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1951 Flood
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DescriptionOn July 13, 1951, the Kansas River valley experienced one of the costliest and most devastating floods in the area's history. In the days leading up to the 13th, certain areas of the Kansas River basin received 18.5 inches of rain. The flooding started above Manhattan, Kansas, on the Big Blue River and continued downstream to Topeka, Lawrence, and Kansas City. In Topeka, the river crested to 40.8 feet. About 7,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed, and 24,000 residents had to be evacuated from their homes. The damages in Topeka, alone, totaled $34 million. 
Decade1950sDate1951-07-13
Decade1950sDate1951-07-13Photograph
Newspaper
Ephemera
1951 Flood (1951-07-13). Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library Local History Collections, accessed 22/04/2026, https://localhistory.tscpl.org/nodes/view/6457