Photojournalist Connor Simon interviewed Society member Bernadine Lennon for a segment of Wallenpaupack Life, a daily show that aired on Blue Ridge TV13 on March 13, 2020. The topic of the interview was the Flood of 1955 which devastated northeast Pennsylvania 65 years ago last August. Bernadine discussed the convergence of two meteorological events, back-to-back Hurricanes Connie and Diane, which led to unexpected rainfall amounts on the night of August 18 of up to 30 inches locally. Particularly hard hit was the Greene-Dreher area along Wallenpaupack Creek and its tributaries. Bernadine also discussed the long-term impact of the flood on the local community and the mitigation efforts that followed.
The segment that appeared on “Wally Life” can be viewed here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBnmyNJyLvY
Most of the photographs in the segment are from the Greene-Dreher area and were provided by the Greene-Dreher Historical Society. More about the 1955 Flood can be found in the Society’s commemorative publication, The Flood of 1955 Remembered, published in 2015. The book includes firsthand accounts of the flood and the many acts of heroism during and after the tragic event. Photographs and maps. The book can be purchased book here.
