The University Museum

BROKEN HEARTS AND HOMES - THE FLOODS OF SHAWNEETOWN, ILLINOIS

Hard by the edge of the Ohio River, Shawneetown has seen its share of troubles each time the waterway has overflowed its banks. Local newspapers have recorded such events as far back as 1832. After repeated floods, townspeople built the first of the levees in an effort to hold back the floodwaters in 1859. The levy broke in 1898, resulting in 25 deaths and 200 lost homes. Although the levy was raised to an "impenetrable" 60 feet after this incident, another major flood occurred in 1937. Shawneetown was subsequently relocated to higher ground.

Listen to this song in one of three formats.

Track One is the story of one flood as told by Ms. Sarah Dailey of Ridgway, Illinois, to Professor McIntosh during the early 1950s. Through the spoken word, Dailey describes the disaster from a personal perspective. She focuses on how the news spread by word of mouth, and how the individuals affected by the floodwaters gave aid to one another.

The story told by Ms. Dailey on this recording is followed by the song of the 1898 flood sung by Ms. Jess Rawson, who was a little girl at the time of the catastrophe. This song, titled "Flood of Shawneetown" or "Broken Hearts and Homes," was written in 1989 by G. B. Fields of Fairfield, Illinois, and dedicated to a man who had lost his wife and two daughters in the disaster. Rawson has a fine, strong voice-listen as she recounts the incident through Fields' melodramatic lyrics.

Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Shawneetown Bank. http://www.state.il.us/hpa/hs/Shawneetown.htm
McIntosh, David S. 1974. Folk Songs and Singing Games of the Illinois Ozarks. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press.
McWhirter, Cameron 1997. Lucky break as levy holds. The Cincinnati Enquirer. 13 March 1997. http://www.enquirer.com/flood/031397_flcam.html