Records Rainfall Set on July 16, 1916

During July 1916 Western North Carolina, along with much of the southeastern U.S., suffered massive flooding when two hurricanes struck the region.  The first, on July 5-6, came up from the Gulf of Mexico through Alabama.  The second hit Charleston on July 14 and moved inland dumping record amounts of rain.

The greatest one-day precipitation amount ever recorded in Transylvania County occurred in Brevard on July 16, 1916.  The only official recording station in the county at that time was in Brevard and it recorded 14.70 inches.   The largest 24-hour rainfall ever recorded in the entire state of North Carolina occurred on July 15-16, 1916 in Mitchell County with 22.22 inches.

Landslide above the French Broad River south of Brevard.

Records aside, flood waters across five states took lives and destroyed property.  In Transylvania County Mrs. Caldwell Sentell and her 7-year-old daughter were killed when their home near the Davidson River was struck by a landslide and knocked from its foundation.  Johnny Heath, of the Dunn’s Rock area, died as the result of injuries caused by a landslide.  The landslide, one of 25 reported in that section of the county, also seriously injured Heath’s mother and a neighbor child.

The Sylvan Valley News reported, “Thousands of acres of river farms transformed into vast lakes, and hundreds of bushels of rye washed down stream while crops stand several feet underwater; railroad transportation suspended for three days without mail and passenger service; power plant out of commission and town in darkness; dams of big lakes threatened; lumber road seriously damaged and farm crops injured to extent to thousands of dollars; all result of four days of storm which sweeps southern states.”

There was concern the “big lakes would overflow and cause their dams to break” at Lake Toxaway and Lake Fairfield.  Both held though, and by late July both resorts were again advertising for visitors.   In early August thousands of tourists were flooding into Western North Carolina for a shorten tourist season.  Most of the boarding houses in Brevard were full.

Lake Toxaway after the dam broke.

Then on August 13, 1916 the earthen dam at Lake Toxaway burst sending over five billion gallons of water barreling down the Toxaway River into South Carolina.  Although a third hurricane had brought additional heavy rain to the area in early August, the cause of the dam break was believed to be an unrepair leak on the lower part of the dam. 

The dam gave way at about 7:00 pm on Sunday evening when more the three quarters of the 600 foot long, 62 foot high structure broke loose, emptying most of the 550 acre lake in just 15 minutes.

The combined fallout from the floods and the failure of Toxaway dam was devastating to families, businesses, the landscape and the economy. 

The North Carolina Office of Archives and History has created an exhibit, “So Great the Devastation:  The 1916 Flood” that is traveling the area.  The exhibit will be on display on the 2^nd floor at the Transylvania County Library throughout August.

In addition, David Weintraub’s film, “Come Hell Or High Water, Remembering the Flood of 1916” will be screened in the Library’s Rogow Room at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, August 9.  Weintraub will answer questions following the approximately 40 minute documentary that explores the history of Western North Carolina's worst natural disaster and asks the question, what have we learned? 

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs.  For more information, comments or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-3151 X242.