Published by The Evansville Courier

The city braced itself, but could not predict that the water would reach 53 feet, 7.4 inches in the next 10 days.

By Jan. 22, only a few Evansville families had been forced to move from low-lying areas, but the Red Cross already was setting up an executive office in the Coliseum.

The agency mobilized an amphibious rescue plane and called for Coast Guard boats and crews that transformed the riverfront into a military harbor.

Up and down the swelling Ohio, emergency workers stood by for impending disaster. Families and animals in many areas became stranded in attics and on cold, rainy rooftops.

Under different circumstances, Courier headlines would have saluted the inauguration of President Roosevelt to his second term that January day. But the flood was foremost in the news and the president's inauguration was relegated to Page 5. An accompanying photo captured the chief executive with his hand raised in the winter rain.

"Threat of Worst Flood Increases," The Courier headline said. "Entire Population Moves From Lawrenceburg." That town of 7,000 found some shelter in large distilleries as the river pushed up to 67 feet there.

While the first 1,000 local families evacuated sections of Evansville, Tell City, Ind., became inundated. Cincinnati, Louisville, Ky., Paducah, Ky., and dozens of smaller river towns were stricken by the rising waters.

"Human misery, property damage and horror mounted today along the overflowing Ohio and Mississippi rivers," an Associated Press article related on Jan. 25. "Fire, darkness, cold, disease and hunger multiplied the flood-born terror."

Many deaths from disease and drowning already had occurred in some river communities. Oil fires spread along with rising waters.

Lack of food was crippling, but lack of clean water became life-threatening.

Flu and typhoid epidemics plagued communities and shelters - but Evansville had managed to avoid most of this so far.

The water began surging into Downtown Evansville streets on Jan. 25 as it reached 50 feet. The Courier headline announced, "Tide Edges Up Main Street" and "Martial Law Rules In Evansville."

On that day the National Guard took command of evacuation and rescue operations and the city was placed under emergency fuel and travel restrictions.

For several more days the Ohio at Evansville slowly crept toward its crest. Water and electricity disappeared from many areas and pure drinking water - shipped in from outside areas - was rationed.

The Courier urged citizens to get typhoid vaccinations.