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1913 Dayton Flood Survivors Oral Histories

 Collection
Identifier: MS-296

Scope and Content

The collection consists of ten videotapes containing oral history interviews with seven survivors of the 1913 Dayton Flood. The participants tell their stories of survival as children during the flood. The interviews were conducted by Jeff Moyer and Mark Lyons in 1995 and 1996. Some of the interview subjects were identified from Allen Eckert's book titled A Time of Terror: the Great Dayton Flood, while others were found through various means. A few of the stories were directly used in the script of Stuart McDowell's award winning play, 1913: The Great Dayton Flood, performed at Wright State in 1997. Excerpts from the interviews and the play are included in Mark Lyons' documentary 1913: The Great Dayton Flood - From Story to Stage.

Dates

  • Creation: 1995-1996

Creator

Restrictions on Access

Please use CORE Scholar to view the entire collection at http://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms296/ . The original U-Matic videotapes should not be used for reference.

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and Mark Lyons.

History of The 1913 Dayton Flood Survivors Oral History Project

The interviews in this collection were conducted in 1995 and 1996. The oral history project grew out of Stuart McDowell's decision to write and produce a play based on Allen Eckert's book, A Time of Terror: the Great Dayton Flood. Stuart McDowell is the Chairman and Artistic Director of the Department of Theater, Dance and Motion Pictures at Wright State University.

As part of Stuart McDowell's research for the play, he interviewed one of the persons profiled in Allen Eckert's book. Mark Lyons was then asked to come on board to film the flood survivors oral histories represented in this collection, and produce a documentary titled 1913: The Great Dayton Flood - From Story to Stage. The film documented the process by which real people's stories became the basis for a play about this historic tragedy.

Extent

1 linear feet (10 videotapes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The1913 Flood Survivors Oral Histories is a collection of video oral history interviews with survivors of the 1913 Dayton Flood. The videos were made in the 1990s and the participants tell their stories of survival as children during the flood.

Statement of Arrangement

The interviews are arranged alphabetically by last name of the subject being interviewed.

Related Material

1913: The Great Dayton Flood - From Story to Stage produced by Mark Lyons. The VHS tape is available in Special Collections & Archives (Film database, ID#89) The book by Allen W. Eckert titled A Time of Terror : the Great Dayton Flood, is available in the Reading Room, F499 .D2 .E25 1997.

Processing Information

Christa Streib, Spring 2000. Finding aid updated in 2013 by Toni Vanden Bos.

Title
Guide to the 1913 Dayton Flood Survivors Oral Histories (MS-296)
Status
Completed
Author
Finding aid prepared by Christa Streib, 2000
Date
2015
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Revision Statements

  • 2013 September: Finding aid revised to reflect additional information about the collection.

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Wright State University Libraries
Special Collections and Archives
3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy
Dayton OH 45435-0001 USA
937-775-2092