Jenna Sterner

On July 30, 2016, a flash flood warning became an all-too-real disaster as it swept through the town of historic Ellicott City, Maryland. The damage was spread for miles and two lives were lost as a result. A year later, the community came together to celebrate how far they had come — businesses were back up and running, tourists were returning and things were looking up. Then in 2018, another flood hit the town and destroyed it once more. These images follow the series of events over the years in chronological order. Here, cars that have been pushed into the river by the floodwaters of 2016 are marked with "X's" once they have been checked and cleared of bodies.

A biker stops to take a picture as a tow truck carries the mangled cars to Centennial High School to be identified by their owners. 

Caution tape surrounds an area along the riverbank to keep people away from the dangerous debris lying around, including this broken set of lockers. 

Construction workers reconfigure the pipes and infrastructure that were severely damaged in the flood.

A makeshift crosswalk is painted with the hashtag "ECStrong," a phrase that ended up everywhere from social media, to t-shirts, to posters, and more.

Carolers lift spirits and bring holiday joy inside the Wine Bin shop during Midnight Madness. Many weren’t sure the event would go on after the flood wiped out nearly every business along Main Street, but it happened right on schedule in early December.

Around a year after the 2016 flood, a ceremony is held to celebrate the progress that had been made in rebuilding the town. Howard County Fire and Rescue personnel held flags during the National Anthem.

Community members applaud at the ceremony. Elected officials, local business owners, and victims of the flood were among those who spoke at the podium.

The “Bubble Man,” an iconic Ellicott City figure, entertains children and adults alike during the one-year-later celebration.

Bagpipers played during the unveiling of the new clock. The clock had stood tall at the bottom of Main Street for years, but was washed away in the flood. A local chapter of the Kiwanis Club donated a new one.

Women embrace at the sight of the new clock. For many, this symbolizes the fresh start, the power of the community working together, and the incredible amount of recovery that has already happened. 

Not even a full 12 months later, the second flood hit in May of 2018. This one almost seemed worse than the first, claiming another life and leaving damage all across town, beyond Main Street Ellicott City.

The day after the 2018 flood swept through, local residents walked the streets to survey the damage.

The reflection in the shop window shows a volunteer filling a cooler with bottles of water.

The flooding washed away a large section of Ellicott Mills Drive, which had served as a main route into town.

A man works on restoring the interior of The Phoenix Emporium restaurant and bar. The Phoenix is situated at the lowest point of Main Street and therefore suffered extreme damage from the flooding.

Even with the majority of businesses closed, this family took a walk down Main Street to survey the damage.

Two men walk uphill past the wreckage on Main Street. The Caplans building (right) sits atop the river, so when the water began to rise at a rapid pace, it made its way into the building and left an incredible amount of damage. Now, local officials are considering tearing these buildings down to allow the river more room to flow and avoid this happening a third time.