ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – Today marks the 48th anniversary of one of the most devastating events to occur in the Chemung River Valley area – the Flood of ’72.

We commemorate this day by looking back at how Elmira has recovered from this natural disaster.

At the forefront of the flood, Water St., like the name, was full of water. When it cleared, the people of Elmira had to find a way to recover. The director of the Chemung County Historical Society, Bruce Whitmarsh, said Elmira is fighting to this day.

“We’re seeing the reverse of that trend today that people are looking to come downtown,” said Whitmarsh. “Be able to walk to the grocery stores, walk to the restaurant, walk to activities as opposed to having a car. Elmira is benefiting from the trend we’re seeing across the entire nation.”

Whitmarsh is included in that positive trend moving to Elmira from the bustling city of D.C.

Nearly all the businesses that lined the Mark Twain Water Front Park in the 70’s no longer exist today. During the Flood of ’72 streets here became rivers. The first floor of the Chemung Canal Trust Bank was engulfed by water. The Marketing Consultant, Mike Wayne, talks about the tragedy.

“The main office building that we’re in today had only been open for 10 months it opened at the end of August of 1971,” said Wayne. “So it was a truly devastating time for the bank and for the City of Elmira.”

Whitmarsh put an emphasis on looking back and learning from history.

“Decisions that were made after the Flood of 1946, the decision was made to put up the big concrete wall along the river that runs through downtown Elmira,” said Whitmarsh. “And after the ’46 flood, everybody said, ‘There’s no way that wall can be over-topped.’ Along in ’72 that wall gets over-topped.”

What stands in remembrance of the Flood of ’72 is the Sullivanville Dam in Horseheads with a drainage area of nearly 12,000 acres.