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all know about the flood of 1947 and some remember the flood of
1927. Well, there was also a less known flood that involved downtown
Rutland. It seems that a culvert was built underground to contain
a stream coming off the hills above Merchants Row. At that time
the Edson Street area behind Merchants Row contained houses and
a lumberyard among other businesses. The area was called Edsonville.
A March 26, 1863 article from the Rutland Weekly Herald follows:
"The
warm rain yesterday rapidly melting the snow, and a partial stoppage
of the culvert running across Merchants Row caused a flooding of
that small portion of our village known as Edsonville. The water
commenced filling in about noon yesterday, and at 7 o'clock last
evening was some three to five feet deep in places, rendering pedestrianism
in said Ville entirely out of the question. The cellars were of
course filled with water, and the lower floors of some of the houses,
we understand, were flooded. The basement rooms of the buildings
on the east side of Merchants Row were also filled with water to
the depth of nearly two feet, rendering necessary a hasty removal
of goods, groceries, etc."
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