Hope on the Hill: Marianists and the 1913 Dayton Flood

When floodwaters struck Dayton in 1913, those who fled to high ground just south of where the waters crested at Apple Street found shelter, food and welcome from the Marianists at St. Mary’s College, the school that later became the University of Dayton. 

Hope on the Hill: Marianists and the 1913 Dayton Flood will be on display from Feb. 4 through June 17 on the second floor of Roesch Library. The exhibit highlights events during and after the disaster and the college’s significant role in providing relief. The Exponent, a student magazine, reported on the college’s efforts and published perspectives by students. 

Photos, postcards and other memorabilia are on display. Visitors can listen to an oral history from Marianist Brother Andy Weber describing what he saw from his window at Saint Mary’s. Original flood footage from the Glenn Walters Collection is also on display.

A free program on April 4, 2013 will feature short talks from Professor of History Dr. Una Cadegan, Dan Jordan from North American Center for Marianist Studies in the United States, and Communication Professor Dr. Glenn Walters. This event is open to the public and will take place on the second floor of Roesch Library at 7:00 p.m. Please call 229-4274 or email kkelly2@udayton.edu for more information.

Digitized materials from the 1913 Flood Collection are available online at digital.udayton.edu.