40 Incredible Photos of the Great Flood of 1913 in Massillon, Ohio

The Great Flood of 1913 claimed nearly 500 lives in Ohio and caused more than $300 million in property damage – in today’s dollars, infrastructure damage is estimated at a staggering $3 billion. It is the greatest natural disaster on record in Ohio’s history.

The flood also left behind a trail of death, despair and property damage in the Muskingum River Watershed, which is the state’s largest wholly contained watershed covering an area of all or portions of 27 counties and more than 8,000 square miles. In the Muskingum River Watershed drainage area alone, 11 people died and millions of dollars of property damage occurred.

These incredible photos from Massillon Museum show the aftermath of the Great Flood of 1913 in Massillon, Ohio.

B&O railroad engine lifted after tracks undermined, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Chestnut on N. Mill, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Dolls, Menfurnishing, 10 W. Main, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Downtown Massillon near Canal and Erie Streets, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Erie Street South, streetcar, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Federal Ave. looking west. Wagner Garage, C.L. Halter feed and lime, Post Office at right, Evening Independent at left, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

First street looking north, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

First Street SE looking south from Charles Ave., Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Flood of 1913 in Massillon, Ohio

Flood of 1913 in Massillon, Ohio

Flood of 1913 in Massillon, Ohio

Flood of 1913 in Massillon, Ohio

Flood of 1913 in Massillon, Ohio

Flood of 1913 in Massillon, Ohio

Flood of 1913 in Massillon, Ohio

Flood of 1913 in Massillon, Ohio

Flood relief at city hall, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Flooded street, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Flooded street, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Foot bridge, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Gasoline and Oils, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Kids pose during flood, Liebermann's bakery, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Lifting train, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Lifting train, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Lincoln Way looking west from First Street West, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Lincoln Way West looking east from near Tuscarawas River, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Looking north at Thorne, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Massillon Light Heat & Power Co., Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Meuser Pianos, Massillon Storage Co., Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Mill Street, corner Thorne, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

National Wine Co, Limbach bar and restaurant, Holzbach, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

On the bridge, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Patagonia (N. of Cherry), Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Patagonia at flood heights, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

People standing by fallen train, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Railroad engine accident after tracks undermined, looking at Pocock Glass Factory, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Railroad engine after tracks undermined by flood, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

SW corner Erie St S and Walnut, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Washed out bridge, Massillon, Ohio, 1913

Wheeling and Lake Erie bridge, Massillon, Ohio, 1913