News

Program focuses on historic flood of 1916

Men standing on a railroad bridge in McDowell County after it had been washed away during the July 1916 flood. Landslides left this railroad track suspended in mid-air. [North Carolina Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]

By Bill Moss, Published: November 25, 2015

The Center for Cultural Preservation’s next program, on the historic flood of 1916, asks the question, “What have we learned?”

In the program “Come Hell or High Water” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, speakers will explore area’s worst natural disaster 100 years ago. The flood led to hundreds of mudslides and landslides causing extensive damage and loss of life during a time when few people lived up on ridges or near streams. A flood of similar proportions today would be even more devastating.
The program will feature the presentation of a new short film and a forum that will include an historian, mountain elders and experts discussing the history, what we’ve learned and how better protected are we today since the disaster nearly 100 years ago.
The program is at Patton Auditorium at BRCC. There is a suggested donation of $5. Since the program is expected to sell out, advance registration is strongly recommended. Reservations can be made at www.saveculture.org or by calling the Center for Cultural Preservation at (828) 692-8062. The program is co-sponsored by the NC Humanities Council, the Henderson County History and Genealogy Center, Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy and Mountain True.