Sand Creek Dam Reconstrucrtion Project: 1960-1967

Posted on by hchm-curator

A Photo Album of  the Sand Creek Dam Reconstruction Project in the mid- 1960s. All photos are part of the Harvey County Historical Museum & Archives Photo Collection: Bridges & Dams. Sanned and researched by Linda Koppes, compiled by Kristine Schmucker.

Sand Creek Dam 1960-1964

Sand Creek Dam, ca. 1960.

August  1963

A view of the Sand Creek Dam from the 1st Street Bridge shortly be for demolition of the dam August 24, 1963.

October 1963

Sand Creek Dam Reconstruction Project 1965-1967

January 1965

Building the floor of the Sand Creek Dam.  Men working in an enclosed area of wood supports covered by plastic sheeting, January 13, 1965.

June 1965

Showing the area of the inflatable dam on Sand Creek just south of 1st Street.  The dam was lowered to allow the flood water to move on south.

 

August 1966

Sand Creek dry river bed, Athletic Park roadway on the left side of photo.

Fall 1966

Sand Creek looking west from the Main Street Bridge during dam reconstruction October 20, 1966.

Sand Creek looking east from Main Street Bridge.  View of dirt work on banks, October 1966.

Sand Creek Dry River bed viewed from Oak Street, Newton.

 

Spring 1967

Sand Creek & Ash Street Bridge during dam reconstruction. Photo taken from 9th Street, March 25, 1967.

Sand Creek and Ash Street Bridge during dam reconstruction project.  Photo taken from 9th Street.

Sand Creek Reconstruction workers placing rocks on banks.

Sand Creek looking north from 1st Street during the dam reconstruction project March 27, 1967.

 

 

Sand Creek on a Tear! the Ash Street Bridge

Posted on by hchm-curator

by Kristine Schmucker, HCHM Curator

Looking through HCHM’s photo collection for flood photos, there seemed to be a number of the Ash Street Bridge over time.  Sand Creek has flooded multiple times in Newton’s history, and the Ash Street bridge over the Sand Creek has been damage many times. The old bridge was completely replaced following the  flood of June 1965.

Sand Creek on a Tear! the Ash Street Bridge

May 1899 Flood

 

Evening Kansan Republican, 23 May 1899.

 May 1902 Flood

Evening Kansan Republican, 22 May 1902.

June 1904 Flood

The devastation following the June 1904 flood was overwhelming to Harvey County residents.  The Evening Kansan Republican (June 3, 1904) noted;

“Sand Creek, the despise and ridiculed, spread over its banks and overflowed the north end, for once a raging, destruction-dealing current.”

To read stories about the impact county-wide follow the link – Sand Creek Flood 1904. 

 

Flood of June 1904

The Flood of June 1904 was particularly hard on Newton’s bridges.

Evening Kansan Republican, June 3, 1904

At the July 8, 1904 meeting of the city commissioners it was reported that

“the West First, West Broadway and West Twelfth street bridges are now in good shape . . . work on the Ash Street bridge will be commenced by Contractor Lewelled and his men as soon as the weather will permit.”

 

June 6, 1916 Flood

Alarming, but did not reach the “former record.”

Evening Kansan Republican, June 6, 1916

 July 10, 1929 Flood

 

Ash Street Bridge, Newton, Ks, July 10, 1929. Note on the back reads “Just 10 minutes later the water was 3 feet over the top of the bridge.”

The Ash Street Bridge – 1954 & 1965

 

Ash Street Bridge, 1954. Photographer is looking south.

Ash Street Bridge destroyed by flood, June 1965. Photographer is looking south.

June 1965 Flood

Ash Street Bridge, June 1965.

 

Ash Street Bridge, June 1965.

 

Ash Street Bridge, June 1965 Flood. The bridge came to rest against the W. Broadway Bridge.

 

Debris from the Ash Street Bridge resting against the W. Broadway Bridge, June 1965.

 

Viewing the damage, Ash Street Bridge, June 1965.

Construction, Ash Street Bridge, 1967

Photo taken from 9th St.

 

New Ash Street Bridge, 1966.

 

Reconstruction of Ash Street Bridge, October 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the Flood

Posted on by hchm-curator

by Kristine Schmucker, HCHM Curator

With all of the rain we’ve had in south central Kansas over recent weeks, some might recall June 1965 and the flooding that occurred then.

After the flood waters receded, there was a great deal of clean up, including one place you might not think of – the swimming pool at Athletic Park.

After the flash flood. Municipal Pool, Athletic Park, Newton, Ks, June 1965.

After the flash flood. Municipal Pool, Athletic Park, Newton, Ks, June 1965.

 

After the clean up.

See the album on our Facebook page for more June 1965 Flood photos.

For other Newton floods see a post on the 1904 flood.

Below are links to previous blog posts related to the Newton Municipal Swimming Pool in Athletic Park.