Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Curiosity



We went to watch the kids play soccer in Forty Fort, PA near Wilkes Barre last weekend. I looked up the steep hill from the soccer fields and wondered what was on the other side. Of course I climbed the hill. On the other side I was surprised by the beautiful Susquehanna River.

The Susquehanna is 444 miles long and stretches from New York through Pennsylvania to the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.

In 1936 St. Patrick’s Day flood brought construction funding from Washington. Levees were built to protect the valley from up to a 36 foot flood stage.

Eighteen inches of rain from Hurricane Agnes in 1972 caused the Susquehanna to burst through the levees. The flood killed 6 people and destroyed 25,000 homes. It washed away a cemetery and left caskets floating in local yards. Signs along the trail commemerate the devastation of the flood and the suffering of the residents. It wasn’t until the spring of 1996 the new levee system was started. It was completed in January 2003.

The Forty Fort Levee is 2.7 miles of a 12 mile River Common Walk trail system. It was a beautiful day for soccer or a walk along the river. The peaceful surroundings belie the awesome power of the river.
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4 comments:

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

What a beautiful river walk, Marie. Thanks for taking us along. What a strange sight that must have been to see caskets floating down river!

Marie said...

Thanks Jenny,
It was a beautiful sight last weekend. What a disaster it must have been during the flood! It was interesting to read the stories along the path.

Wendy said...

good thing you took a little walk - that gorgeous setting right next to all the hubbub. Looks like a perfect place to run, walk, or bike too!

Marie said...

Wendy,
Sometimes curiosity pays off. It was a beautiful sight and a great day for a walk. We saw a few runners and bikers too.