The Flood of 1951 was the worst natural disaster in Kansas City’s history. Seventy-five years later, this exhibition looks back at its impact on the region, commemorating those who lost loved ones and property, the first responders, social service providers, citizen volunteers who helped in rescue and relief efforts, and the “Kansas City Spirit” that inspired a community to rally, recover, and rebuild.

Through dozens of historic photos, Hell and High Water: The 1951 Kansas City Flood tells the story that begins in May 1951 with weeks of heavy rainfall and leads to “Black Friday,” the breaching of the levees on July 13, 1951.

Argentine in Kansas City, Kansas, was the first community to be engulfed, followed by Armourdale, the Central Industrial District (West Bottoms), and neighborhoods along Southwest Boulevard. The next day, the water broke through the levee protecting the Fairfax Industrial District along the southern banks of the Missouri River.

At the time, the devastation was unfathomable. Thousands of people evacuated their homes to seek refuge, and massive numbers of livestock and other animals perished. The water destroyed or damaged roughly 20,000 residences and 3,000 businesses in the Kaw River Basin, totaling more than $800 million in losses — nearly $10 billion in today’s dollars.