35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 2, 1938: Floodwaters in Los Angeles River destroy Southern Pacific railroad bridge. The photo was taken from North Figueroa Street bridge.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

Feb. 28, 1938: Autos stall in flooded Fox Hills Boulevard and Slauson Avenue after the first storm brought about 4 inches of rain.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 1, 1938: A three-story structure once occupied by cafe at Cheeney Road and Topanga Canyon Road collapsed and toppled into the highway as prolonged rains softened foundations.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 2, 1938: Flooding at West 43rd Place near Leimert Boulevard.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 2, 1938: Flooding at West 43rd Place and 11th Avenue near Leimert Boulevard stranded a school bus.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 2, 1938: A mudslide at Harper Avenue and Sunset Boulevard caught this automobile and closed the area to traffic.

March 2, 1938: A washed-out bridge at Colfax Avenue over the Los Angeles River in Studio City.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 2, 1938: Firemen search for the body of Ruth Randall, 28, and son Leonard, 6, after their home was destroyed by a landslide on the 1900 block of Landa Street.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 2, 1938: A salvage crew trys to dig out a gravel truck damaged by flooding along the Los Angeles River. The truck was at a construction project to build a railroad crossing for Union Pacific across the river.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 2, 1938: Water rising above the drain level in underground conduits threatened telephone service in downtown Los Angeles. Fire Department pumpers answered the call.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 2, 1938: Dr. A. J. Gray, left, Douglas Dawson and Dr. A. G. Hobbs do a little fishing at home on 500 block of South New Hampshire.

March 2, 1938: Drains could not keep up with rain filling streets in downtown Los Angeles.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 2, 1938: Water-soaked earth moved rapidly down the side of Laurel Canyon at Kirkwood Avenue, carrying trees and boulders in its path and wrecking the basement garage of this home.

March 2, 1938: Hugh Beckly stands atop a car almost covered by water at 6th Street near June. Arden Day cruises by in a skiff.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 3, 1938: William L. Griffin digs out the family car on the 1700 block of Fernlane Street as Lloyd Griffin and David Stagg watch.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 3, 1938: The family of J.E. Webb in Venice is rescued by boat, and two children with mumps were sent to a hospital.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 3, 1938: The La Canada Street Bridge over Verdugo Wash near junction of Verdugo Road. The bridge, a WPA project, was under construction when the storm hit.

March 3, 1938: Milkman Ray J. Henville secured himself a boat and boatman and made all deliveries on time and on doorstep.

March 3, 1938: The washed-out Santa Fe Bridge over the Arroyo Seco paralleling Pasadena Avenue Bridge.

March 3, 1938: These ruins were once a residence on the 2000 block of Los Encinos Street, Glendale. Two men met their death when the house collapsed into the street. Workmen search for the bodies.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 3, 1938: Floodwaters flow slowly through the steets of Venice after a major storm.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 4, 1938: A road crew removes debris from Foothill Boulevard at Lowell Street near Tujunga.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 4, 1938: A railroad crane was set up for bridge building work over the Los Angeles River near Avenue 19.

March 5, 1938: Henry Cooper with a dog and rooster, all that was saved from Earl Callan's home, part of which can be seen in the Los Angeles River in the background. Cooper was the caretaker for the destroyed home in the 1700 block of Riverside Drive.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 5, 1938: Heavily traveled Riverside Drive in Glendale was undermined by the torrent of the Los Angeles River. This damaged section was near the former Grand Central Airport.

March 7, 1938: A portion of Roosevelt Highway (now Pacific Coast Highway) at Santa Monica Canyon is repaired after heavy rains on March 1.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 7, 1938: Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Smith, their daughter and 5-year-old granddaughter at Burbank and Ethel Streets in Van Nuys begin the task of digging out their home.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 7, 1938: Los Angeles city engineering crews fill in a 300-yard section of Ventura Boulevard near Laurel Canyon Drive that was gouged out by the swollen Los Angeles River on March 1.

March 6, 1938: Ruth Curry, with a broken arm, owner of Camp Baldy resort, stands in front of shattered cabins after floodwaters destroyed the majority of them. In a 36-hour period starting on March 1, 14.78 inches of rain fell.

March, 1938: Wreckage piled up in front of the Camp Baldy garage.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

Workers repair a telephone pole. No other information was available.

A boulder on a road after a rainstorm on March 1, 1938. The car may be the photographer's vehicle; no other information was available.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 1, 1938: Flooding in Culver City.

35 Black and White Images of Floods in America in the 1930s

March 2, 1938: Mrs. L. Swink put on her swimsuit as she moved out after flooding.

March 2, 1938: About 10 people drowned when they were swept into the Los Angeles River after the collapse of the 3rd Street pedestrian bridge in Long Beach. One person was rescued by the battleship Utah, at anchor three miles off shore.