I remember the Flood of 55. I was 4 almost 5 and lived at 615A California St by SCHS. It rained forever and we had to play inside all the time. We watched the leaves block up the street drains until it overflowed the sidewalks and cars sprayed water everywhere when they drove through it. After the flood I got mad because my mom wouldn't let me go downtown and look around while my 9yo brother got to go by himself. It's going to happen again, the river needs to be dredged and the vegetation kept down. Bulwark St down by the Town Clock is named for a failed bulwark to keep the river out of town. Thanks for the video and pictures!
Excellent documentary and very timely as we're in the middle of the storm of January 2023. I'm crossing my fingers and toes that the San Lorenzo River doesn't overflow the levee and flood downtown where I've lived since 1980.
Very good. My parents, Bob and Beth Pepper, were new to Aptos at the time. In fact, my Dad had just picked my Mom up from the Salinas bus station on the 22nd and brought her to their new home on a farm at 6850 Freedom Blvd. It had been an ordeal to drive from Salinas, through Watsonville to bring Mom home. My Dad got behind a truck, so that their '54 Ford wouldn't get flooded out in the deep water as they came on Salinas Road into Watsonville. Our neighbor, Harry Gregg, had just cut a new driveway straight up the hill to his new home site. The driveway hadn't been paved and was starting to wash out. My Dad grabbed his shovel and went to tell Mr. Gregg that it would be OK to direct the water off the driveway and into our fields. Dad had planted a good cover crop that was able to absorb all the water off the driveway. Together, they worked for hours and made small cuts across the driveway and directed the water out into our fields. Because of the good soil husbandry practices that my Dad had learned in ag school on the GI Bill, not a speck of sand was washed out onto Freedom Blvd. An enduring friendship was also created.
My parents bought a home in Soquel in 1955. I was very young and don't remember much of this. I do remember the bridge was knocked out in downtown Soquel because of all the debris. This is quite an eye opener, I had no idea.
Thank you! As a resident of El Rio Mobile Home Park, I found this very relevant. I am torn every year as the City clears out vegetation in the river near my home, destroying wildlife habitat, but perhaps saving me and my neighbors from flooding. I could not live where I live without the levee.
I remember well this flood, as well as the one in '57 and the awful '64 flood. During the '55 flood we lived in Menlo Park in the Bay Area. The very deep San Francisquito Creek was only blocks away from our house. I can remember my dad putting my shoes on my bed at bedtime. I guess he was letting me know he was taking good care of us. I was just 9 then. The rain seemed to go on forever. We moved to Felton in '57.
I remember the 82 flood I was in kindergarten at gault school and watching the water flowing in-between sea Bright and Broadway my stepfather went threw the 1955 flood.
My family and I had to leave our home because the surging water came up on the sidewalk; we walked up to Broadway. It was very sad because the whole town and businesses were decorated for Christmas. Afterwards, the "smell" in the businesses were difficult to remove. I remember the smell especially at the Newberry store.
I remember the Flood of 55. I was 4 almost 5 and lived at 615A California St by SCHS. It rained forever and we had to play inside all the time. We watched the leaves block up the street drains until it overflowed the sidewalks and cars sprayed water everywhere when they drove through it. After the flood I got mad because my mom wouldn't let me go downtown and look around while my 9yo brother got to go by himself.
It's going to happen again, the river needs to be dredged and the vegetation kept down. Bulwark St down by the Town Clock is named for a failed bulwark to keep the river out of town.
Thanks for the video and pictures!
Thanks for the history. I hope the river is clear of brush and the levees in good shape next time
Great history and video Dan! Kudos!!!
Excellent documentary and very timely as we're in the middle of the storm of January 2023. I'm crossing my fingers and toes that the San Lorenzo River doesn't overflow the levee and flood downtown where I've lived since 1980.
Great video thx for that
Very good. My parents, Bob and Beth Pepper, were new to Aptos at the time. In fact, my Dad had just picked my Mom up from the Salinas bus station on the 22nd and brought her to their new home on a farm at 6850 Freedom Blvd. It had been an ordeal to drive from Salinas, through Watsonville to bring Mom home. My Dad got behind a truck, so that their '54 Ford wouldn't get flooded out in the deep water as they came on Salinas Road into Watsonville.
Our neighbor, Harry Gregg, had just cut a new driveway straight up the hill to his new home site. The driveway hadn't been paved and was starting to wash out. My Dad grabbed his shovel and went to tell Mr. Gregg that it would be OK to direct the water off the driveway and into our fields. Dad had planted a good cover crop that was able to absorb all the water off the driveway. Together, they worked for hours and made small cuts across the driveway and directed the water out into our fields. Because of the good soil husbandry practices that my Dad had learned in ag school on the GI Bill, not a speck of sand was washed out onto Freedom Blvd. An enduring friendship was also created.
Thanks so much for sharing your memories, Janie. :)
My parents bought a home in Soquel in 1955. I was very young and don't remember much of this. I do remember the bridge was knocked out in downtown Soquel because of all the debris. This is quite an eye opener, I had no idea.
Thank you! As a resident of El Rio Mobile Home Park, I found this very relevant. I am torn every year as the City clears out vegetation in the river near my home, destroying wildlife habitat, but perhaps saving me and my neighbors from flooding. I could not live where I live without the levee.
Awesome!
I remember well this flood, as well as the one in '57 and the awful '64 flood.
During the '55 flood we lived in Menlo Park in the Bay Area. The very deep San Francisquito Creek was only blocks away from our house. I can remember my dad putting my shoes on my bed at bedtime. I guess he was letting me know he was taking good care of us. I was just 9 then. The rain seemed to go on forever.
We moved to Felton in '57.
I remember the 82 flood I was in kindergarten at gault school and watching the water flowing in-between sea Bright and Broadway my stepfather went threw the 1955 flood.
My brother told me that the Jaycees were used to help out after this flood. May the Jaycees have other photos in their archive.
My family and I had to leave our home because the surging water came up on the sidewalk; we walked up to Broadway. It was very sad because the whole town and businesses were decorated for Christmas. Afterwards, the "smell" in the businesses were difficult to remove. I remember the smell especially at the Newberry store.
Thanks for sharing your memories Georgiana. It was a hard time for many people, but a time to be proud and people stepped up and helped one another.
Should be very interesting.