08/15/2026
🌊 Putting the 2026 Flood Into Perspective
As we watch the flooding happening in Muncie, I went down a little Indiana-history rabbit hole.
In March 1913, Peru, Indiana experienced one of the worst floods in state history. The Wabash River reached 28.1 feet, roughly two-thirds of the city was damaged or destroyed, and 11 people lost their lives. Including many circus animals, as they were wintered in Peru. That’s a whole other topic I’d love to talk about one day.
Muncie was hit hard by that same 1913 storm. Hundreds of homes flooded, bridges were damaged, and the White River reached levels that became the benchmark for flooding here for more than a century.
Afterward, the White River channel through Muncie was widened and flood-control improvements were made, thanks to The Army Corps of Engineers. Those changes mean today’s river can carry significantly more water than it could in 1913.
Now, 113 years later, Muncie has received around 8 inches of rain, neighborhoods have been evacuated, and the White River has reached major flood stage. Downstream in Anderson, the White River has even surpassed its 1913 record.
The 1913 Peru flood was far more devastating in terms of lives lost and destruction, but the amount of water moving through our area in 2026 puts this week’s flooding into incredible historical perspective.
We are watching an event that will likely be talked about in Indiana for generations.
I am so happy that we live in the community we live in. People are showing up to help people in need. This is what makes Muncie the Magic City it was named after.
