1957 - The Greatest Flood Since 1861
The 50 year old woman lived in the family home in which she was reared on Euclid Avenue in Paintsville. Residing with her were her 77 year old mother-in-law and her 18 year old son. The two-story home had been built by her father in 1906. It was only half a block from City Hall.
So, when radio reports urged residents of Paintsville to prepare for a flood On Tuesday and Wednesday, January 29 and 30, 1957, she stocked in a few extra groceries but took no other precautions. After all, this old house had seen numerous floods come and go, including the devastation floods of 1937 and 1939. None had even come close to the house.
Thus it was at approximately 8:00 P. M., Wednesday, January 30, she was listening as the local radio station reported more news of the rising Big Sandy River. The lady was still not concerned about the water reaching her house. That is not until she glanced at the forced air furnace grill in the middle of her family room floor. To her amazement water was gurgling up through the grill! The floor in her house was a good two feet above the ground!
The Great Flood of 1957 had arrived on Euclid Avenue!
The cold, freezing weather of early January had ended the previous week. The combination of a quick thaw and two and a half days of heavy rain, which began Sunday and did not end until Tuesday night, made conditions just right for what followed. The recently melting snow had already saturated the soil and brought an unusual amount of moisture to the region.
By Wednesday morning, January 30, Paintsville was completely isolated by the rising waters. All roads and highways leading of the county were blocked by water. Telephone lines were out, making updated reports from weather monitors in the region impossible. Paintsville Mayor Ralph B. "Tiny" Preston had declared a state of emergency and 50 families had already been moved to shelters by 9:00 A. M. Cy Cooper, the city's gas and water superintendent stated that another 150 evacuees were expected.
The river stood at 39 feet and was rising at the rate of 7 inches an hour. With flood stage at 40 feet, the resident manager of the U. S. Corps of Engineers at Dewey Dam predicted that the river would crest at Paintsville at 42 feet. He added that it could go higher. It did! Much higher!
When residents of Paintsville awoke Thursday morning flood waters had climbed the steps of First National Bank on Main Street. Water was over the top of most parking meters in front of the post office. On West Street water almost reached the tops of many residences. Flat bottom boats with outboard motors churned the water on Main, Second and Third Streets as volunteers looked for people stranded in their homes or brought food to those unable to get out.
Civil Defense Director Jim Tom Newman, assisted by William Martin and a host of workers from Mayo State Vocational School, worked around the clock without rest to coordinate flood disaster control and relief. The headquarters and communications control center was located at Mayo State. The Paintsville Herald reported on February 4 that about 700 homes in Paintsville were underwater when the river crested at 3:00 A. M. on Thursday morning, January 31.
The Big Sandy River crested at 45.9 feet. The highest ever recorded in Paintsville!
While the lady on Euclid Avenue slept in her upstairs bedroom Wednesday night, the waters of Paint Creek crept half way up her first floor wall...and half way up the stairs to her second floor. Like many others in the city she was fortunate, but she had lost a lot...furniture, appliances and food, but mostly priceless family heirlooms and memorabilia.
Only one resident of Paintsville was reported to have lost his life because of the flood.
Worth "Tommy" McFaddin was attempting to light a gas heater in his home Friday morning, February 1, when the gas exploded and he was blown through the house on Cherry Street.
It would be several months before life in Johnson County was back to normal.
