The Rowan County flood of 1939 occurred on the night of July 4th and lasted into the morning of July 5th. The flood devastated the City of Morehead and much of Rowan County. The flood destroyed 200 homes, damaged 800 and resulted in 25 deaths. The total cost of the damage was estimated at over $5,000,000.

Collection consists of oral histories conducted by Morehead State University students for the 60th anniversary of the Rowan County, Kentucky flood of 1939. Included with the oral histories are newspaper reports of the flood and photographs taken afterwards.

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Articles

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George Walter Adkins - Oral History, George Walter Adkins

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Christine Barker - Oral History, Christine Barker

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Cliff Barker - Oral History, Cliff Barker

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Pucky Bradley - Oral History, Pucky Bradley

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Burnis Bucker - Oral History, Burnis Buckner

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Edith Cline - Oral History, Edith Cline

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Lloyd Dean - Oral History, Lloyd Dean

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Jack and Janis Ellis - Oral History (part 1), Jack Ellis and Janis Ellis

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Jack and Janis Ellis - Oral History (part 2), Jack Ellis and Janis Ellis

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Transcripts to Jack and Janis Ellis Oral History Interview, Jack Ellis and Janis Ellis

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Minnie Fannin - Oral History, Minnie Fannin

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Libby Fraley - Oral History, Libby Fraley

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Flood Survivors - Oral History, Gene Hand

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Jay Harmon - Oral History, Jay Harmon

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Alpha Hutchinson - Oral History, Alpha Hutchinson

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Mary Alice Jayne - Oral History, Mary Alice Jayne

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Julia Kautz - Oral History, Julia Kautz

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Nellie Keeton - Oral History, Nellie Keeton

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Mynea Ferguson Lewis - Oral History, Mynea Ferguson Lewis

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James Logan Mynhier - Oral History (part 1), James Logan Mynhier

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James Logan Mynhier - Oral History (part 2), James Logan Mynhier

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Billie Pierce - Oral History, Billie Pierce

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Dwight Pierce - Oral History, Dwight Pierce

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Cordie Snipes - Oral History, Cordie Snipes

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Hattie Sparkman - Oral History, Hattie Sparkman

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Arthur Stewart - Oral History, Arthur Stewart

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Omer Trent - Oral History, Omer Trent

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Flood of 1939 Scrapbook, Unknown

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Photograph - Flood of 1939, Unknown

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Photograph - Flood of 1939, Unknown

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Photograph - Flood of 1939, Unknown

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Photograph - Flood of 1939, Unknown

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Photograph - Flood of 1939, Unknown

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Photograph - Flood of 1939, Unknown

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Photograph - Flood of 1939, Unknown

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Photograph - Flood of 1939, Unknown

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Photograph - Flood of 1939, Unknown

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Photograph - Flood of 1939, Unknown

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Photograph - Flood of 1939, Unknown

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Photograph - Flood of 1939, Unknown

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Agnes Williams' Recollections, Agnes Williams

Books

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Notable Local Floods of 1939: Part 2. Flood of July 5, 1939 in Eastern Kentucky, Floyd F. Schrader

News Articles

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Carter Damaged over Million, Carter County Herald

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Flash Floods Take 55 Lives in Kentucky, Chicago Tribune

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Morehead Memories (People and Places): The Flood, Jack Ellis

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Morehead Memories (People and Places): The Flood (Aftermath), Jack Ellis

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Great Flood, Margie Gullet and Inkpot Magazine

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Flash Floods Found Legionnaires Rady with Relief for Suffers, Kentucky Legionnaire

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132 Feared Drowned in Rowan, Breathitt as 20 Foot Wall of Water Wrecks Homes, Louisville Courier-Journal

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Breathitt County Death Toll May Reach 100, Louisville Courier-Journal

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It was a Two Week Flood in about Six Hours, Louisville Courier-Journal

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Morehead Flood Havoc Told in Pictures, Louisville Courier-Journal

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Scores of Flood Victims Swept into River, Louisville Courier-Journal

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25 Die in Flood; $2,000,000 in Damage, Morehead Independent

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25 Die in Flood; $2,000,000 in Damage / Mass Funeral Services Held, Morehead Independent

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700 Families to Get Assistance from Red Cross, Morehead Independent

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County to Give Over $1000 in Red Cross Drive, Morehead Independent

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Red Cross Drive Goes Over Top - 1,399.56 Received, Morehead Independent

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Clark Lane gives Account of Flood in Trade Journal, Morehead Independent (Morehead, Ky.)

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Corbie Ellington Post Flood Report in State Magazine, Morehead Independent (Morehead, Ky.)

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Jennings Lauded by Board for NYA Work Here, Morehead Independent (Morehead, Ky.)

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Our Thanks to the A.C.N.R., Morehead Independent (Morehead, Ky.)

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Red Cross Reports Spending $31,154 for Flood Relief in Rowan County, Morehead Independent (Morehead, Ky.)

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The July 4, 1939 Flash Flood Worst in History, Morehead News (Morehead, Ky.)

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'39 Flood Not Forgotten, Morehead News (Morehead, Ky.) and Lourel Hoskins

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33 to 100 Drowned in Kentucky Towns by 'Flash' Floods, New York Times

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Flash Flood Takes 50 Lives in State, Paintsville Herald

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Kentucky Counts 100 Dead in Flood, Portsmouth Times

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Morehead Swept by 'Flash' Flood as Town Sleeps, Portsmouth Times

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Morehead Turn to General Cleanup after Last Rites are Held for 25 flood Victims, Portsmouth Times

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Sightseers Block Morehead Roads, Portsmouth Times

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Case Workers of Red Cross Investigate Claims, Rowan County News

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Flood Cleanup is Making Headway, Rowan County News

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Flash Flood to be Studied by Government, Rowan County News (Morehead, Ky.)

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Mrs. Elizabeth Maxey Dies at Age of 80; at Clearfield Home: Was One of Heroines of July Flood when She Saved her Bedfast Husband, Rowan County News (Morehead, Ky.)

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Red Cross to be Commended, Rowan County News (Morehead, Ky.)

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Red Cross Work to be Finished by Saturday, Rowan County News (Morehead, Ky.)

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Stories of Human Interest may now be told for Historians, Rowan County News (Morehead, Ky.)

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Breathitt County Notes on Flood of 1939, Unknown

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38 to 100 Drowned in Kentucky as Floods Sweeps away Houses; Aid Rushed to Stricken Area, Washington Evening Star