The Storms of Jan - Feb 1969

Recent heavy rain makes me think about other historical storms here in San Jose. I remember the big storm at the beginning of 1969. I had recently rented a house on Lencar Way … the landlord gave me free first month rent if I would plant the backyard with grass. I said “sure.” Got it rototilled, amended the soil and spread the seed. Then the storm hit! Ruined everything I did as the whole backyard became a swamp … water turning the beautiful soil into eight inches of mud. Seed washed away, buried under mud or pooled into the puddles that dotted the surface of the soil.

Shirlie was already an established photojournalist by this time … and other than photographing wrestlers, her favorite assignments were disasters. Like car crashes, big fires, murders, strikes and, in this case, flooding in downtown San Jose.

The rainy season of 1968-69 poured an average of 27 inches of rain over the state. A series of powerful storms in January and February of 1969 resulted in widespread flooding across California, resulting in at least 60 deaths, according to one federal report. Forty California counties were declared disaster areas during that series of storms that also contributed $300 million in economic losses. Here’s a couple of storm photos that Shirlie took for the San Jose Mercury … with deep watery streams where roads are supposed to be.

Flooding on East Santa Clara Street. The Foursquare Church in the background has a sign: "Moved to 1470 McKinley Avenue" a move they made in the beginning of January 1969.

Flooding in front of the Williams Funeral Chapel on Santa Clara Street between at Seventh and Eighth Streets.