JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri State Archive is helping preserve centuries of documents submerged in 8 feet of water during recent flooding.

The News Tribune reports that administrative archivist John Korasick was alerted early Monday morning that the Carter County Courthouse basement, where the county keeps its paper records, had been filled with water.

He and senior conservator Lisa Fox followed the state agency’s plan for such an emergency and soon had a refrigerated semitrailer for the soggy, warped books and boxes.

The documents are sitting in protected and chilled environment that’s safe from mold. Archive staff will assist in sorting and drying the various documents later.

State Archivist John Dougan says he is pleased Carter County officials were quick to involve his office in preserving the documents.