The Great Flood of ’74: Cambridge’s Watershed Moment
May 4 @ 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
It’s been 50 years since the Grand River flooded the downtown core of Cambridge, with normal water depths of 2 feet peaking at 18 feet.
The Fire Hall Museum in Cambridge is commemorating that extraordinary day with walking tours, displays, rescue equipment exhibits, and presentations from the Cambridge Fire Department, Emergency Management, City of Cambridge Archives, Grand River Conservation Authority, Cycling and Trails and more.
There will be a new photo exhibit about floods in Cambridge at the Fire Hall Museum and a video presentation featuring remembrances of residents. There will also be historic photos in windows of more than a dozen businesses on Main, Water and Ainslie Streets showing these same buildings during the flood and at present day. A life size image of Officer Jack Shuttleworth standing in the flood waters will be at the same corner that made him world famous 50 years ago.
There will be a display of unseen photographs of the ’74 flood at the Old Post Office Idea Exchange and also the presentation, After the Flood of ’74, by Ken DePodesta and Tom Smith who were instrumental in the development of the Living Levee of Cambridge.
Even a special cocktail has been created by 13 Food and Beverage in Cambridge, called the Highwater Highball.
