Photographs from Allen "Chuck" Budden
The following section contains photographs collected by Allen "Chuck" Budden (1902-1994). The photographs were mostly taken by his brother-in-law, H.S. "Swan" Williams, who served in the U.S. Coast Guard during the rescue operations during and after the flood. Williams gave Budden the photographs.
Budden was 24 years old during the flood and living in Palmetto. He went out with others to rescue people from their rooftops in the Palmetto, Melville and Bayou Current area. He also described how they collected the carcasses of dead animals that were contaminating the water -- doctors feared the spread of typhoid. In 1934 he opened Budden’s General Merchandise Store in Palmetto which is still in operation today. He lived his entire life in Palmetto and served several terms as mayor.
These photographs can be found in Collection 399 at the University Archives and Acadiana Manuscripts Collection.
