The year 1936 brought the Great Flood to the city of Pittsburgh. On St. Patrick's Day in 1936 the city suffered one of its most devastating floods. On MOnday, March 16, the waters rose to 21.7 feet. Two days later they had risen to 46 feet. The Triangle was inundated. Power and telephone lines were blown down, fires raged, and there was a severe shortage of unpolluted water. Fear of epedemics and looting caused the downtown section to be placed under martial law. The National Guard and the state police fought to keep order. When it was all over and the waters had receded, many citizens had perished, some 3000 had been injured, and more than 100,000 had lost homes.

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