Evacuations and Lost Cabins: A Century of Floods at Camp Mystic
At first, it was a 'lovely, gentle rain,' one person said at the time. But the rain intensified, and the river quickly swirled past its banks, sending churning floodwaters through the idyllic girls camp. Archived news clips from that week describe campers rushing to safety, some shedding tears as they watched some of the camp's cabins — and their possessions — swept away.
They survived, but were left stranded without food, forced to eat fish that had been tossed up by the floodwaters. Someone flew a plane over the site the next day and dropped notes to the group to tell them that help was on the way.
The event in 1932 was one of many dire reminders over nearly a century that Camp Mystic had been built in a location that could experience devastating floods. Since its construction in 1926, the camp — which promised cabins 'snugly arranged' in a 'picturesque bend' in the river — repeatedly experienced flood disruptions, including evacuations or damage to structures.
Some two dozen campers died last week when the Guadalupe River roared in once again.
Here is a closer look at the history of floods at Camp Mystic:
July 1, 1932
Nobody died at Camp Mystic during the 1932 flood, but four people were reported killed along the river during that flood event. Some 200 people lost their homes.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
9 Day Forecast: Heavy rain threats throughout week in El Paso area
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A Weather Authority Alert has been triggered for a number of threats that are present this week including heavy rainfall, localized flooding, strong gusty winds, and blowing dust. Saturday night, heavy rainfall and chances for severe storms are on the radar between 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Winds will blow 10-15 mph from the east with gusts near 20 mph. Blowing dust in some areas will be likely. Threats will clear out just before midnight as the storm system exits the region. Sunday, heavy rain threats remain. Chances for showers and thunderstorms are likely after 3 p.m. The high will be near 95 with winds blowing 5-10 mph with gusts near 20 mph. Similar conditions are in store for Monday with a cooler high in the low 90s. Storm chances present themselves just after noon and will last through midnight. Temperatures remain around average for Tuesday and Wednesday in the upper 90s, with light winds and chances for showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon to evening. Thursday and Friday, threats for heavy rain chances increase with the potential for thunderstorms in the evening. Highs will be near 95 with lows around 75. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
3 hours ago
Flash flood threat in the Southern Plains as Texas still recovers
Severe thunderstorms continue to threaten parts of the Midwest Saturday afternoon, with western Kentucky up to Michigan in the threat zone. The primary hazard from any severe thunderstorms that move through is strong, potentially damaging wind gusts. This comes after severe weather slammed parts of the Plains and Midwest over the past 24 hours. Eastern Iowa was hit particularly hard by damaging winds and flash flooding. Further south, this same system triggered a new threat of heavy rain and possible flash flooding in the southern Plains this weekend, including much of Oklahoma and Texas. Rounds of scattered showers and thunderstorms, with locally heavy downpours, will be sweeping across these areas through tonight and again on Sunday, including the Hill Country. Earlier Saturday, flash flooding hit parts of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and torrential rain hit Abilene, Texas, with a Flash Flood Warning issued for the city. While spotty showers and thunderstorms are possible through the afternoon and evening hours in central Texas, the activity will be more widespread tomorrow across the region, with a greater potential for locally heavy rainfall. The Flood Watch in effect for parts of the southern Plains, including much of Oklahoma and Texas, was expanded southeast this morning to encompass areas that were hit hard by catastrophic and deadly flash flooding last weekend, including Kerr, Travis and Burnet Counties. While these areas are being watched for the potential for heavy rain through Sunday night, the heaviest rain through at least Saturday evening will be to the north and west across the Concho Valley. This includes the San Angelo area, later Saturday night through the early morning hours Sunday. These areas could see two to four inches of rain from these storms through Sunday afternoon, with localized amounts of six to eight inches possible where the heaviest rain develops. Additional rounds of scattered showers and thunderstorms will be sweeping across parts of Texas on Sunday, including Hill County, especially during the afternoon and evening hours. Rainfall totals of one to three inches are possible in this region through late Sunday night, with isolated amounts up to six inches possible where the heaviest rain develops. While this rainfall is not expected to be as extreme as last weekend, the threshold for flash flooding to develop is lower due to the ground being very saturated from recent heavy rain in the region. Dangerous heat strikes West Dangerous heat is impacting parts of the West this weekend, with heat alerts in effect across several states. Over the next few days, afternoon temperatures will soar into the 90s as far north as parts of Oregon and Washington, nearing the triple digits in some spots. A Heat Advisory is in effect for cities like Fresno and Redding, California, on Saturday afternoon, and Portland will be under a Heat Advisory on Sunday. Hot weather will persist across much of the desert Southwest into the central Valley of California. However, triple-digit temperatures are typical for mid-July in these areas. After a brief break early next week for places like Portland, the heat will ramp back up by midweek with highs back in the mid-90s on Wednesday. An Extreme Heat Watch has been posted for the Portland area beginning late Tuesday and continuing into Wednesday. The North Rim of the park remains closed due to the White Sage Fire burning to the north and nearing Jacob Lake. The White Sage Fire has now grown to 19,153 acres and is 0% contained as of the Saturday morning update. While this is a very rural area, the fire has triggered some road closures and evacuations, mainly to ensure that fire resources have uninhibited access to manage the fire. A second fire continues to burn in the area. The Dragon Bravo Fire began on July 4 as a result of a lightning strike within Grand Canyon National Park. Initially, this fire was not being actively suppressed, being used as part of a wildfire land management plan. However, officials have now switched to a full suppression approach. The fire is currently at 5,000 acres and 0% contained. Canadian wildfire smoke affects air quality in parts of Midwest Another batch of smoke from wildfires burning in Canada is pushing south into parts of the Upper Midwest, impacting air quality in some areas this weekend. Air Quality Alerts have been posted across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan where poor air quality is a concern through at least Sunday night. The dense smoke is focused over much of Minnesota and northern Wisconsin, where air quality at times could reach 'unhealthy' levels for all individuals over the next 24 hours, including cities like Minneapolis and Green Bay. North of these cities, the air quality could dip to 'very unhealthy' levels for all individuals, including cities like Duluth. On Sunday, the denser smoke shifts to the east, focusing over eastern Wisconsin and parts of Michigan. Minnesota and western Wisconsin will see improving conditions throughout the day tomorrow. However, after a brief break, another batch of smoke could arrive late Sunday night into Monday morning.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Free curbside pickup for flood debris starts Monday on these Travis County roads
Flood debris pickup will begin on Monday in Travis County, as cleanup efforts continue in flood-ravaged areas. The initiative will focus on county-maintained roads in neighborhoods severely impacted by the recent flooding over the July 4 weekend, according to a news release issued by the Travis County Transportation and Natural Resources Department. Residents along the designated roads are being urged to place sorted debris at the curb over the weekend in preparation for pickup. The curbside collection is being offered free of charge. Austin benefits, ways to donate: How to help victims of Central Texas floods The following roads are slated for pickup, although the list may change as recovery operations continue: Long Hollow Loop Summit View Drive Layne Loop Long Hollow Trail Sheel Hollow Trail Juniper Trail Yaupon Trail Juniper Court Windy Valley Drive Round Mountain Road Big Sandy Drive Sandy Meadow Circle Pecan Hollow Sunset Hollow A portion of Nameless Road Residents must separate materials into the following categories: Appliances: Refrigerators, washers, dryers, air conditioners, stoves, and similar items Construction and demolition materials: Drywall, lumber, carpet, furniture, plumbing items Brush and vegetation: Tree trunks and limbs (limited to under 10 feet in length) Hazardous waste: Oil, batteries, paint, and cleaning products Electronics: Televisions, computers, phones, and gaming systems Household trash will not be accepted as part of the curbside service. Materials that are not sorted will be left uncollected. Debris should be placed along the road at the edge of residents' properties without blocking access or roadways. In areas with sidewalks, debris should be positioned between the sidewalk and the curb with a 3-foot clearance around it. For efficient and safe removal, residents should avoid stacking debris near trees, utility poles, mailboxes, fire hydrants, or meters. Obstructed or improperly placed debris may be bypassed by crews. More: Photos, videos capture devastation caused by 'catastrophic' floods in Texas Household trash can be taken to a dumpster on the north side of the Sandy Creek Bridge, accessible on foot. For those able to transport their waste, the FM1431 Citizen Collection Center is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Construction of a two-way low-water crossing is underway near the damaged Sandy Creek Bridge. A resource center will be open this weekend from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Danielson Middle School. Transportation is being provided by CapMetro and Leander ISD from Round Mountain Baptist Church, Leander Park & Ride, and HEB. Officials strongly advise residents not to enter waterways to remove debris, citing ongoing safety hazards such as sewage contamination, sharp debris, chemicals, or downed power lines. Active search and rescue operations are ongoing, and crews require a 100-yard clearance zone on both sides of the creeks. Questions regarding debris pickup can be directed to TCflooddebris@ and find more info at This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Free curbside flood debris pickup starts Monday in Travis County
