Great Flood of 1851 sweeps the Midwestern United States

Background. The winter of 1850-51 was extremely wet, leaving Fort Des Moines muddy and the ground saturated before spring rains. Historical evidence suggests flooding occurred in the eastern Plains, from Nebraska to the Red River basin, though these areas were sparsely settled. The Lower Mississippi normally handles higher rainfalls, but in 1851, heavy rains in the Ohio River basin caused flooding south of St. Louis.

Impact on Iowa. Iowa was the state most affected by the flood. The Des Moines River basin, where the worst flooding occurred, had been settled for less than 10 years. Major flooding affected towns including Bentonsport, Croton, Bonaparte, Des Moines, Eddyville, Farmington, Iowaville, Keosauqua, Muscatine, Oskaloosa, Ottumwa, Red Rock, and Rochester. The worst flooding occurred in May to June in the Des Moines River Basin and early August in eastern Iowa.

Des Moines Destruction. In May 1851, much of Fort Des Moines was destroyed. The Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers rose to unprecedented heights, inundating the country east of the river. Arozina Perkins, a school teacher, noted the extreme mud in January 1851. The town was incorporated as Fort Des Moines in 1851 and later shortened to Des Moines in 1857.