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The Crescenta Valley flood occurred in New Year's Eve 1933 (December 31, 1933) and extended to New Year's 1934 (January 1, 1934) in the
Around midnight on December 31 (1933), the earthen dams above the Crescenta Valley collapsed, sending millions of tons of mud and debris into the neighborhoods below. The mudslides that began in the mountains above La Cañada and La Crescenta carved a path of destruction all the way to the
Two notable victims of the flood were silent-era identical-twin child actors
Crescenta Valley
The Crescenta Valley is a small inland valley in Los Angeles County, California, lying between the San Gabriel Mountains on the northeast and the Verdugo Mountains and San Rafael Hills on the southwest. It opens into the San Fernando Valley at th ...
in Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the List of the most populous counties in the United States, most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, ...
, inundating communities in the valley including La Crescenta-Montrose
La Crescenta-Montrose () is an unincorporated area in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The community is bordered by Glendale to the south and west, La Cañada Flintridge to the east, and Angeles National Forest to the north. Acc ...
, La Cañada, and Tujunga. This seemed to have happened because in late 1933, wildfires burned much of the trees and grass in the Crescenta Valley, leaving the cities in the lower parts of the valley vulnerable to flooding. On New Year's Eve
In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...
, heavy rains led to the collapse of earthen dams, which in turn led to the destruction of many homes in the valley and many deaths.
Background
In November 1933, wildfires raged through the nearby San Gabriel mountains above the communities of La Crescenta, La Cañada and Montrose. Earthen dams had been created by the Civilian Conservation Core in three of the valleys (Dunsmore, Pickens and Hall-Beckley) to trap rainwater. During the last week of December of that year, a series of winter storms pounded the mountainside with of rain. On New Year's Eve, more heavy rains led to sporadic flooding.New Year's
Around midnight on December 31 (1933), the earthen dams above the Crescenta Valley collapsed, sending millions of tons of mud and debris into the neighborhoods below. The mudslides that began in the mountains above La Cañada and La Crescenta carved a path of destruction all the way to the Verdugo Wash
Verdugo Wash is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed March 16, 2011 tributary of the Los Angeles River, in the Glendale area of Los Angeles County, California.
The stream ...
and beyond.
Aftermath
Some Montrose residents sought shelter from flooding at American Legion Post 288, which was destroyed, killing 12. More than 400 homes were destroyed in La Cañada, La Crescenta, Montrose and Tujunga. Scores of people were killed, and hundreds were left homeless. Entire families were wiped out. Parts of Foothill Boulevard were buried under of mud, boulders and debris. The mud was deep enough to bury cars completely on Montrose Avenue. Miles of Honolulu Boulevard were inundated by several feet of sand and silt.
Two notable victims of the flood were silent-era identical-twin child actors Winston and Weston Doty
Winston and Weston Doty (February 18, 1914 – January 1, 1934)Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery, Santa Monica - records were twin child actors active for several years during the silent film era.
The Doty twins were among the casualties of the Cresc ...
, who died at the age of 19.
Reconstruction
Following the disaster, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and theCounty of Los Angeles
Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, with 9,861,224 residents estimated as of 2022. It is the ...
(with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works (LACDPW) is responsible for the construction and operation of Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County's roads, building code, building safety, Sewage collection and disposal, sewerage, a ...
) built a flood control system of catch basins and concrete storm drains, designed to prevent a repeat of the 1933-1934 disaster.
The flood was commemorated in Woody Guthrie
Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer-songwriter, one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American socialism and anti-fascism. He has inspired ...
's song "Los Angeles New Year's Flood". To honor the victims of that New Year's calamity and to mark its 75th anniversary, a small monument was dedicated January 1, 2004, at Rosemont and Fairway avenues in Montrose, near where the American Legion Hall had stood.
References