The Flood of 1972

On June 23, 1972, Corning suffered a major natural disaster. Tropical Storm Agnes inflicted three days of incessant rain on western New York and Pennsylvania. Corning’s normally peaceful Chemung River became a torrent. The river overflowed its dikes, and downtown Corning was inundated. At the Museum, the glass collection was partly submerged and books were swept from their shelves. Six weeks later, thanks to heroic efforts by staff and volunteers, the Museum reopened. See more about this event in the museum’s collection: http://www.cmog.org/collection/exhibitions/flood-72-community-collections-and-conservation

This video features Jane Shadel Spillman, curator of American glass at The Corning Museum of Glass.