COLORADO FLOODS OF 1885

Post by Doris McCraw
writing as Angela Raines

Fountain Creek after flood stage 2015
photo property of the author

Colorado has had its share of disasters during its history from fires, avalanches, and floods. In 1885 floods struck across the state. Below is a brief overview of some of the areas affected. I've chosen to just offer snippets from the various articles. If anyone wants research more, most of the complete articles can be found on the Colorado Historic Newspaper site: Colorado Historic Newspapers.

Denver

From the Carbonite Chronicle, the following was reported on August 1, 1885:

The magnificent splurge made by Cherry Creek on Sunday — bridges washed away and property destroyed.

Denver had a flood. Not a flood of knowledge or a flood of light, but a genuine wet watery flood. It came down Cherry Creek on Sunday night about dusk and made things home, in that staid and quiet old watercourse, for a time. During the afternoon there had been premonitions of the storm and according to arrivals on the Denver and Rio Grande train, which got in yesterday afternoon, and the Denver papers of yesterday, the oldest inhabitants had predicted "a flood." For once "the oldest," etc., was not mistaken.

The flood came, and it came numerously. It brought a great many things besides water with it. There were trees and timber, and sand and chicken coupes, a dead cow, and many other articles of virtu and bric-a-brac. The flood came suddenly. At half past 5 o'clock in the evening there was a little turgid stream, tortuously forcing its way through sand in the bottom of the creek. A minute later two feet of water was rolling over the sand, and 10 minutes later, a majestic touring, that seized and hissed and roared, and mock the efforts of humanity, put forth to stop its destructive force. Onward it came, growing fiercer, and louder, and more resistlist. Thousands of people hurried to the scene and gazed with all and terror at the raging element. On its seething breast, it bore debris of all kinds, which in its mad fury it had torn from its resting places. The wooden bridges, which spanned the creek, were torn away like cobwebs, and the heavy timbers were tossed about like eggshells on the ocean. Huge masses of earth and immense sections of piling were carried out onto the seething vortex, the earth coloring the water, and the timbers adding to its fury.

Denver 1881 USGenWeb Archives  

Pueblo

The Pueblo daily chieftain of June 26, 1885, had the following article;

After the Flood.

With bright weather yesterday, trains running regularly in all directions, and the Arkansas River meandering peaceably within its banks, there was but little to remind the public of the great flood which took place the day before. There are still, however, several sizable and unsightly ponds in the lower parts of the city, and bayous of still water stand in central Pueblo. From all these ponds come the loud voices of innumerable frogs. The city authorities have had the broken streets partially repaired, where most in need of it. The "flood sufferers" were engaged yesterday in exposing their soaked clothing and carpets to the sun, washing out their crusts of mud which had settle upon the floors, and preparing to spend the night in a more comfortable manner than was possible the previous night.

Colorado Springs

From the Colorado Springs Gazette of July 26, 1885, we have the following:

While witnessing the performance at the opera house last night a reporter who was much interested in the antics of Muldoon and Mulcahey was notified that a water spout had broken in the northern part of the city and Shook's run flood was on a tear. Floods of this nature being frequent in Colorado reporter paid but little attention to what was said. Later, however, and man road up to the office and intimated that the flood was exceptional and that the lives had been lost. Immediately representatives were dispatched in every direction. It was reported that the house of Mr. B. A. P. Eaten in the northern part of the city had been washed away and his wife drown. Upon investigation, the report was found only to true.

In every respect, it was one of the most disastrous storms that has ever visited this section of Colorado. On either side of Shook's run hailstones as large as hens eggs and 18 inches deep were still laying at 4 o'clock. Not until today will we be enabled to make anyway near an estimate of the destruction. That it will amount to thousands of dollars there is no doubt.

Mr. Eaton's house was located on high ground on Wasatch Street between San Rafael and Yampa. It was substantially built on a stone foundation. When the Gazette reporter visited the grounds at 3 o'clock the property look as if it had been traversed by a cyclone. There was nothing left but the stone foundation. At the time water was flowing through the street to the depth of the foot or more.

Almost simultaneously with the flood in Shook's run, and before the rise of the Fountain, the water and Cheyenne began to rise rapidly and soon overflowed its banks. No estimate can be made of the amount of damage done on Cheyenne, and it is feared that much livestock has perished, and a large amount of hay, lately cut, is, without doubt, carried away.

Every wagon bridge on Shook's run was carried away, foundations and all. The Rio Grande railway bridge over that stream was lifted bodily and born on the flood down to destruction. 

Overview of Denver/Colorado Springs Flood

Although we find floods and disasters sad and sometimes overwhelming, they can and are used when telling the history and the fiction that comes from history. I myself have experienced flooding both where I live in Colorado and growing up in the mid-west and the Mighty Mississippi's floods. They are terrifying and awe-inspiring at the same time. I hope most never have to experience their power, but they were and are part of the lives of people. I still remember Louis L'Amour's story "Matagorda" and his use of the hurricane that hit that area as the 'character' that overarched the whole story.

The USGS had a publication from 1948 that talks about early floods that had been reported in this state. USGS publication

If you haven't picked up your copy of the latest collection "Hot Western Nights" from Prairie Rose Publications, don't delay.

Purchase from Amazon here

Doris Gardner-McCraw -

Author, Speaker, Historian-specializing in
Colorado and Women's History

Angela Raines - author: Where Love & History Meet

For a list of Angela Raines Books: Here 

Photo and Poem: Click Here 

Angela's Mountain Angels