Then and now: We recreated iconic photos from Middle Georgia flood of 1994
Twenty-five years is a long time.
People come and go. Businesses may open and close.
And things can change physically, especially in areas where Tropical Storm Alberto ravaged Middle Georgia in July 1994.
Alberto stalled over the area and caused immense flooding throughout Georgia.
Roads closed. Bridges collapsed. Homes washed away.
Some of the businesses that were damaged by the flood waters never reopened.
The Telegraph tried to recreate some of the images from the 1994 flood to compare them to what the areas look like today. This endeavor proved difficult because the flood, in itself, changed the way some places look in Middle Georgia, including businesses and roads.
Some of the photos line up better than others, but they all show how much or how little these areas have changed since the flood of 1994.
Luther Williams Field
In 1994, Luther Williams Field was home to the Macon Braves when the field was covered with water in the flood. Today, the parking lot is a tad drier, and the Macon Bacon play baseball there.
The 1994 photo shows race track on the far right that is not there now. The 2019 photo also shows a glimpse of the skate park in Central City Park that did not exist in 1994.
Pierce Avenue and Riverside Drive
Two men were photographed riding in a boat down Riverside Drive when the intersection at Pierce Avenue was completely flooded in 1994.
Today, most of the restaurants and buildings there during the flood have closed. Many street signs have also been moved.
Interstate 75
The Ocmulgee River flooded both lanes on Interstate 75 in 1994, stranding motorists. In 1994, the photographer did not have to worry about oncoming traffic.
Washburn Moving and Storage Building
Sandbags are piled around the Washburn Moving and Storage Building at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in the 1994 photo, but the building no longer exists today.
The building has since been replaced by Gateway Park that features a statue of Otis Redding.
Interstate 16 and Spring Street
Interstate 16 and Spring Street were submerged in water during the flood, photographed from above in 1994.
Some 25 years ago, the photographer worked from a plane. The new photo was taken with a drone.
In order to follow federal regulations of flying a drone, The Telegraph was not able to fly above 400 feet. The Telegraph is also not allowed to fly over vehicles which prevented the drone pilot from flying over the interstate.
Rose Hill Cemetery
Since 1994, two trees have grown in front of where the photographer was standing in 1994.
The interstate is still visible in the new photo at the very bottom of the frame.
Olympia Drive
On July 5, 1994, people pushed a truck on Olympia Drive in Warner Robins. The vehicle flooded in the heavy rains. The sign in the background of this photo is gone, but it was replaced by a fairly similar sign.