A Look Back at Bethlehem’s 1942 Flood

Thanks to Scott Korin for sharing these striking photos from the May 23, 1942 flood in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

As The New York Times reported on May 24, 1942, torrential rains triggered destructive flash floods across eastern and central Pennsylvania, killing at least 20 people, leaving 25 missing, and forcing Bethlehem Steel’s massive plant in Bethlehem to shut down because of high water, a major disruption during World War II.

The article also reported that some 5,000 people were left homeless across the region, underscoring just how devastating the flood was both locally and statewide.