Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Work crews with the federal government's Depression-era Work Progress Administration
(WPA) reinforced the Portsmouth floodwall with sandbags. But the wall soon sprang
massive leaks. The city, hoping to save the wall from collapse, opened the sewer outlets and
let the river in. Soon only a ripple in the water showed where the floodwall stood.
The rising floodwaters quickly inundated Portsmouth. This view of downtown Chillicothe
Street was taken looking toward the Ohio River. One of the flooded stores was Richman's
clothing store. The now-vanished Richman chain, which once had hundreds of stores na-
