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But Ihe center of lawn also was the siIe of siXIy homes and apartment buildings. built along Kennedy Street and SouIh Mariena Street. IhaI were filled with sleeping people when the flash flood hit. Nobody was killed. but a 5 y, foot wave that struck with Iremendous force damaged all structures in its way. Jerry Gartner was in his house when a wall of water lore ouI the back wall, filled the living room, and swept his couch with Patches, the family caI, aboard outside and down the river. "...it sounded like a freight train rolling through the house... was the way Mr. Gartner described the event. The next day his couch was found one-half mile down the river lodged Ien feet up in a tree. PaIches returned home Ihat evening.7 Excelsior Springs T hroughom every other town in Missouri IhaI suffered from the great deluge. flood waters gradually rose past the abiliIy of protecting levees. In Excelsior Springs however, the damage was caused in one cataclysmic flash llood Ihat roared through thecenIeroftown at 11:15 p.m. on AugusI 12. Less than Ihree hours later the rains stopped and waIer levels began to slowly recede.] Excelsior Springs. a town of 11.000. situaIed north easI of Kansas City. is nO! on the Missouri River where so much of the tlood damage took place. RaIher iIlies on the Fishing River whose two branches, EasI Fork and Dry Fork meet in the center of lawn. At Ihis point lay the lawn's main business area. its municipal buildings. and the Elms Hotel where generations of tourists have stayed while they enjoyed the famous springs that give the town its name.2 When Ihe flooding began in early July throughout Missouri, it seemed Ihat Excelsior Springs might escape serious damage. despiIe Ihe evacuation of both Missouri City and Orrick which are souIh of Excelsior Springs. The flood waters came to within four miles of Excelsior Springs. and Ihe water crews carefully watched the town. s well fields that supplied water to Excelsior Springs. In mid-July crews buill temporary sandbag levees around these well heads.) AssisIant CiIy Administrator Molly McGovern and her husband, Police Chief John McGovern. began 10 hope IhaI perhaps this time. Excelsior Springs might escape tlood damage.4 InsIead. the town got the "worst flood in hisIory... according to then ciIy manager, Craig Hubler.5 Almost all of Ihe ciIy. s services were destroyed. Municipal water was not only conIaminated. but Ihe city waIer Page 30 system lost all pressure. City Hall. called the Hall of Waters. after the springs thaI flow into pools in the basement and give Excelsior Springs its name, was flooded. In addition. the telephone system. police station, and fire sIaIion all llooded, as was the lower level of the Dailv SIandard newspaper. along wiIh RoosevelI Middle School. In addition. the city.s Ihree Omni buses were swept down stream. Hall of Waters in Excelsior Springs. (Photo by Liz Roll of FEMA.) Local businesses also were ruined by the flash flood. John Davis, the owner of United Auto Services. a local repair shop. lost his shop and tools buI was able with the help of friends to drive most of Ihe cars aulaI' the building to safety. An added tragedy for the town was the flooding of Ihe lower floor of the Elms HOIel that ruined the indoor Irack and swimming pool. A week later. hotel staff were using nets 10 capture catfish Ihat were caught in the pool.6 By the nexI day, city officials had met wiIh representatives from FEMA who briefed them on emer- gency housing, food. and medical care.s A week IaIer. other government officials explained the procedure for getIing tlood buyout money and loans from the Small Business AdminisIra- tion, although officials cauIioned that loans were scarce.9 Clearly Ihere was need for a beIter financial solution, especially when a similar tlood rocked the lawn again on September 22. creaIing similar havoc in the same area. ] 0 Of course an answer came to many Excelsior Springs residents when Harold Volkmer's legislation to expand and simplify the buyOUI program was enacted. Before Christ- mas. 1993, Molly McGovern, as Assistant CiIy AdminisIrator, began processing applications for residents interested in Ihe buyout program. With the assurance on May 6, 1994, that aI least some of the funds had been