Churches, schoolhouses, stores, banks, homes, courthouses, and barns in river and coastal communities often bear watermarks on the walls where owners pencil in the dates and levels of significant floods – the 1937 Flood, the 1973 Flood, the Johnstown Flood. Yet many of these buildings have stood the test of time and survived devastating floods. While floodwaters can cause significant damage to historic buildings, they do not spell the end. With proper cleaning and drying out procedures, the only reminder of floodwaters in historic structures should be a watermark and date on the wall.