Storm of 1946 Collection

Cayuga Museum of History and Art

Damage at A&P Supermarket on Genesee Street - Image Source

Collection Facts

Extent:

Dates of Original:

1946

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Historical Context

The 1946 storm was a severe wind and rain storm on June 11, 1946, that caused over one million dollars in damages to the city of Auburn and surrounding areas. Powerful winds of an estimated 70 miles per hour took down hundreds of trees across the city. Power and radio communications were disrupted and many roads were closed throughout Auburn due to tree obstruction. A team of four hundred people worked overnight to clean up the storm debris, and during the course of the cleanup efforts several photographers captured the storm aftermath on film.

Scope of Collection

This collection of photographs was taken on June 12, 1946, after a severe storm hit the city of Auburn and surrounding areas. The photographs document the damage to trees, buildings, and automobiles, as well as the cleanup effort afterwards.

This project was supported with federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds allocated to the New York State Library by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).