In the spring of 1913, perhaps the worst spring in the history of Washington, Indiana, record-breaking floodwaters cause personal tragedy for many families. Fear grips many railroad families when a trestle is swept away, endangering the lives of eighty workmen who have been frantically stacking sandbags along the railroad embankment.

The floodwaters cause many railroad passengers to be stranded in Washington. The city is isolated, out of drinking water, crowded with evacuees from the surrounding low-lying farms, and rapidly running out of food. Joseph Saylor, one of the stranded passengers, is an eighteen-year-old soldier on leave. Joseph spends most of his time exploring Washington.

During the months prior to the disaster, Thomas Wingate and Amelia MacAtee meet, fall in love, and plan to marry. Thomas' good fortune and the events surrounding the Blue Hole tragedy threaten to destroy their relationship.