Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle - 1936
The Great St. Patrick's Day Flood

The Golden Triangle under water - 1936
...

The year 1936 brought the Great Flood to the city of Pittsburgh. On St. Patrick's Day in 1936 the city suffered one of its most devastating floods. On Monday, March 16, the waters rose to 21.7 feet. Two days later they had risen to forty-six feet. The Golden Triangle was inundated. Power and telephone lines were downed, fires raged, and there was a severe shortage of palatable water. Fear of epedemics and looting caused the downtown section to be placed under martial law. The National Guard and the state police fought to keep order. When it was all over and the waters had receded, many citizens had perished, some 3000 had been injured, and more than 100,000 had lost homes.

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The Great Flood of 1936 - Fifth Avenue and Market Street
Fifth Avenue and Market Street in downtown Pittsburgh.

The Great Flood of 1936 - A Trolley submerged
Two Pittsburgh Railways trolleys are almost totally submerged.

The Great Flood of 1936 - Citizens being rescued from the flooded areas.
River rescues took place in the streets of Pittsburgh.

The Great Flood of 1936 - Jenkins Arcade
The water rose to the height of the Jenkins Arcade marquee.

The Great Flood of 1936 - Carson Street and Smithfield Street
A crowd gathers at Carson Street and Smithfield Street.

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