New Orleans 1849

In 1849 New Orleans suffered from a flood. To date this flood was the worse the city of New Orleans suffered second only to what hit New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.

The Sauve's Crevasse levee failed. Pierre Sauve's plantation was 17 miles up river from the city. On the afternoon of May 3rd, the levee gave way. It took weeks before the levee could be repaired but not for a lack of trying. Two engineers, George T. Dunbar & Surgi worked tirelessly for 17 days until they finally were able to staunch the flood on June 20th. It was another month before the rains disappeared and life in New Orleans could resume.