L.A. Earthquake, Fires & Floods in the 1930's

A cluster of major disasters occurred in the Los Angeles region during the 1930's.  This blog post will review the deadly episodes and commemorate the flood that struck the La Crescenta Valley 85 years ago on October 18, 1934.

This flood revisited the Valley region for a second destructive time within a year - an earlier storm came in December of 1933, and on the new year's eve at the stroke of midnight the fatal, torrential rain caused an abrupt flow of debris and boulders upon Montrose and La Crescenta, as well as neighboring foothill towns like Glendale.  Singer Woody Guthrie, who lived for a brief time in Glendale several years later, memorialized the destruction through his lyrics "Los Angeles New Year's Flood."

October 18, 1934
Image courtesy of ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Los Angeles Times

January 1, 1934
Los Angeles New Year's Flood:  In Song and Video

Written by Woody Guthrie and performed by Darryl Holter

Image courtesy of the Seaver Center for Western History Research,
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
(U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Los Angeles District.  Turhollow, Anthony F.
History of the Los Angeles District, 1898-1965)

Glendale scene of damage, January 1934
Image courtesy of the Seaver Center
(HSSC-764)

Long Beach Earthquake, 1933

A strong earthquake centered in Long Beach shook the southland on March 10, 1933.

Real Photo Postcard
(Image from blogger's collection)

Griffith Park Fire, October 3, 1933

Later in the year, a mysterious fire at the Mineral Wells canyon area of Griffith Park killed dozens of laborers (employed under a County work relief program during the Great Depression.)

Image Courtesy of California Digital Newspaper Collection,
Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside, <http://cdnc.ucr.edu>

Image courtesy of the California Digital Newspaper Collection
(Click on image to zoom)

Wild Fire Struck on November 22, 1933

The following month fire struck the La Crescenta area, and it took four days before it came under control on November 26th.  The burnt terrain became bald and vulnerable when the rains came in December.

November 22, 1933
Image courtesy of ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Los Angeles Times

Image courtesy of ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Los Angeles Times

November 24, 1933
Image courtesy of ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Los Angeles Times

The Flood of 1938

Winter storms battered the U.S. in 1938.  Northern and southern California did not go unscathed.  Rain fell throughout February producing floods.  An unceasing crescendo lasting five days left the Los Angeles region, as well as neighboring counties, wrecked by the 4th of March.  The swollen L.A. River  compounded the destruction, and the havoc led to the eventual concrete channelization of the River.

March 4, 1938
Courtesy of ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Los Angeles Times
(Click image to zoom)