Heavy rains caused from Hurricane Diane in August, 1955, created one of the greatest floods in the history of this region. Over the course of two days, rainfall totals in this area measured more than fifteen inches, causing brooks and streams to turn into raging torrents. Even some lakes overflowed, smashing dams and destroying roads.
So many areas were washed out that more than 12,000 people had to seek help from the Red Cross. In Southwick, the Great Brook truly became “great” and soon stretched to more than 100 feet wide. Soon the town was cut off from most routes in, and anyone entering the town had to come from Connecticut.
In Westfield a water power dam gave way, destroying the South Maple Street neighborhood. Route 20 was cut off in twelve different locations across the state. All the towns along the Connecticut River were severely damaged and required Federal assistance. For one of the first times, helicopters played a key role in helping stranded survivors. In this area at least 22 people were actually rescued by helicopters from trees and rooftops.
Probably the worst accident related to this storm occurred when a passenger train, headed to Boston from Western Massachusetts, hit a washed out section of tracks in Woronoco. Approximately 30 people were injured, and two diesel engines, along with several passenger cars toppled down a steep embankment into the Westfield River.
When all was over, the loss of life and property was staggering. President Eisenhower designated approximately $75 million dollars (equivalent to $515 million dollars today) for the disaster. Six people were killed in Western Massachusetts, 40 died in Connecticut, and some 200 lost their lives throughout the Northeast.
Please add your own memories, notes, and/or news items on the Flood of 1955 in the Comments section, below.
Disasters in the Valley 
I remember that flood I was :16 years old.
What do you remember most about it?
I remember The Flood of ’55, I lived in Chester Mass. and the Westfield river and Walker Brook intersected at my Grand Parents property and the combined rivers overflowed and ran through the house. I manually pumped water out the basement for 4 days after the rain stopped. I was 8 years old.
I was 7. I had chicken pox. I lived on Rt. 20 just before the Woronoco line. Both sides of us were washed out with the flooding but we only got 6,” of water in our basement. I remember my dad taking me for a ride once we could get out, over to the Meadow Street areas. People had their furniture out on the lawn to dry out. Very vivid memory.
[…] heavy flooding and rainfall in the middle of August 1955, making it the wettest day for the state. The Great Flood of 1955 affected both Connecticut and Massachusetts, resulting from Hurricanes Connie and then a week […]