Matewan High School - Magnolian Yearbook (Matewan, WV)

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FLOOD STORY JANUARY 29, 1957 The school term of 1956-57 will be a memorable term for M.H.S. students. Something vary rare, a 13 day vacation in February, came to pass as a result of the worst flood in the history of the town of Matewan . School returned to session three weeks after the fateful morning of January 29, a Tuesday moming. The day began such as one expected in January, with a slight drizzle falling. There was some talk of a possible flood but a look at the somewhat raised Mate Creek quieted many of the rumors. The students attended their home- room classes as usual, but, during the five-minute break before the 9:00 period, word quickly spread that water was rising in the street above the underpass down town. Mr. John Anderson, the principal, sensing the situation too, sent an announcement through-out school stating that school would be dismissed at the close of the 9:10 period. Tension mounted as numerous students, heading downtown, observed that the water had risen to such a point that cars were not attempting to go through the water, much to the dismay of many students who live below Matewan, however, the bus made it through. By this time it was eleven o' clock and the river was rising at an estimated 18 inches per hour and therefore backing up at a much higher rate. Local towns people, as a result of past floods, had assumed the practice of parking their cars on the school lot which was, supposedly, above flood level. Much to horror the backwaters did not stop at the level of the school parking lot. As a result approximately twenty cars and trucks were completely covered. A school bus was listed among the casualties at M.H.S. Complete destruction faced the town about ten o'clock when the third of four giant gasoline supply tanks gave way to the water and emptied it's entire contents. A great hush fell over the town when the fire department passed a no smoking ban because of gasoline covered waters. At approximately this same time, water entered the Jones 's Drive-lnn in the extreme north end of town. The water continued its fantastic rising spree until the wee hours of the morning when it reached a stand still, then the river slowly and deliberately started its decline. Some various land lwaterj marks which will serve as a reminder of the flood of '57 for many years to come include: water two feet over the clearance of underpass which is marked 11 ft. 6 in. Four feet over Kentucky West Virginia bridge in lower end of town, five feet above floor in gym, only the roof showing of City Motor, two feet of water in Jones' Drive-Inn. The flood has now passed, though hardship is not a thing of the past. Today people stand on the bridge in the lower end of town and look down upon the smooth, muddy waters of Tug River. It is almost beyond their comprehension that this quiet river could rise 40 feet in 16 hours and bring maior diaster to the quiet, serene town of Matewan. But sorrowfully they say to themselves, It did--in '57. 70

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