The Life of Siouxland-Floyd River Flood of 1892

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This past spring it rained and rained, especially compared to the last seven or eight years.  This carried over to the summer and we have had one of the coolest summers on record.floyd river

In the spring of 1892, extremely rainy springs were not a rarity in Siouxland.

Like many springs before, natives had seen the winter snow melt and the pre-summer rains fluctuate the Missouri and Floyd Rivers to the point where the rising waters were an indicator that summer wasn’t far away.

1892 was different…much different.

It rained constantly for three weeks and on May 16th it never slowed down, it rained, rained, rained..

The brutal rains of May 16th, made the Floyd River on May 17th rise, but the general public wasn’t concerned.  They were conditioned to the rains that had graced them every year and thought this was just like any other year in Siouxland.  Early, the next morning a wave of muddy water terrorized the city.  Citizens were not ready for what had been brewing.  This being 1892, people evacuated to the trees, their house roofs and the elevated railroad line to gain safe haven from the rapid and swift waters from that brutal rain on the 16th.

The hilly terrain north of Sioux City received the majority of the rain.  Leeds was the area hit the hardest by the flood as water stormed through the streets.  They had set up precaution levees that were built to hold rain back, and to the dismay of may city organizers, held the rain in.  Over 3,000 people were left homeless.  The lumber yards, stock yards and railroads all suffered severe damage.

The death toll rose to ten that day and the next day it rose to twenty-five. It was said that it cost the city over a half-million dollars.  In 1892, that was a nearly insurmountable figure.  A Swedish immigrant by the name of Andrew G. Anderson spent the day rescuing people.  A talented swimmer and handy with a boat, he dedicated the following days saving the lives of Sioux Cityans that had fallen victim to mother nature.

Mr.  Anderson was said to have saved over twenty-seven people that day and died trying to rescue another family.  In his dedication, a monument was built in Logan Park to commend this brave soul.

This was the second most deadly flood in Sioux City history…

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