Having recently spent 12 fun filled days without electricity due to Hurricane Isabel (I now live in Virginia), I recognized the signature of a hurricane in an 1809 reference to flooding in central New York.  I looked on-line for resources for hurricanes in that year, and other references to devastating floods across upstate NY, but was unable to find any.  In fact, I found a list of hurricanes that said there were none (tropical cyclones, to be precise) affecting the eastern seaboard in 1809.

Does anyone have other references to these terrible floods in NY in 1809?

It is very reminiscent of the accounts of the Great Spring Freshet that destroyed much of the infrastructure and property across upstate NY in 1865.

        Dan W.



Here is the 1809 account:

From THE PILOT, Cazenovia NY, Wednesday, July 19, 1809:

“Our country is inundated to a degree never before witnessed.  The person who carries the branch mail from this place to the Seneca turnpike was obliged to return without any information of the Eastern mail, owing to the destruction of the bridges.  From every quarter as far as we have been able to learn, the most dismal accounts are given of the destruction of Mill-dams, mills, bridges, dwelling houses, barns, fences and property of every kind. – The rain has continued to come down in torrents, accompanied with a strong east wind, with but little cessation since Sunday (7/16/1809) evening last.  – How far the destruction is spread, is yet unknown.”