The mountain snows melted and the rains came. In 1853, thousands fled the rising water; in 1889, two days of torrential rain ravaged the city; and in 1936, the infamous St. Patrick's Day flood saw a swell of ten feet. Perched on the banks of the Potomac River, the city of Cumberland, Maryland, has been plagued by devastating floods since its foundation. Time and again, deluges have brought the city to its knees. Yet the Queen City has always risen triumphant and undimmed from the raging waters. With this stunning collection of images, historian and author Albert L. Feldstein chronicles the history of Cumberland through its floods and the valiant efforts of its citizens to stem the tide.

Albert Feldstein has written on the history of western Maryland for over twenty years. He has published numerous books on the three westernmost counties of Maryland, produced a number of videos on local history, and given hundreds of presentations throughout Maryland and the surrounding states. Over the course of his career, he has been on the board of directors of Preservation Maryland and the Allegany County Tourism Advisory Council. He is a former officer of the Allegany County Historical Society. He has received a Governor's Citation for Civic Leadership in the Preservation and Promotion of Western Maryland History and Culture, the Allegany County Tourism Award and, in 2008, the Maryland African-American Heritage Preservation Award from the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture.