(Helen)- On this date (8/23 ) in 1967 the Chattahoochee River in downtown Helen overflowed its banks. National Weather Service Observer at that time, C. L. Vandiver recorded 8.5 inches of rainfall in 24 hours as of 6 PM. That is an all-time record for Helen which has not been exceeded since.
USGS river level reached 12.0 ft. above datum at the Main Street Bridge in downtown Helen (by present-day Paul’s Steak House). J.M. Davidson, Editor of the Cleveland Courier newspaper reported, “Flood waters that have continuously descended upon this area since Monday and have caused thousands of dollars damage to corn and other crops, chickens, homes, highways, bridges, and county roads.”
State Route 75 was closed from Dukes Creek to Highway 255, due to the bridge being undermined at the lower end of the Hardman pasture.
Cleveland weather observer Ted Hall reported 11.65 inches of rain fell from Monday through Thursday at 8 AM.
Data from the National Climate Data Center said, “Extremely heavy rains over the mountain area of northeast Georgia caused extensive damage to roads, bridges, business and private property, bottom farmland, and crops. Scores of bridges were washed out on secondary roads and most major highways were closed for varying periods of time because of washouts or landslides. Numerous homes and businesses along small streams were flooded and some were demolished by the rapidly moving water. Many fields of mature bottom-land crops were destroyed or rendered useless.
Counties suffering the greatest damage were Lumpkin, Union, White, Habersham, Rabun and Towns. Rainfall totals over the six-county area was over 10 inches with the greater part falling in 3 days. Helen, in White County, had a 6-day total of more than 18 inches and a 3-day total of more than 16 inches.
Most of the northern third of the state had over 6 inches during the period.”
- WRWH Weather Reporter Bill Kinsland contributed to this story
