Texas has weathered more than its fair share of nature’s fury, enduring a century of hurricanes, floods, explosions and tornadoes that have left deep scars on communities across the state, according to the National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service.

After a tragedy, records from local archives can help us understand how a community understands itself. Here’s some of what we learned following the devastating July 4 flooding in Texas.

The loss of life is unimaginable. While we are still grappling with what happened, it’s important to understand the historic nature of this flood. It likely already ranks as the third-deadliest flood in Texas history.