No. 142: City Park Board Boat is said by some pointers to have caused irreparable damage on its trips over Ohio St., Taken by B.M. 3-7-45.  

 

011PC17.28- No. 146: Marvin Morgan’s house, 1515 Lloyd St., Taken by E.C.M. 3-26-45 

 

011PC17.29- No. 147: Harry Burridges’ House, Lloyd St., Taken by E.C.M. 3-18-45 

 

011PC17.30- No. 149: Houses in 1600 block Irvin St., Taken by E.C.M. 3-26-45 

 

011PC17.31- No. 150: Houses in 1500 Block Lloyds, Taken by E.C.M. 3-26-45 

 

011PC17.32- No. 200: Two story House on the point. 1937 Hood, Taken by C.E.I. 3-7-45 

 

011PC17.33- No. 202: 1600 Block Story Ave., Butchertown. Taken by C.E.I. 3-7-45 

 

011PC17.34- Mrs. Harry Edwards, Lloyd Street, standing on her destroy, new $35.00 fence 

011PC17.35- Adams St., Point area.  

 

011PC17.36- New Bridge Spring St., By Carl Boehler 

 

011PC17.37- Thurston Park Pavilion River Road., printed by Meyer’s Pharmacy, Cor. Story & Webster, Louisville, KY. 

 

011PC17.38- No. 13-37: Kope’s Grocery Peak of 1937 Flood. Taken by E.C.M.