Bernice Hanan, John Keenan, Jane Gorman, Norton Ames, Mary Anderson, Henry Grady, Eunice Garvoille, Walter Peterson, Cora Gilbert, Perry Gould, and Blanche Shampnor

September 12, 1915: Record Rainfall
From: Ames, W.L. (1924) History of Oregon and Trade Territory, p. 41-42.

On September 12, 1915, occurred the record rainfall for Oregon vicinity. The writer, having kept a diary since 1876, refers to his record of that day, and which is also indelibly imprinted in his memory.

Diary record September 12, 1915: Cloudy to threatening A.M. and up to 3:30 P.M., when a heavy thunder shower struck us from the northwest, and by 9 P.M., 12 such showers followed one another from the same quarter, each deluging us with an inch of rainfall, hence 12 inches of rainfall in 12 showers in 6 hours.

Wind in one at 5 P.M. wrecking the windmill, the only such incident in the storm and lightning from the same shower striking the M. Colby barn, also killing in the barn Joe LeRoc. Sugar River rose 12 to 15 feet. One hundred acres of land south of A.A. Devine home was under water.

Railroad banks in many places near Oregon slid into the ditches like gravy. A railroad washout back of Ames buildings, 8×10 feet and three feet deep, leaving four railroad ties in that place instead of supporting the rails simply hanging by their spikes in place from the rails.

Traffic suspended and section crew worked all night to make the road usable again. A Mr. Geiger, northwest of Belleville was drowned on account of the flood, and many Oregon people were caught away from home, as many will remember, were involuntary absentees from the milking and chores that evening. Just get them started you will get some interesting narratives of that storm. It certainly was a record rainstorm for this locality.

View Wisconsin Climatological Data for Sept. 12, 1915

 

 

C.H. Cronk’s built the Opera House as a roller skating rink. It was the center of social activities for many years in the early 1900’s. It was a two-story building. Early high school graduations, plays and other entertainment took place here. Early silent films were shown here. Later sound pictures were shown for $.10 or .25. During the last few years it was used as a roller rink. Colby had his photography studio upstairs. Oregon Area Historical Society 1991.34