Knickerbocker Snowstorm (Images of America)

On the evening of January 28, 1922, the Knickerbocker Theater, the city's largest and most modern moving picture theater of the time, hosted several hundred people who had fought their way through the greatest snowstorm in Washington's history to see a show. Unbeknownst to the theater patrons, the Knickerbocker Theater's flat roof was tremendously burdened by the weight of the snow. During the show's intermission, the snow-covered roof crashed down upon the crowd, collapsing the theater's balcony and pulling down portions of the surrounding brick walls, killing 98 people and injuring 133. Some of Washington's prominent politicians and business owners were among the casualties. The disaster ranks as one of Washington's worst in history, and the snowstorm continues to hold the record for Washington's single greatest snowfall.

The evening of January 28, 1922, saw several hundred people braving the greatest snowstorm in Washington's history to attend a show at the Knickerbocker Theater, the city's largest and most modern moving picture theater of the time. Unaware of the danger, the theater patrons were unaware that the Knickerbocker Theater's flat roof was heavily burdened by the weight of the snow. During the show's intermission, the snow-covered roof collapsed, crashing down upon the crowd. The collapse of the roof caused the theater's balcony to collapse and portions of the surrounding brick walls to fall, resulting in the deaths of 98 people and the injury of 133 others. Among the casualties were some of Washington's prominent politicians and business owners. This disaster stands as one of the worst in Washington's history, and the snowstorm that preceded it still holds the record for the city's single greatest snowfall.

The Knickerbocker Theater, the city's largest and most modern moving picture theater of the time, was the scene of a tragic event on the evening of January 28, 1922. Several hundred people had fought their way through the greatest snowstorm in Washington's history to attend a show at the theater. Unbeknownst to the theater patrons, the Knickerbocker Theater's flat roof was heavily burdened by the weight of the snow. During the show's intermission, the snow-covered roof crashed down upon the crowd, collapsing the theater's balcony and pulling down portions of the surrounding brick walls. The disaster resulted in the deaths of 98 people and the injury of 133 others, including some of Washington's prominent politicians and business owners. This event ranks as one of Washington's worst in history, and the snowstorm that preceded it continues to hold the record for the city's single greatest snowfall.

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