Mandan, N.D. 1943 Flood Aerials Photograph Collection
Collection
Identifier: Photo 2115
Scope and Contents
The Mandan, N.D. 1943 Flood Aerials Photograph Collection document from the air one of the worst floods to hit the Heart River and Mandan, North Dakota. The images were likely taken by a government agency, perhaps to document the event for future flood control. The creator of the negatives gave each item a unique number which was handwritten on the outside of each original envelope sleeve as well as printed on the lower right corner of each negative. The negatives are organized in numerical order based upon this number. Two series are identifiable based upon negative size and content, the Low Elevation Aerial Series, and the High Altitude Aerial Series.
The Low Elevation Aerial Series consist of nineteen negatives that are 20 x 24 cm. in size. They are taken at a lower elevation in and around the city of Mandan, N.D. These images give great detail of the flood inundation in downtown Mandan, the Northern Pacific Railroad yards and roundhouse, the Morton County Fairgrounds, the State Training School, and the Russell Miller Milling Company.
The High Altitude Aerial Series consists of thirty-six negative that were taken at a much higher elevation and are 24 x 24 cm. in size. These images follow the Heart River starting approximately 6 miles west of Mandan, and follow the flooded river basin eastward over Mandan to its confluence with the Missouri River. These views not only capture the city of Mandan, but also the railroad siding of Sunny, N.D., Liberty Memorial Bridge over the Missouri River, Fort McKeen and Fort Abraham Lincoln.
Dates
- 1943
Access
The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.
Copyrights
Copyrights to this collection remain with the copyright holder or are in the public domain.
History
Little information is known on the origins of this negative collection or why the images were taken. The collection was donated by the Philadelphia Maritime Museum, however it is not known how they came into possession of them. Since the images are all taken on the Heart River over and near Mandan, North Dakota during the Spring flood of 1943 they likely were taken by a government agency to document the flood and record causes and effects for future mitigation projects.
The Spring Flood of 1943, was a result of a four-day blizzard that struck the area March 14 to 17. Due to relatively mild temperatures during the storm, the water content of the snow was high. The average snowfall for the state was 14.8 inches. To make matters worse, the state experienced a rapid melt from March 22 to 31. On March 26 the Heart River in Mandan started to rise, and three fourths of the city was flooded. Nearly 2,000 of the 6,685 residents were driven from their
homes. By March 28, the river began to recede and by March 30, much of the flooding was over, leaving thousands of dollars worth of damage to stored grain, personal and business property. U.S. Highway 10 was closed for nearly two weeks and the Northern Pacific Railroad line for two days.
Mandan had been affected many times by flooding due to its proximity to the confluence of the Missouri and Heart Rivers. The construction of the Heart Butte Dam in 1949, and the Garrison Dam in 1953, resolved much of the flooding issues for the city.
Extent
55 Photographic Negatives (55 negatives)
Language of Materials
English
Provenance
Donated by Philadelphia Maritime Museum, 1989.
Property rights
The Institute for Regional Studies owns the property rights to this collection.
- Title
- Finding Aid to the Mandan, N.D. 1943 Flood Aerials Photograph Collection
- Description rules
- Rda
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository
Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu