Williamsport / Loyalsock PA – Agnes Flood 1972 (Lycoming County)
WATCH THE VIDEO IN HIGH QUALITY!!! The following information is from a 2000 or 2001 article that appeared on a local (Williamsport based) website. I can no longer recall the name of the website. The information was provided by the Fagnano family. ********************************* MORE EARTHY TRIVIA. My challenge to you this week is: Just where did the earth and rock come from for the 13-mile flood control dike built in the 1940s and 1950s? Who moved mountains for the dike system around Williamsport in the 1940′s and 1950′s? The answer is in the Fagnano family history. Balante Fagnano, who was a general contractor at the time, acquired a subcontract to gather rock and earth for the dike project in 1940. The original contract for the dike project was in the hands of a man named Johnson (we believe was from New Jersey). He entered the navy prior to Pearl Harbor and sold the contract to Herb Allison, Frank Marrazzo and a third individual. Fagnano gathered stone and earth in 1940 and 1941. The Fagnano family archives features a photo taken in 1941 by the local historical photographer Vincent Smith. The photo features Balante, his brother Charles (real name “Angelo” who was killed in France in 1944 during World War 2), Balante’s two sons, Joseph (left) and Louis (right). The men were loading rocks into their truck along the current Lookout on Route 15 while the young boys watched. World War 2 put a halt to the project from 1942 – 1945. When the project resumed in 1946, Fagnano …
thx so much to whoever made this video. I was a youngster but remember the muddy water all over the place. We lived near a creek and it turned into a lake. Our basement flooded and ruined some of my toys
My beloved hometown..remember this all too well
Loyalsock Creek was galloping…Hagerman’s run shook the earth with its boulder filled stream bed roiled…massive landslides on Bald Eagle Mountain….the dike on the South Side was like jello…the national guard guy stood on the front of his jeep and shouted out orders and within seconds organized a floundering group of people into a fine tuned machine…scenes I’ll never forget.
read The Luzerne County Railroad and it is an amazing story!! The actions the judge took in favor of his former law firm partner and lunch buddy were beyond belief. With all of the newspaper coverage your case had, it is obvious that shedding light on corruption is not enough! The articles from the Citizen’s Voice and the Times Leader pictured in your book made it clear that the reporters were shocked and amazed by the judge’s shenanigans. Larry, thanks for writing an incredible book!
I was in the mountains around Renovo during this flood. My grandfater and I were camping and trout fishing. I remember my uncle coming up and telling us to get out. When we drove out little streams you had to ford were up to the bottom of his 4wd. Got out just in time
Dad took me to see the concrete trucks way underwater in the gravel pit between Beaumont and Tunkhannock. The water had calmed and cleared enough so you could see the road and trucks down at the bottom of the gravel pit. Really kinda surreal and scary.
is there any way i can get the video alone for a project for school
We were stuck at Camp Kline on Pine Creek. What a nightmare crossing that footbridge to get out of there!
i was just born when this happened,i lived in wilkes-barre at the time,my dad had a pet store on the square that got ruined,(dont worry,all the animals came to live at my house for a while..)
38 years ago today. I was 10, so I don’t remember just how widespread the flood was, nor do I remember the rain (over 12 inches). I do remember walking with my brother to the dike when the river was around 20ft and rising. I’m not sure I’d want to be on it at the point shown in this home movie. The city was very fortunate the levee wasn’t topped; it was a very close call. The next time it may not be as fortunate. Laslty: Big-N, Britts, Tastee Freez all bring back memories.
I remember Agnes. I was a little guy. We lived up high enough that we weren’t flooded but some family friends weren’t as lucky. Mom and Dad took them in for a couple weeks till they could find a new place. Dad and I helped fill sandbags in maybe Kunkle or Harveys Lake. I’m not sure… I was five.
I work with that little four year old. Louis is now 73 or 74 years old. He still goes to work and welds every day.
Thanks for that. This was a really formative memory of my childhood. I think you nearly caught my grandparent’s house in the footage a couple of times. I just had a good cry for missing them.
Thanks! That was really interesting! As a kid, it was pretty scary. I remember seeing a house going down the Loyalsock Creek. And I used to hang out around Big-N and Grants all the time. I remember the mud covered merchandise at Big-N right after this.
I feel bad for the ppl that died in it
that was kool, i live here in williamsport and I have heard about the 72 flood but never seen footage, thanks for sharing.
This is awsome. I wasnt around for this flood, but i live on the river near antes fort and remeber ivan like yesterday
I’ve been searching for footage from 75 flood. Where would you reccomend that I search.
Dear Friend,
Thank you for sharing this footage of the 1972 Flood Agnes with me. I live in Lancaster and although I was young when it happened I still remember it well. Graet Film and great Music.Thank you again …Respectfully Greg