The Fort Findlay Stamp and Postcard Club marks its 60th year with its
annual show, Finpex 2013. The theme of this year’s show is the Centennial
of the Findlay Flood of 1913.
This year’s show dates are Saturday and Sunday, March 23 and 24. Show
hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. A special show
postmark and cover commemorating the Centennial of the Findlay Flood will be
available for sale on each day of the show.
In addition to a dealer bourse with 10 stamp and post card dealers, there will also be a youth table with free stamps, stamp exhibits, food available for purchase and a prize raffle.
Parking and show admission are free. The show will take place at “The
Lighthouse” Building, 10055 State Route 224 West, Findlay. The
Lighthouse is 1-1/2 miles west of I-75 exit 159. For more information
call (419) 296-5565 or email [email protected].
The historic storm began during the early morning hours of Good Friday, March
21, 1913. Only two days earlier, Findlay weather was balmy and reached 70
degrees. By Easter Sunday, the initial storm had torn the roofs off of over
50 buildings, uprooted trees and toppled chimneys. Telephone and telegraph
service had already been interrupted.
Soon, storm sewers were unable to carry the water away and streets were
flooded. Trolley cars crept slowly along tracks already under water. The
Blanchard River began to rise as swelling waters from its tributaries began
to flow into it.
Sunday night the rain stopped briefly, but by Monday morning had begun again.
By midnight Monday, the Blanchard River was rising at 8 inches per hour. No
record exists for the rainfall total on Monday and Tuesday, as the weather
recorder was wrecked by the storm. It is estimated that 9 inches of rain
fell on Monday and Tuesday. By the afternoon Tuesday, water had crossed the
Main Street bridge.
Thankfully, only one death could be directly attributed to the flood. Night
Police Captain Bert McGown lost his life attempting to rescue Mr. and Mrs.
Charles Saunders from their East Main Cross Street home. Just as the couple
entered the boat, it capsized. McGown disappeared and his body was not found
until 60 hours later.
Stamp and post card collectors are always welcome at regular club meetings,
the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 7 p.m. The meeting place
is the Unitarian Universalist Church at 2415 N. Main St. in Findlay.
