Flood of Despair: Wheeling’s Worst Disaster

February 27, 1908, marked the day when Wheeling, West Virginia, was ravaged by the worst flood in its history. Thousands of people were forced to flee their homes, and business came to a grinding halt as the Ohio River overflowed its banks. The destruction was nothing short of catastrophic, with damage estimated in the millions of dollars. The city’s main streets were transformed into raging rivers, with waters reaching as high as 30 feet and 6 inches, just shy of the record set in 1898.