This story was originally published July 11, 2003.
What a difference 90 years can make.
During the Flood of 1913, several feet of muddy water swallowed the basement of the Vezey family's Thompson Avenue home. Family greenhouses, located about 100 feet behind the house, were nearly submerged by the St. Marys River.
In 2003, the home's current owner, Robert Thurber, can look back at photographs of the damage and breathe a sigh of relief - this time.
The two-story house atop a grassy hill has stayed high and dry during this week's
flood. And even though the river reached a record high Wednesday of 26.9 feet – 2 feet higher than in 1913 – flood waters are still about 70 feet from his house.
Thurber has about a dozen faded photographs of what his property looked like during the
Flood of 1913, when the Vezey Greenhouses and Flower Shop fell victim to the river.
"The (flood control) work they've done around this city has made an impact. If this was 1913, my house would look just like this picture," Thurber said.
"Of course, I'm not worried about flooding this time," Thurber said. "The river would have to raise another 4 or 5 feet before it would affect me. But I can tell you, I'm glad it won't."
