Abbie Schaefer, Interviewer

April 29, 2019

Glen Carbon, Illinois

Abbie Schaefer: Can you tell me your full name and where you grew up?

Susie Schaefer: Susie Schmitt Schaefer. And I grew up in Red Bud, Illinois.

AS: Okay. Um, where were you during the flood of 1993?

SS: I was living in Red Bud, Illinois, and I had friends that lived in the Chesterfield–excuse me, Chester, Illinois and Prairie du Rocher area, so I was over in those areas a lot.

AS: Okay. And then what happened? Like, do you remember, was it raining a lot? Or–

SS: What was my experience during the flood?

AS: Yeah. [laughs]

SS: Actually, I was very interested in it, so, and nervous about it, frankly, so I did a lot of driving around in our area, um, and would go up to the Mississippi River areas to see how it was progressing. Because it was of great concern to everyone, um, that had farmland, um, and areas that just had, uh, high levels of water in them, so. We were keeping ourselves educated and aware to maintain safety, and, frankly, just were very interested in it. Um, there were a number of occasions that I was, frankly, just terrified by how high the water had gotten in the areas. Uh, I went to high school with a lot of people that lived in the Valmeyer area, and, um, you know, we all know what happened there with the entire town being washed away. I had three different high school friends that lived there during that time, and so that was quite terrifying, um, how they evacuated them and they lost everything. Um, the Chester area, we went down–because I had a very good friend of mine who, uh, lived there, and their home was in an area that often had flooding, and so we had to go down and get all of their clothes and items out of the house as quickly as possible. Everyone had been cleared from the town already, in Prairie du Rocher and in the Chester area that we were in because they were concerned about the flooding. So we had to go through–the military had stations there, and they had blocked it off and they checked her drivers’ license and information and gave us fifteen minutes to get in to get all of her clothes and items. And I had borrowed a truck from my dad and driven down there so that we could put everything in it. We were allowed to go in and just throw everything we possibly could into the back of this truck. Um, photos, and important memorabilia that she had, clothes, you know, just anything that we could get our hands on quickly. Um, as we were leaving, we went over, um, to the area that they had quite a few military personnel standing there. And it was the levee was right there, and we were allowed to step out and go to the top of the levee, um. I say, “allowed to…” [laughs] Um, but, really they were kind of turning their heads the other way, it was–we–were very quick. And we went up to the top and I was absolutely stunned because the water was so high and there was so much of it for so far, it was lapping waves, and it was clearly coming over the edge any time. It was absolutely terrifying to see, and frankly surreal, because I grew up in that area, so I was over there all the time. And this was just farmland that I saw all the time, and there were barns and trucks and farm machinery in the area usually, and instead, I’m looking at this enormous lake, if you will. It was just terrifying. And, uh, we ran back down the hill, jumped in the truck, tore out of there, and did not speak a word the entire way home. We were just terrified. And whenever I got home, my dad told me that I looked like I had seen a ghost. And I really did feel that way. It was surreal to see something like that so completely changed so quickly. So we were able to get out of there. The sandbagging saved their home, so they did not lose it, but a good friend of theirs–um, it was pretty popular on TV, you could see that this home had been flood–uh, this farm had been flooded, and there was a home that was going down the Mississippi River and it was on all the news, um, stories, and on CNN and whatnot. And that home that was racing down the river was friends of my parents, and they were on vacation at the time in Florida, and that’s how they discovered that their home had been flooded, was to see their TV on see–on see on TV and CNN their home going down the river, so they had lost everything. It was absolutely devastating. So, um, and then the really strange thing was when I went back after the flood. And all of these things had been just completely wiped clean, but you would see a car sitting in the same place that it had been originally, but the barn and the house were gone. And you would see random things like that everywhere, it was the strangest thing. I saw a plow, but the tractor was gone. And the plow was still sitting in the same–and it wasn’t hooked to anything, it was just bizarre. And all the trees were gone that had been there randomly and whatnot. It was just the craziest thing I’ve ever seen, and really scary to see all of that stuff happen, so. It was definitely a life experience. [laughs]

AS: Did you know farmers, like, that had their–

SS: For sure.

AS: –land wiped out?

SS: Absolutely. Yeah, their crops were not just gone then, but they were gone, you know, for years to come, because it had just trashed the soil. So that was a major problem. Our land was high enough that we did not have to be concerned about that. So we didn’t have any issues with all the property that we had, uh, tree farms, out in Red Bud, and so none of that affected us. I do know that during the time that the flooding had become so bad, there was a lot of conversation about what to do as the flood waters rose in the city of St. Louis, because they were going to have to either break through and let it flood the Illinois farms, or they were going to flood downtown St. Louis. And, clearly, the–you know, the financial impact from flooding the city versus the farmland is a completely different situation. But when you’re talking about the fact that there’s a state line, that becomes way more complicated. So, Illinois very much did not want to flood the farmland and their state. It was protected. They had put all this money and time and energy into the levees, and they did not feel like it was right that they would then break through and flood this area when we had protected ourselves. But on the other hand, they understood that you know, they didn’t want to affect, you know, thousands and thousands of people that live in the St. Louis area. The businesses are one thing, the people are another. But there was a lot of argument–well, a lot of conversations, a lot of negativity, and a lot of arguments that were happening at the time over that and what to do. Because farmers, that’s their money, their income, and, you know, for years to come. Like I said, we’re not just talking about one crop. We’re talking about years of that, generations, that are, you know, counting on this type of thing. It was, um, a lot of strain and stress going on. There were a lot of people involved in those conversations, and my dad being a businessperson, was involved in some of those conversations. And whenever they did decide to flood Illinois, there was a lot of angry people that just felt like that was completely unfair to do. That they had done the work, and invested the time and energy, into–put–you know, the levees, and that Missouri shouldn’t have had the right to do that. And when the money was collected for the farmers and the people that lost things on the Illinois side, for example, that money was not readily available right away. And while they may have found a place to live at the time, their income was lost for years. And some of them did not recoup nearly what they thought was going to happen for years after that and to this day. So there was a lot of negativity about that because they lost so much and they struggled for so long because of what happened, yet they were the ones proactive in this situation. So, it–it–you know, it was definitely a learning experience. I do think that in the end, the St. Louis metro area grew, because they developed relationships through that situation and the processes that were in place to then start to work together to build the levees and to be protective of the areas on both sides of the river moving forward. So I think a lot was learned, but during the time, I can tell you, from the Illinois side, a lot of farmers felt like just because they didn’t have as much power or money, that they were the ones easily pushed aside. And so that was a big problem. Hopefully, you know, since then, that’s not the case, but it was definitely the case at the time when all of this was happening.

AS: So, home was Red Bud?

SS: Home was Red Bud.

AS: How old were you?

SS: Oh…what year was this? [laughs]

AS: ’93!

SS: Okay. So I would be…[laughs]

AS: I guess if you don’t want to say…

SS: Yeah. [laughs] We can calculate that. Um…

AS: But you were, like, a young adult.

SS: I was a young adult, yes.

AS: Okay. So you were–were you living at home? Or did you live in St. Louis? And then you–like–“home,” quote, was your parents’ house?

SS: Home was my residence. My main residence. And I was away at school, but I was home at the time of the flooding. I had come home from school because my mom was sick and so I had come home to take care of her.

AS: Okay. Got it.

SS: Yeah, I think, you know, with Prairie du Rocher, that was pretty surreal, too, because that is a historical location, and you know, there was a lot of fear about that, and what to do. And the community came together and were amazing about doing the sandbagging and doing everything they could to protect that community. So that was one thing that definitely came out of it was how many people spent, just, hours and days sandbagging and doing–bringing dirt from their farms, and trucking it in, and doing all the things they could to save these communities was truly amazing. And the other thing was that people were opening their doors to let people stay with them for months, not just, “come stay with me for the weekend.” You know? So often, whenever you see something like this happen, you see the Red Cross come in, and then they provide a hotel. That was unnecessary in our community. People just opened their doors and they were–people were bringing casseroles, and–and food, and suitcases, and clothes. And, you know, they didn’t have to stay in a church. There was a home for every single person that was displaced in my community, for them to stay in as long as they needed to. It was really amazing. And the churches stepped up and they were providing things, so, um, in that respect it was really great, the way that they were supporting each other. And I went to high school in Waterloo, Illinois, and Columbia was at risk for a lot of flooding, too. So whenever I would be over in that direction and had a ton of friends over there, um, you know, there was a lot of concern about that whole area being flooded, too, because there’s so much in terms of farmland and open land there where they could do that as well. And just driving over there and seeing the sheer amount of water everywhere was crazy. There was a lot of flooding in the caves in the areas and such in Columbia, Illinois, so there were flash floods and things like that going on. And the rivers that are in the side areas, which were always alarming, you know. And I–with a lot of friends in the area that were either home from school or going to school locally, it was definitely something we talked about constantly and were concerned about. You would have to check and see the roads before you went. And you have to keep in mind, this is all before cell phones. This is all before GPS. This is all before that. So you literally have a map in your car. A paper map in your car to get wherever, if you don’t just go because you know where you’re going. So it’s not like you had the advantages that you do now. We were having to maneuver through all of these situations based on the radio telling us what’s safe and what’s not and being careful about where you go. And then whenever you’re in trouble, what? Are you going to find a pay phone? No. You figure it out. I mean, that’s just the way it was. So, you know, there–it was just a lot. It was a lot to take in, it was a life experience for sure, and it was definitely scary for me. My parents made sure that any time I was leaving in the area I was driving a four-wheel-drive truck so that I could get in and out of any areas I needed to go in case, so. Things like that. [laughs]

AS: Did you have people in your house?

SS: Oh, we did. We had two families that had been down in Prairie du Rocher that came and stayed with us. They didn’t stay for months at a time, we had plenty of room, though, and they had come to stay with us. Um, we had an older couple that was in Valmeyer at the time that stayed with us for one weekend. They lost everything and ended up moving. They did not go back.

AS: They left?

SS: Yeah, they did. They just–the idea of moving the whole entire town, it was time for them to move on.

AS: Mm-hmm.

SS: It wasn’t Valmeyer to them anymore. It was a new town. And, um, a friend of mine’s mom had a hair salon in Valmeyer, and whenever the flood happened, she just moved–they moved their entire family to Columbia instead of staying in Valmeyer. Um, they feel like their town is gone, you know? Valmeyer is still there, it’s a different town, different community, different feel, but Valmeyer was very old. And, uh, you know, they just didn’t want to stay there. They didn’t feel safe anymore, after that happened, so.

AS: So you know people that just completely packed up and left?

SS: Absolute–well, they didn’t have anything to pack!

AS: Do you know people that stayed?

SS: I have to be honest with you.

AS: Oh.

SS: They really didn’t. They had their suitcases of clothes. I mean, they lost everything, they didn’t–yeah, they didn’t get out in time, and they lost their house, everything, all their pictures, everything. So they left with their clothes, that’s all they really had, you know? So.

AS: Didn’t they warn them?

SS: They did have some warning, but, you know, there’s a lot of people in this world that just stay until the last minute. And then what happens is you lose everything, so. Hindsight’s twenty-twenty. It had never flooded like that before! People weren’t concerned. And if–when you ever go to Valmeyer, you see the hills, they really thought they were safe because the water would stay outside. You know? All those years living there, you never had this situation. I see it all the time in Florida, you know, whenever, you know, the big storms come and the people stay and you think, “What are you doing?!” We hear tornado, we’re in the basement, you know? But in this situation, with the flooding, they just stayed. They really believed that they were going to be okay. And then in the end, they lost everything, and it was really sad.

AS: And your dad was in St. Louis working at the time.

SS: Yeah. We lived in Red Bud, my dad works down–his offices were in–uh, his company was–is…no longer, but at the time it was, uh, downtown St. Louis, yes.

AS: So did you know–

SS: Off of Market street, mm-hmm.

AS: –other people that–like, from St. Louis?

SS: Well, you know, he probably knows a lot more. I heard–I’ve had conversations with him at the time and then since that time, but being someone from the Illinois side who then owned a, you know, very prosperous business in downtown St. Louis, he was a part of a lot of those conversations. And so, um, you know, he was one of those people that understood both sides of it. We have farmland in Red Bud. We have–we live in a community of farmers and people that own land all over. And we have a lot of friends in the Waterloo area and Columbia area, and they all had farmland. So, he saw it from a personal side on both sides. Here he is, thinking, “I don’t want to flood downtown St. Louis because that would affect my business. And I don’t want to flood the farmland because those are people I actually know.” And so he–he definitely felt like there needed to be better communication in terms of the decision making. And I think, had they reacted quicker with the funds, and providing for the people that lost so much, right off the bat, it would have been a lot better understanding and empathy toward the situation. But because it was such a struggle after it happened, they really felt like they had gotten screwed over. And so there was a lot of anger and frustration to fight what–for what you believed should have been yours from day one. They just didn’t feel like they should have had to struggle like that for so long. And they felt like they were treated, just, as extra, rather than a priority, which shouldn’t have been the case, because they took the hit for so many people. So, I think that was the biggest part of the problem. And hopefully we’ve grown through that. Like, the communications nowadays are so different, so I just don’t know that that would be the same situation.

AS: Which company was it?

SS: For…my dad?

AS: For–yeah.

SS: Uh, Progressive Service Die Company was the name of my dad’s business that was downtown off of, like, Market and Jefferson area, is where he was. And, um, so he was a metal die maker. Um, but his–he had quite a few clients, like International Shoe Company is downtown, Brown Shoe Company is downtown, so all of those larger business, um, those are all of his clients. You know, Purina,he did work for them. A lot of the, uh, dies for the American, um, shoe industry, and the automative manufacturers, my dad did dies for all those companies. And there’s a ton of them down there. So it would have affected his business quite a bit. [laughs] Had that been flooded. So he was definitely seeing it from both spy–both sides. So, it was pretty interesting.

AS: Yeah. Okay. Is there anything else you can think of? Funny stories, or?

SS: No, not a lot of funny. [laughs]

AS: Yeah.

SS: I did–like I said, I saw a lot of positivity come out of it, I don’t want to sound like it was all negative.

AS: Right.

SS: And I was incredibly impressed with the military that came, because they had to come into this area quickly, and the way they set up so quickly and maintained safety measures and whatnot? The community was feeding them, and bringing them coffee, and water, and really took the time to make them feel at home, because they were so appreciative of what they did. So that was a huge part of the situation, too, that I hadn’t mentioned before. And I will say that that was incredible. Um, that was really wonderful, the way that they organized so quickly and took care of people, I thought that was great.

AS: Do you think this experience shapes how you think about the river now?

SS: Definitely. There have been floods since then–since then, but never anything like what I saw then. Um, it changes the way that I drive places and the way that I’m proactive in the way that I drive. Understanding that the overflow of rivers and creeks in the area are going to overflow just because the river’s up. And that’s not something I always thought about beforehand, especially growing up in the country. You know, I was just on a rock road, so I didn’t really think about it, but I had to be proactive and make sure that I was safe before I could even leave the house all the time. And so, that definitely has played a part in the way that I developed my driving techniques and what I taught my kids to do whenever they drive. And having a fuller understanding what’s going on or–in your environment around you was super important.

AS: Okay. Well, thank you–

SS: You’re welcome.

AS: –for your stories.

[recording stopped and restarted about 1 minute later]

AS: Okay, another story came to mind.

SS: [laughs]

AS: Uh, tell me about the camper?

SS: So, the same day that we were watching the house and the barn float down the river on the news, um, another family friend of ours called us and asked us to turn on the news and said, you know, “can you turn on channel five?” And we–so we did, and–and he said, “Is that my camper?” And we’re looking at it, and we’re like, “I don’t know…” and he’s describing the camper on the phone.

AS: You mean, like, an RV or something?

SS: Correct. A pull-behind camper.

AS: Okay, yeah.

SS: ‘Cause my family camped. We had a–a nice sized camper and we went for a week or two every year to a–a park called Sam Baker State Park in Missouri. And so, um, we went with this family. And he–they were gone on vacation, and then he called, and he said, “I think that’s my camper. And I don’t know–I can’t get a hold of anybody down there, I think my house has been flooded.” And we’re watching the news and lo and behold, it floats [laughs] down the river! And he gave us a couple of identifying marks on the camper, because he had–it had a dent in one spot, and the colors and everything, and–and he said, “Oh my gosh, that’s my camper!” And they finally got through after that, he called us back, and they had finally gotten through to the area, and his house was completely gone and lost and the only reason he knew it when he was on vacation was because he saw his camper floating down the river on the news.

AS: The camper was parked at Sam Baker?

SS: No, that’s where we went camping with them all the time.

AS: Oh, okay.

SS: But–and that’s how he knew my family.

AS: Right.

SS: And he contacted us because he–

AS: Where was he from?

SS: We were out of that area, and so…he was down in the Prairie du Rocher, Chester…

AS: Fults.

SS: Yeah. Yeah. I think he lived in Millstadt, Illinois.

AS: Oh.

SS: But he kept his camper stored down there.

AS: Okay.

SS: Yeah. So. [laughs] It was pretty surreal.

AS: Yeah.

SS: To–because we’re sitting here, I can remember sticking our noses up close to the TV, trying to figure out what color the camper is, and if that could be it, and–they were just trying to figure out if their home was gone, and the only way that they knew…You know, because the phone lines were down. Again, you don’t have cell phones, there’s no texting, you’re calling, and all the phone lines are down because it’s flooded, and he can’t find out if his house is gone. [laughs] Well. His house was gone and so was the camper.

AS: That’s really unfortunate.