Talk about a rainy season. In October of 1925, precipitation records came tumbling down and so did houses. On the October 12, 2925, the W.H. Liebe home slid onto Ocean Dock road carrying the occupants, a Mr. and Mrs. Peterson and their lunch along with it. A smaller cabin owned by James Dineen made the trip down hill as well. Traffic was blocked for a time, but luckily the Peterson’s escaped with minor injuries and cuts. Every piece of furniture in the building was splintered and the loss was estimated at $3,000. The house, described as a ‘modern bungalow,’ was erected about 1921 by William A. Hesse.
The train to Chitina couldn’t leave on this day either due to the rainfall eroding about 35 feet of fill at the north end of the yards. All rainfall records were broken during this month with a total of 23.7 inches from October 1-12.
And finally, sharp-eyed readers might spot the fountain continuing to function despite the commotion. It was the first fountain ever to be built in Cordova and was constructed and designed by pioneer Oscar Ohman.
This photo came from the archives and collections of the Cordova Historical Society housed within the museum. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
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