ThrowbackThursday Centennial Flood

“The Centennial will long be remembered in Dubuque, not for the magnificence of the daytime display, but for the dark tragic history of the night. The day was combatively pleasant, but coming on evening suspicious electricity laden clouds began to fleck the north western heaven, which gathered with mumbling and grumbling which was continued until after ten o’clock when the rain commenced to descend, apparently increasing in quantity with the passing hours.”

"The Great Flood of 1876"

Dubuque Daily Times

Dubuque, Iowa

Thursday Morning July 5, 1876

Read the whole article online

Our microfilm collection is missing the July 5th-7th issues of The Daily Herald, but the front page of the July 8th issue included this update on the Centennial Flood. Other breaking news on July 8, 1876: the defeat of General Custer at Little Bighorn or "Custer's Last Stand." The battle itself occurred on June 25th and 26th. click the article on the right to see a larger image.