In January 1996, central Pennsylvania experienced a terrible month. First, early in the month, a blizzard deposited an overwhelming amount of snow. Then it started to rain and the temperature rose.
On January 20, 1996, flooding and the loss of a portion of the Walnut Street Bridge were caused by the melting snow and rain, as well as the dislodged ice flowing down the river.
The chilly river was hit by two of its spans. The Susquehanna and Juniata rivers’ ice shattered and roared downstream, according to the Patriot-News. Two spans of Harrisburg’s well-known Walnut Street Bridge were washed away by the river on Saturday afternoon, shocking the surrounding area. Later, a third span dropped.
This still image from home video shows floodwaters washing away a section of the Walnut Street Bridge. The Patriot-News received this information.
This still image from home video shows floodwaters washing away a section of the Walnut Street Bridge. The Patriot-News received this information.
This still image from home video shows floodwaters washing away a section of the Walnut Street Bridge. The Patriot-News received this information.
This still image from home video shows floodwaters washing away a section of the Walnut Street Bridge. The Patriot-News received this information.
This still image from home video shows floodwaters washing away a section of the Walnut Street Bridge. The Patriot-News received this information.
When the Walnut Street Bridge first opened in 1889, it was referred to as the People’s Choice. According to the Patriot-News archives, it consisted of seven spans on either side of City Island and fourteen prefabricated iron tresses supported by stone piers. After Tropical Storm Agnes’ deluge in 1972, it was blocked to cars, but it continued to serve as a pedestrian bridge connecting Wormleysburg, City Island, and Harrisburg.
It was designated a national engineering landmark in 1998 after being added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
At the time, the 1996 floods was said to be the worst to hit the area since 1972.
You would have thought yesterday was Amateur Photographer Day based on the numbers of people strolling down the Susquehanna River with cameras and laughing, according to the Patriot-News. Or that there was a procession being held. However, the carnival atmosphere was rocked around 2:30 p.m. when a three-span piece of the Walnut Street Bridge collapsed on the West Shore side and fell into the swelling river.
Animals, including police horses, and equipment were quickly evacuated from City Island by city officials.
(Dan Gleiter | [email protected], file) The Walnut Street Bridge and FNB Field on City Island, Harrisburg, in 2022
Note: In 2021, an edition of this story was released.