NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — The Nashville Public Library is helping to mark the fifth anniversary of the historic May 2010 floods.
Nearly two dozen people died in the floods and rising waters caused billions in damages.
Old Hickory resident Harding Brewster used an old boat stored in his back yard to ferry his neighbors to safety as water surged into his neighborhood. His home was badly damaged, but he recalled that a second tragedy was the flood of unscrupulous contactors who converged on the area.
“They had all these pretty colored trucks and they would try to get you to sign and they were real silk-tongued you know and they want you to sign this and do that and we’ll get your house ready."
The Nashville Library spent 18 months collecting flood artifacts and oral histories. The library put its Flood 2010 Collection on display beginning this morning.
Harding Brewster decided to stay in his neighborhood, but had his home raised two feet to get it above flood stage.