The "Mad" Ohio: the Great Ohio River Flood of 1937

The “Mad” Ohio is a silent 1937 film about the “Great Ohio River Flood” of that year. “Showing West Virginia and Kentucky flooded by the Ohio River and its tributaries during the great flood of 1937.”

The greatest natural disaster in Tri-State history happened in January-February 1937 when the river rose to 79.9 feet and floodwaters covered 15 percent of Cincinnati.

Brian Gordon contributed this film: “This is an amateur documentary shot by my father, Cincinnati native A. Cedric Gordon, with the help of his father William L. Gordon. I am prejudiced, but I find this to be superb home-movie documentary filmmaking, a valuable document of one of the worst floods in US history. You’ll see shots of downtown Cincinnati, Eastern Avenue (under water), New Richmond, Coney Island, panoramic shots probably taken from Eden Park, and some interesting post-flood damage. Water pumping shots quite possibly in Oakley (where my father and family lived). Also some road shots most likely taken along Kellogg Avenue/US 52. (And look quickly for a vintage era Kroger truck!) Kudos to my brother Doug for digitizing the film.”