The 1868 Flood and Its Impact On The Patapsco River Valley: Sophie Hess

“The 1868 Flood and Its Impact On The Patapsco River Valley,” with Ecological Historian Sophie Hess, UMD (Description) As long as people have lived along the Patapsco River, floods have been recorded. On July 24, 1868, a massive storm in Sykesville created a 21.5-foot wall of water that advanced behind darkening skies and flashes of lightning to sweep away everything in its path like matchsticks - trees, boulders, mills, bridges, businesses, dwellings, and people. Ellicott City’s resurgent Civil War industrial infrastructure was devastated and, according to reports, 28 homes were destroyed and nearly 50 lives lost. Ms. Hess will discuss the impact of “The Great Patapsco River Flood” on our town, its people, and the environment of the Patapsco River Valley. Sophie Hess is a doctoral candidate in American History at the University of Maryland. A fellow at the McNeil Center for Early American Studies and the Maryland Center for History and Culture, her research focuses on the ecological and cultural impact of humans in Maryland’s Patapsco River Valley. Howard County Historical Society Lunch Lecture Series focuses on provocative history topics - local and national - presented by local historians, educators, and community leaders. For more information visit https://hchsmd.org/calendar/#lunch-le... This lecture will be free for HCHS Members. To join the Howard County Historical Society, please visit: www.hchsmd.org/join. If you are not a member and want to participate, please make a donation of $5.00 here: https://hchsmd.org/donate/​​ and we will email you a link to the program.Howard County Historical Society