"Devastation on the Delaware" - The 1955 Delaware River Flood

Join author Mary Shafer on June 26th at 7:30 PM for a compelling presentation on the Delaware River watershed's most catastrophic natural disaster. Drawing from her book Devastation on the Delaware, Shafer will explore the tragic events of August 18-20, 1955, when hurricanes Connie and Diane unleashed record-breaking floods that forever changed the Delaware Valley.

This Zoom lecture will examine the three terrifying days that transformed the normally peaceful Delaware River into a destructive force, washing away bridges, houses, and entire summer camps. Shafer will separate fact from fiction, addressing enduring myths like the Boy Scout camp legend while revealing the often more harrowing reality of what actually occurred.

Through survivor testimonies and eyewitness accounts, attendees will learn about the unprecedented helicopter evacuation of over 400 children from island camps, the nearly 100 lives lost, and the hundreds left homeless. Shafer's presentation will be enriched with historical photographs and maps that document how excessive mountain runoff created tributaries that rose thirty feet in just fifteen minutes, culminating in one of the region's most devastating natural disasters.

This definitive account illuminates a pivotal moment in Delaware Valley history when drought relief became a fight for survival.

Free registration. 

Presenter Bio:

Mary Shafer's lifelong fascination with severe weather began when her family was caught in Hurricane Alma in 1966. This passion led to her 13-year role as weather coordinator for the Nockamixon Township Emergency Management Agency and earning the proud title of "weather weenie." She founded the Amateur Weather Enthusiasts of America (AWE-USA) and is currently writing The Storm Diaries, a mystery series featuring a forensic meteorologist.

In 2005, Shafer published "Devastation on the Delaware: Stories and Images of the Deadly Flood of 1955" after three years of research. Released just a month after Hurricane Katrina, the book's timing proved fortuitous—the first printing of 2,500 copies sold out in 42 days. The book has been updated twice, with editions marking the 55th and 60th anniversaries of the flood, and has sold over 7,000 copies total, making it the only comprehensive documentary of this regional disaster.

Learn more about her work.

About DRGP

The Delaware River Greenway Partnership (DRGP) periodically sponsors lectures about different aspects of the Delaware River's cultural, recreational, and natural heritage. An environmental nonprofit, DRGP supports the Delaware River Scenic Byway, the Lower Delaware Wild & Scenic River, the Delaware River Water Trail, and the Delaware River Heritage Trail.

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To view previous Heritage Lectures, visit our YouTube channel. 

Thank you to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation of Natural Resources for funding our Heritage Lectures.