Corning Flood of 1972

On June 23, 1972, Corning and the surrounding communities were devastated by a major flood, as a result of the tropical storm Agnes. At the Museum, hundreds of objects were broken, more than half of the Library’s materials were saturated with flood water, and the facility was covered with a thick layer of slime and mud. This collection chronicles the determination of Museum staff and the community to rebuild, and shed light on the unique conservation techniques that were used to restore Library materials.