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1933 Cherry Creek Flood

by Katie Rudolph on July 29, 2015

View of a Cherry Creek flood in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows an expanse of water and landscaping at the Sunken Gardens.

View of a Cherry Creek flood in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows the Broadway Street bridge, people, and a car dealership with a smokestack and signs: "Continental, Buick."

View of a Cherry Creek flood in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows muddy water, landscaping, and people.

View of Cherry Creek and the 8th (Eighth) Avenue bridge in Denver, Colorado. Waves arise from flood water resulting from the breach of the Castlewood Canyon Dam.

Aerial view of Cherry Creek flood damage in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows the washed out Colorado Boulevard bridge, water, and sandbars.

View of a Cherry Creek flood in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows torrents of muddy water. West Denver High School is to the left.

View of Cherry Creek flood damage in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows a railroad bridge, debris, and a man.

View of a Cherry Creek flood at 8th (Eighth) Avenue and Speer Boulevard in Denver, Colorado. A car is in the foreground; spectators watch by the Nurses Home and County Hospital (Denver General Hospital) in the background.

View of Cherry Creek flood damage in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows Wazee Street, mud, automobiles, storefronts, and signs: "Christensen Implement Co," "Oxford Hotel," and "Inland Paper Box Co."

Aerial view of Cherry Creek and the destroyed Castlewood Dam in Douglas County, Colorado after the flood. Shows a farm house and barn.

View of Cherry Creek flood damage in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows 16th (Sixteenth) Street, mud, automobiles, storefronts, people, and signs: "Postal Telegraph," "Barteldes Seed Warehouse," "Great Western Stove Co.," and "Salad-Roni."

View of the Cherry Creek flood in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows torrents of water, automobiles on Speer Boulevard, and a gas station with tile roof and sign: "Standard Oil Company."

View of Cherry Creek flood damage in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows bridges, muddy water, a water tower, and a warehouse with letters: "Weicker Transfer & Storage Co."

View of Cherry Creek, in Denver, Colorado, during the Castlewood Dam flood. Speer Boulevard and a Sinclair gas station edge the water.

View of a Cherry Creek flood in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows torrents of muddy water, landscaping, and parked cars.

Aerial view of Cherry Creek floodwater and damage in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows the Auraria neighborhood (upper center), Colfax Street (upper left), Cherry Creek, and downtown buildings including the Telephone and Telegraph building (foreground).

View of a Cherry Creek flood at 12th (Twelfth) Avenue in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows torrents of muddy water, parked cars, and people.

Aerial view of Cherry Creek floodwater and damage in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River, railroad yards, viaducts, the Denver Tramway powerhouse, the Auraria and Highland neighborhoods, and downtown buildings including City Hall and Union Station.

Aerial view of Cherry Creek flood damage in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows railroad yards, the Denver Gas Works, a roundhouse, and the South Platte River.

View of a Cherry Creek flood in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break. People stand on the 13th (Thirteenth) Avenue bridge and watch torrents of water.

View of a Cherry Creek flood in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows torrents of muddy water in standing waves. People watch from under trees.

Aerial view of Cherry Creek flood damage in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows Cherry Creek, the washed out Harvard Avenue bridge, farms, and the Sullivan School.

View of a Cherry Creek flood in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows torrents of muddy water in standing waves. People look on from the side; boys wear plastic visors.

View of Cherry Creek floodwater in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows Speer Boulevard, automobiles, and Sunken Gardens under water.

View of a Cherry Creek flood in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows torrents of muddy water in standing waves. People look on from the side.

View of the Cherry Creek flood in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows people watching the torrent from a bridge.

View of a Cherry Creek flood between 12th (Twelfth) and 13th (Thirteenth) Avenues in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows torrents of muddy water, standing waves, parked cars, and people.

View of Cherry Creek floodwater in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows the Sunken Gardens under water and West High School.

View of Cherry Creek flood damage in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows debris, people, automobiles, office buildings, and signs: "Hotel Revere," "Sharp Bros," and "Standard Machinery & Supply."

View of Cherry Creek floodwater in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows the Sunken Gardens under water.

View of a Cherry Creek flood in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows muddy water, the Blake Street bridge, people, debris, and warehouses with signs: "Mile High Poultry Farm."

View of Cherry Creek floodwater in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows the Sunken Gardens under water.

View of a Cherry Creek flood in Denver, Colorado after the Castlewood Canyon Dam break; shows muddy water, the Blake Street bridge, people, debris, and commercial buildings with signs: "American Forge Works."

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