When the Levee Breaks

Recent high waters on the Mississippi at New Madrid have reminded many residents of the great flood of 2011. However, the worst flood in the town's history was 1927 when the levee broke upriver and the water came into town with little notice for the residents to prepare for it.

Two residents of New Madrid were newlyweds - the Shys, Howard, 26, and Pansy, 18.

Inside the Ford dealership. Left to right: Bill Henley, Howard Shy, Charles C. Bock, Jr. Shy was familiar enough with the business to estimate its loss from the flood.

Howard Shy describes the conditions in town and the impact the flood had on its businesses in a letter. In particular he mentions his employer, Charles C. Bock Jr., my grandfather, who owned and operated the Ford dealership. A copy of the letter was presented to me by a friend in the 1980s. The letter is printed as written, and additions are in brackets.

In a note with the letter, Frances Ruby wrote: "This letter was written by Howard Shy to his wife Pansy during the 1927 flood. Pansy had taken refuge in Sikeston (as so many did). Our family went to Charleston & stayed with my grandparents when the levee was broken. Six weeks later we came home to chaos."

New Madrid[,] Mo

Sunday Morning

Dear Pansy -- Will drop you a little note this a.m. to Let you know that all is well.

We shure have had some water, but has fallen off some now- about seven inches in all, is still about two feet deep in the yard.

The water came in up at Farrenberg and ran down to Town & here is banked up about three feet higher on inside of the Levee than on river side. It finally washed out a gap by old man West Dawson place & water is running out about three foot drop. It washed Mr. Dawsons Studebaker & Shorty Birds Ford in the river, almost took his big house and did wash Shorty's house across the street over against the two story house. They are still trying to blow up the big Levee over east of town but are not having much luck.

A resident poles a pirogue down New Madrid Main's Street during the 1927 flood. [Author's collection]

The water has been running pretty swift[;] some of them claim that the washout will be five times as big as it was before this water.

Lilbourn is flooded & all of the west swamp is run over west of Kewanee so fast that they loss most of their stock and some of them had to run for their Lives.

Uncle Pete & Mildred went to Lilbourn[.] they are staying out in south end, don't think they have any water there[.]

The river gauge at N.M. was not as high a[s] 1913 water, but the Levee held the water up until it was much higher than before. Most all of the stores lost heavily on account of not having goods put up high enough. Water was almost to the top of several of the doors. [Charles C.] Bock will loose several thousand dollars & others in accord with stock on hand.

We expect the water to be down by next Sunday if nothing happens[.] so you can come back then.

Excuse this scrip & make up as there is about 100 chickens squaking & are about to run me nuts.

Hope to be with you before another week[.]

Financially, my grandfather and many other businesses in New Madrid were unable to recover from their losses. Later that year the bank operated by A. B. Hunter failed, and New Madrid tumbled into the Great Depression two years before the rest of the country.

The Ford dealership during happier times. Left to right: Charles C. Bock, Jr., Bob Simmons, Bill Henley, Mike Riley, John Bell and Howard Shy. (Individual standing in door shadow is not identified). [Author's collection]

The Ford dealership never reopened. Howard Shy died in 1963 and Pansy in 2000.