One hundred years ago, Western North Carolina was hit by the worst flood in its history, the Great Flood of 1916. As a result of the tail end of two hurricanes within days of each other, hundreds of mudslides caused catastrophic damage and loss of life, the Swannanoa River was a mile wide and the French Broad River was 17 feet above flood stage. But the Great Flood is more than a history lesson. Its also a cautionary tale of where we build our homes, how we live our lives and what we do to protect ourselves and the environment the next time nature raises its ugly head again in a flood prone area like Western North Carolina.