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National Park After Dark

311: The Great Flood of 1889. Johnstown Flood National Memorial.

National Park After Dark

Audioboom Studios

True Crime, Places & Travel, Wilderness, Society & Culture, Sports

4.84.6K Ratings

🗓️ 14 July 2025

⏱️ 67 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Editors Note and Content Warning: This episode was recorded in June before the devastating floods that took place in Texas on July 4th. Listeners should be aware that this episode includes descriptions of mass death, including children. Please take care while listening. Our hearts are with the families and communities affected by the floods. For more information about how to help the survivors and families impacted by the Texas floods please see: 
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Text or call 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

On May 31, 1889, a wall of water tore through the valley town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, killing more than 2,000 people in minutes. It was the deadliest single-day loss of civilian life in U.S. history — until 9/11. This is the story of how the South Fork Dam failed, how the flood devastated an entire city, and how the American Red Cross stepped in.

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

We're used to thinking of the devastation caused by natural disasters as uncontrollable.

0:07.0

A hurricane makes landfall. The ground shakes. A river swells past its banks. There's nothing

0:13.2

to do but brace for impact. It's terrifying, but also comforting in a way. The idea that

0:18.8

some tragedies are simply beyond human control, that there's no one to

0:23.0

blame. In fact, some natural disasters are even referred to as, quote, acts of God in legal and

0:29.4

insurance context in order to signal that no person or company can be held responsible for their

0:34.8

destruction. But not every weather-related disaster is natural.

0:40.3

Sometimes the warnings come early, the danger is known, the responsibility is clear, and still

0:46.3

nothing is done. Corners are cut, profits are prioritized, and when the worst happens, it isn't just

0:52.6

a tragedy, it's a failure. One that could have been prevented. But what happens when the worst happens, it isn't just a tragedy, it's a failure.

0:54.9

One that could have been prevented.

0:57.4

But what happens when private power overrides public safety?

1:01.2

Who bears the blame when inaction costs lives?

1:04.2

And how do we make sure it doesn't happen again?

1:08.5

Welcome to National Park After Dark.

1:37.9

Hello, everyone. Hello everyone and welcome back to another thrilling, exciting week of gruesome stories.

1:45.7

Yeah, this is certainly a gruesome story. Welcome, everyone. I hope you are ready and prepared for today's story because it is not by any means a lighthearted one, but it is one that has been suggested and recommended to us for

1:52.6

probably years now. So this has been a long time coming. I'm super thrilled because I know the topic.

1:59.8

And my knowledge goes as far back as like when you, I learned about it in high school, like very briefly as a footnote in something.

2:08.1

So I don't know the gory details that you're about to get into.

2:12.5

But based on your introduction and just knowing the topic, it kind of gives me, what was it, the St. Francis

2:20.6

damn disaster that I did years ago. Like it kind of gives similar vibes to that and I don't know if

...

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