‘It’s mind-boggling’: Drought reveals U.S. town submerged in the 1940s

Hundreds of people are flocking to see a rare site in Pennsylvania, after a drought uncovered remnants of a historic town that is usually underwater.
The drought revealed a glimpse of the forgotten town of Somerfield, including what has become the main attraction: the Great Crossings Bridge.
The Great Crossings Bridge was built in 1818 in Pennsylvania. (WPXI-TV)
The bridge, built in 1818, is currently walkable and visible while water levels are low.
Somerfield was intentionally flooded by a dam to build the Youghiogheny River Lake in the 1940s.
“We saw it online and had to see the phenomenon,” Gary and Barbara Jenkins told Pittsburgh news outlet WPXI in a video posted Thursday. “We don’t have a road that lasts two years, let alone 200.”
The Pennsylvania town of Somerfield was intentionally flooded by a dam in the 1940s. (WPXI-TV)
“It’s mind-boggling to me,” Vincent Arlotta, another visitor, added.
They were among hundreds who have flocked to the historic site at the Youghiogheny River Lake over the last few weeks. The lake’s waters have receded significantly more than normal this year due to severe drought.
To watch the full report and see visitors exploring the forgotten town, click on the video above.
With files from WPXI-TV reporter Andrew Havranek