Year:  1973 - 2009 Valley Flooding
Driver:   Mother Nature (that bitch)
Photo Contributed by:

Top and third: Russ Blake

Second and Fourth: Hotrod

Photo Credits:

Top and Third: Blake Family

Second and Fourth: Hotrod

The Back Story: 

We had a picture of the infamous 1973 flood on our page before, but after the July 29th storm dumped 8” of rain on LVS, we couldn’t help but revisit the events and compare the two floods which are strikingly similar.

In this first photo set, There’s a picture of, from L to R, a 13 Year Old Gary Virgilio, Mary Blake and Mary’s brother John, who is holding a 4 year old brat named Ron Blake.  As you notice in the picture, the water is running west, towards turn 4, the same way the current ran this year, as the water poured through the front gate, filtered it’s way through the concession area, and ran all the way down to the backgate access road off of RT. 20, where it flowed until it met back up with the Kinderhook creek.

 

In this 2nd set, the photo from Saturday AM in August 1973, shows Mary Blake hip deep while brother John and the 13 year Old Gary Virgilio wade into the waters where that evenings winners picture should be taken.

The 2009 photo shows the water level to actually be about the same as ’73, which is to say that must be about the high mark where the water will rise in the Valley bowl before seeking it’s level otherwise.  The next time you see the LV monster truck, you can get a firm idea at just how deep the water was in the center of the pits.  And consider I took these pics at about 5pm on Thursday the 30th, the level may have actually been higher at one point!

 

More 2009 Flood Photos

 

 

Additional Comments:  

 

We are looking for information and photos about the Valley's history.

If you would like to add to our project, Please contact us at:

hotrod@lebanonvalleyclassics.com

Lebanon Valley Classics