West Virginia Flood 1961

Title:
Flood Damage in Magazine Hollow, Charleston, West Virginia, 1961

REEL ID:
L062R006C

RUN TIME:
00:12:14

FILM STOCK:
Black & White

FILM FORMAT:
16mm

AUDIO:
Silent

Description:
This silent black-and-white home movie documents the aftermath of severe flooding in the Magazine Hollow area of Charleston on July 12, 1962. The footage captures neighborhood damage along Garrison Avenue, offering a firsthand look at the impact of a local disaster on homes and businesses.

After opening with children playing with toy guns, the reel shifts to flood-ravaged streets and buildings. Warning signage marks unsafe structures, homes sit elevated on cinderblocks, and residents work to clean debris from yards and interiors. A damaged movie theater and surrounding buildings underscore the scale of destruction and the community’s early recovery efforts.

Tags:
Charleston West Virginia, 1962, Magazine Hollow, Garrison Avenue, Flood damage, Natural disaster, Neighborhood destruction, Flood aftermath, Unsafe building sign, Homes on cinderblocks, Community cleanup, Damaged buildings, Movie theater damage, Home movies, Black and white film, Silent film, 16mm film, Midcentury America, Local history, Americana, Analog film, Archival footage, Nostalgic footage