During the 1936 flood, the Kennebec River swept over its banks, turning Water Street in Hallowell into a veritable "water" street. The street ran through the center of the picture, just behind the buildings in the foreground. Several feet of water rendered the area impassable, except by boat. The Press Herald reported that fifty families had to flee their homes, and the Red Cross provided relief.

The diversity of subject matter within the approximately 920 aerial images within the collection highlights the Gannett Publishing Company saw comprehensive aerial photography as more of an extension of their photojournalistic endeavors rather than a fanciful addition.