A car is driving across the concrete bridge (built in 1918) at Oronoco. Several men appear to be fishing in the river under the bridge. The photo is taken from below the site of the present dam, looking west. The dam gave way in 1924 and there was no lake for the next 13 years. The present dam was built in 1937 by the W.P.A. and federal government funding.
Spectators assess damage to the Chicago Great Western Railroad bridge during the flood of 1908. The mill and elevator can be seen in the background. The Zumbro River overflowed its banks in Rochester early on the morning of June 26, 1908.
Spectators are watching the raging flood waters from the College (4th Street) Street bridge. The Chicago Great Western Railroad bridge is also visible After several days of drenching rains along the Zumbro River basin, the river overflowed its banks in Rochester early on the morning of early on June 26, 1908. The river rose at a rapid rate (four feet in 20 minutes) and did extensive damage to the business and residential sections of the city.
The water is flowing rapidly under the College Street bridge during the flood of 1908. The businesses on College Street that are visible in the photo are (left to right): Riverside Livery (McConnell and Conway); furniture store of Cliff E. Elliott (formerly Coon and Allen) on the corner of College (4th Street) and Broadway. The furniture and undertaking business of P. F. Johnson is on South Broadway, across the street west of the Cliff Elliott furniture store. The Conley Camera Company is located just west of P. F. Johnson. The Zumbro River overflowed its banks in Rochester early on the morning of June 26, 1908.
Spectators are walking along the Chicago Great Western Railroad bridge assessing the damage from the flood waters. Much of the ground supporting the tracks has been washed away. The Zumbro River overflowed its banks in Rochester early on the morning of June 26, 1908.
Judge C. E. Callaghan's home at the corner of College Street (4th Street SE) and Dubuque Street (3rd Avenue) is surrounded by the flooded Zumbro River. The smokestack from the water works can be seen in the distance. After several days of drenching rains along the Zumbro River basin, the river overflowed its banks in Rochester early on the morning of early on June 26, 1908. The river rose at a rapid rate (four feet in 20 minutes) and did extensive damage to the business and residential sections of the city.
A boy on a donkey is posed in front of the I.O.O.F. (Odd Fellows) baseball team. Spectators are sitting in the grandstand in the background. The Odd Fellows won the game with the K.P. (Knights of Pythias).
The Zumbro River flooded a residential section of the city in this photo taken from the brewery. The area in the background would later become Soldiers Field Park. After several days of drenching rains along the Zumbro River basin, the river overflowed its banks in Rochester early on the morning of early on June 26, 1908. The river rose at a rapid rate (four feet in 20 minutes) and did extensive damage to the business and residential sections of the city.
Several people are posed on a tractor and thresher with other people driving teams pulling wagons. A barn and a large pile of chaff are in the background.
Members of a threshing crew are posed in front of and on a steam tractor and thresher. The tractor and thresher have large metal wheels. There is a large pile of chaff in the background.
Part of the destroyed residential section is shown in this photo taken after the 1883 tornado. Several homes are badly damaged and many are completely destroyed. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
Two women are walking among the debris, another woman is sitting down. The trees have lost their leaves in the storm. Very little is recognizable among the piles of rubble except a chair and a wagon wheel. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
This photo was taken in North Rochester near the Cook and Proud residences. People are looking through piles of rubble. A dead horse is in the foreground, possibly impaled with a tree or branch. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
The west end of Cole's Mill was blown in, the roof blown off, the corner of a wall torn out, the machinery damaged and the cooper shop destroyed. Eight box cars were overturned and two carloads of flour were in the mill race. John M. Cole, the proprietor of the mill was found dead in the street between the mill and his residence. He had apparently left the mill to go home when he was killed by the storm. In the foreground is the leveled home of Paul Thompson, who worked for the mill and occupied a home rented from the mill. The stove is all that is recognizable of any of the house furnishings. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
This large building was completely destroyed by the 1883 tornado. Roof timbers are broken and laying on a pile of loose bricks. The caption reads ""Machine Shop"". The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
This photo shows debris caught in trees, trees with no leaves and piles of rubble everywhere. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
The force of the winds from the 1883 tornado blew the railroad bridge into the Zumbro River. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
Vedder's Farm Machinery Depot was the largest in Southeastern Minnesota. It was built in 1879 and located on the corner of 5th and Broadway. About 75 feet of his store was destroyed. Albert D. Vedder and his wife were in the cellar and saved from death by heavy timbers that lodged above them and kept the ruined masonry from crushing them. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
Only a few houses remain standing after the 1883 tornado. This is the view from Cole's Mill showing the residential section of Rochester. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
Most of the houses have been destroyed in this view of a street in Rochester after the tornado of 1883. The buildings left standing are all heavily damaged. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
One building in this scene of a section of Broadway is still standing. All other buildings have been destroyed by the 1883 tornado. The wooden walkway is also damaged in several sections. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
This photo was taken from Cole's Mill and shows the extensive property damage from the 1883 tornado. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
This view of North Rochester shows the most heavily settled section of the city. Very few houses are still standing after the 1883 tornado. This photo was taken from Cole's Mill. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
The T. P. Hall Buggy Works lost part of the roof and the side of the building in the 1883 tornado. Carriages and wagons are visible as well as the remains of an freight elevator structure. The business was located on the corner of College Street and Main Street. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.