Red Wing Flood History

Timeline created by goodbusiness in History

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Event Date:	Event Title:	Event Description:
04/16/1951	Home Awash	One of the many Wisconsin Island homes completely flooded. Water stands to a depth of about three feet on the floors of this home. It will be many months before the musty smell left by the flood will be obliterated in these homes.
04/16/1951	How Water Front Looks	Red Wing’s picturesque waterfront and beautiful Levee park was one wide expanse of water today.
04/16/1951	Operating As Usual	Although surrounded by water on three sides, the Northern States Power company steam plant here was in full operation. Flood gates are keeping out the water from the plant, which is built three stories deep into the ground.
04/16/1951	Flooded Roads	Swollen flood water of Mississippi Pour over Island Road opposite Red Wing
04/17/1951	Red Wing Marine Service Under Water	The Mississippi flood offered plenty of water for swimming and fishing, popular Red Wing sports, but no one expected to take advantage of it. Red Wing Marine Service at Levee park, boat livery and angling paraphernalia service.
04/17/1951	Water, Water Everywhere	As far as the eyes could reach to the Wisconsin bluffs, water was everywhere. The Island residence, located just east of the high bridge, was completely surrounded.
04/17/1951	Waiting it out	Oscar Akenson, said he planned on “sticking out” the flood when Chief Eric Carlson attempted to evacuate him. As far as could be learned Oscar was still “sticking it out” at his partially flooded home today.
04/13/1965	Northern States Power company	The Northern States Power company steam plant fought gallantly against river’s onslaught and was in full operation despite record flood.
04/13/1965	Where Cars Left off and Ferry Began	Wisconsinites left cars along Highway 63 to board ferry to Red Wing.
04/13/1965	The Great Flood of 1965	A boat tied to the railroad tracks in front of the Milwaukee Road depot here symbolizes the Great Flood of 1965. On April 19th the river reached a record high of 20.85 feet.
04/13/1965	The Local Huck Finns	Local “Huck Finns” inspect flood aftermath. Tim Meyer and Greg Erickson ride makeshift raft near Island Road.
04/13/1965	Highway 63 Bridge 1965	Inundated Highway 63 as viewed from Barn Bluff. The Mississippi held the area in a vice-like grip.
04/13/1965	One step at a time	Taking it one step at a time-with a precarious bridge leading from car to river bank, Bernett Buck, garage man worked to hook up a car of a motorist who ran off the Island Road during the river’s rise.
04/24/1979	4/24/1979 River Level	The Mississippi is up to 13.45 feet today, 1/2 foot below flood stage and a full foot above the level a week ago. The National Weather Service is sticking with its prediction of a crest of between 13 ½ feet and 15 feet depending on the amount of rainfall. April 26 the river crest reached 13.68 feet before falling.
04/24/1979	Here comes high water!	On the flooded Island, boats provide transportation.
05/03/1979	Going after the big one	Even though the Mississippi River is below the 14-foot flood stage at its present 12-foot level the area available for boaters and fishermen to maneuver is greatly expanded this spring. Here Bill Benson and Dale Husbyn shove off from Bay Point Park, where Levee Road has been replaced by the shore of the Mississippi River.
04/11/2001	Water Levels	A sign at U.S. Lock and Dam 3 shows the high water mark from the record flood of 1965.
04/11/2001	Engineers shore up a wall along Lock and Dam 3	Workers for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers shore up a wall along Lock and Dam 3 as the Mississippi rises. In a 24-hour period, the river went up nearly 2 feet.
04/17/2001	Highwway 63	Traffic on Wisconsin Highway 63 moves into Red Wing as the water inches closer. Officials monitoring the flood believe the road will remain open.
04/18/2001	A Canadian Pacific Railway inspection	A Canadian Pacific Railway inspection truck rolls along the only set of tracks that was not flooded near the Red Wing depot. Though Amtrak passenger service is still shut down, freight trains have started using the tracks again.
04/04/2011	Highway 63 this year	A truck’s reflection is seen in the flooded waters lining Highway 63, Monday April 4.
04/04/2011	High Water	Warning signs about the rising water are scattered on 825th Street in Hager City.
04/04/2011	View from Barns Bluff 2011	The flooded Mississippi River as seen from Barn Bluff in Red Wing, Monday April 4.
04/04/2011	Colvill Park	The rising water covers part of the sidewalk and resting area at Colvill Park in Red Wing.