[russellraven]

Hard to believe it was 50 years ago. What do you remember about it?

50th Anniversary of Hurricane Agnes | U.S. Geological Survey

“Beginning on June 18, 1972, the remains of Hurricane Agnes produced floods in the Eastern United States from Virginia to New York that killed 128 people in what has been called the worst disaster in American history.” (USGS PP 924, Hurricane Agnes rainfall and floods, June-July 1972, 1975) We...

www.usgs.gov

 

[J.A. Veil]

Long before I moved to Maryland and and even longer before I started fishing in Chesapeake Bay tidal waters, I had a summer job at a Ford dealership located about half a mile from the Schuylkill River in eastern PA. The rain kept coming with the river rising. I watched a tow truck drive toward the river to rescue a car stuck in flooded waters at an underpass. Half an hour later, I saw a much larger tow truck come back past the dealership towing the first tow truck.

 

[crabby and son]

I was working at William Burton's nursery in Queenstown on Ager Rd. It rained and rained and rained some more. J. H. Burton up the street was washed away. Rt 1 in Laurel was under water. Wind was bad but it was more water damage..........Gary

 

[ACG]

RusselRaven,
I still see evidence of it when fishing the Patapsco River. Tractor trailer in one fishing hole, a car buied in a small tributary, foundations of a church swept away, kegs, bricks and the parking area of a tavern with was swept away, an abandoned road bed. The power of water is amazing. Three Rivers stadium in Pittsburgh was completed in 1971 and had 4 feet of water in it during Agnes.

the book “The Patapsco: Baltimores River of History“ includes a good account of what happened on the river during Hurricane Agnes. provides insight to just how how fast things go from normal to tragic during flooding conditions. Respect water and stay away from muddy rising rivers.
ACG

 

[andypat]

I remember well. Two friends and I were fishing the Susky Flats when it moved in. It was dead calm and the black clouds seemed like they were right over our heads. They were very low. I said we better get out of hear. It hit before we could get back to Owens Boat yard where I kept the boat. The rain started and was stinging us on the run back. Might of been a little hail mixed in. Got back just in time. Tied the boat up and headed to Rout 40 to go home to Baltimore. It hit so hard we couldn't make it home. We had to stop at a Night Club on #40. They closed #40. The night club was open all night. We had a great time all night with other people that made it to the club. I think the club was called Club 40. Next morning we were shocked at the damage we seen on the way to Baltimore. Every little stream was like a river. But it was hard to believe how good the fishing was just a week after Agnus hit. That's another story. I wish I had a camera back then.

 

[longtail]

Crabbing was very good after Isabel.

wbal did a special about it last night, but I forgot about it and missed it

 

[R&Jonthebay]

I was 16 at the time and living in Rockville. Aspen hill to be more specific. The day the rain stopped I decided to drive around and see the damage. Drove over to a nearby lake called "Lake Frank". The lake was so full that you couldn't drive into the parking area. The water was all the way up the hill to where the last house was right before the gate to the park. When I got home there was a soaking wet kitten in our front yard. Took it into the house and dried it off. Spent two days knocking on doors in the neighborhood trying to find its owner. Never found them so we kept the kitten. Needless to say, we named her Agnus. She lived the next 16 years of her life with us.

 

[mdracer]

Me, my wife and two small children were in a small Montgomery Ward pop up tent camper at Tom’s Cove Campground on Chincoteagur Island, Va. My wife woke me about 3 in the morning. The camper was shaking like dog crapping bones. She wanted to get out. I didn’t. I actually thought our weight may be the reason the camper didn’t blow over.
We had started vacation the previous Saturday at Cherrystone in Cape Charles. It rained everyday from Subday thru Thursday. We pulled up stakes and headed to Ton’s Cove. Thursday evening the sky was crystal clear with a billion stars shining. Friday turned out beautiful after the winds died. Saturday it rained and we left for home. Worse week of vacation we ever had.

 

[russellraven]

Crabbing was very good after Isabel.

wbal did a special about it last night, but I forgot about it and missed it

I did catch that on WBAL the other night. The brother of a guy in my first grade class was one of the one's killed in that storm.

 

[russellraven]

I was 16 at the time and living in Rockville. Aspen hill to be more specific. The day the rain stopped I decided to drive around and see the damage. Drove over to a nearby lake called "Lake Frank". The lake was so full that you couldn't drive into the parking area. The water was all the way up the hill to where the last house was right before the gate to the park. When I got home there was a soaking wet kitten in our front yard. Took it into the house and dried it off. Spent two days knocking on doors in the neighborhood trying to find its owner. Never found them so we kept the kitten. Needless to say, we named her Agnus. She lived the next 16 years of her life with us.

Cool story.

 

[mremmfish]

I was 14 at the time and remember very well the flooding in Baltimore. Snyder's Restaurant on Hammonds Ferry Rd. in Lansdowne MD. was buried under water. There was a small creek that was fed from the Patapsco accross the street from the restaurant. After that storm it seemed like it got flooded out every 8-10 years. Agnes must have altered the landscape that led to future issues. After many renovations and the insurance company saying no more, Snyder's decided to move several years ago.

Mike

 

[longtail]

mdracer, your wife had to wake you? lol

Agnes was before my time

 

[BigWillJ]

I’ll always remember Agnes. Five of us went down to Florida, on motorcycles, while Agnes was coming up. Four on Honda 750s, and a fifth on what I remember was a 350. I chose to bring up the rear. When we got to Florida, I watched as the four in front were, at times, leaning at what I thought was a bit too much of an angle, just to stay on the road. After managing the hard rain, and what was left of the winds, we arrived safely.

 

[27 sailfish]

I used to fish off Conowingo dam at night. Talked to some of the older workers - they had to inspect the base of dam from inside when Agnes hit. If leak was found - likely be last thing they would see.

I think the water was few feet over the safe limit of the dam - unreal it held.

 

[UncleRob]

I used to fish off Conowingo dam at night. Talked to some of the older workers - they had to inspect the base of dam from inside when Agnes hit. If leak was found - likely be last thing they would see.

I think the water was few feet over the safe limit of the dam - unreal it held.

It actually moved a few feet. I know they had to shore it up after Agnes hit.

I was just a wee lad of 10 when she hit. I watched out the back window as the water kept coming up over the bridge. That was the only time I ever saw the creek go over the bridge.

 

[mremmfish]

I used to fish off Conowingo dam at night. Talked to some of the older workers - they had to inspect the base of dam from inside when Agnes hit. If leak was found - likely be last thing they would see.

I think the water was few feet over the safe limit of the dam - unreal it held.

I too used to fish all night off the dam. They closed it after 911 for safety concerns. Rumor has it the workers said there were catfish as big as humans back then. I haven't seen one reported as being caught yet, so I guess it was just rumors. It still was a great fishing spot.

Mike

 

[crabby and son]

It actually moved a few feet. I know they had to shore it up after Agnes hit.

I was just a wee lad of 10 when she hit. I watched out the back window as the water kept coming up over the bridge. That was the only time I ever saw the creek go over the bridge.

If that dam failed, Port Deposit would have disappeared. It flooded bad anyway........Gary

 

[longtail]

How does a dam move a few feet?

 

[UncleRob]

I remember a tree fell right after my dad got home from work. Guess who had to cut it up for firewood, lol. We had firewood from Agnes for years. If that dam had failed it might have wiped out both bridges too. With all of the garbage that was probably above it, it would have put too much pressure on those piers and kablammo.

 

[mdracer]

Agnes actually flushed a lot of **** out of the Patapsco thru the state park. I used to fish for smallmouth during the ‘80’s. Some big ones were caught by others but not me. I don’t know if is still good or not these days..