1955 — Dec 18-27, flooding, levee failure, north 2/3’s of CA, esp. Yuba City; also OR –88-93

–88-93 Blanchard tally from state, county and locality breakouts below.
–76-80 CA
–12-13 OR

–66 San Mateo Times. “Gift Aid to Flood Victims (continued from p.1).” 12-29-1955, p. 2.
–53 CA
–13 OR
–55 UP. “Waters Again Leap Levees A Yuba City.” Independent Journal, San Rafael, CA. 12-27-1955, 1
–53 AP. “53 Known Dead in Coast Floods.” Oxnard Press Courier, CA. 12-27-1955, p. 13.
–47 Humboldt Standard, Eureka, CA. “Islands in Delta Area in Danger.” 12-26-1955, p. 1.

California (76-80)
–80 Stiles. “How a Community Met a Disaster: Yuba City Flood…1955.” D&DR, 209, Jan 1957, p160.
–76 Paulson, et al./USGS. “National Water Summary 1988-89 – Hydrologic Events…Floods…”
–76 Blanchard tally from county and locality breakouts below.
–74 Active NorCal. “Remembering…Flood of 1955 that Put a NorCal Town Under 20 Feet of Water.” 1-12-2023.
–67 Jones and Lubow. Disasters and Heroic Rescues of California… 2006, p. 107.
–66 UP. “Hero’s Body Found in Calif. Flood Mud.” Long Beach Independent, CA. 12-31-1955, p.1.
–59 AP. “Finding of Two Bodies Raises Toll From Flood.” Modesto Bee, 1-3-1956, p. 12.
–53 San Mateo Times. “Gift Aid to Flood Victims (continued from p.1).” 12-29-1955, p. 2.
–47 AP. “Workers Rebuild Yuba City Levee.” Bakersfield Californian, CA. 12-30-1955, p.2.
Summary of flooding-related fatalities by county.
— 1 Colusa County, Colusa
— 2 Del Norte County.
— 1 Fresno County.
–10 Humboldt County.
— 1 Lassen County, Susanville.
— 1 Marin County, Novato, Hamilton Air Force Base.
— 3 Placer County, Auburn/Colfax area.
— 3 Sacramento River (no locals noted).
— 9 Santa Cruz County.
— 1 Siskiyou County.
— 1 Sonoma County.
–38 Sutter County, especially Yuba City.
— 3 Tulare County.
— 1 Weymouth? “Unidentified man drowned near Weymouth.” (We do not know location.)
— 1 Yuba County, Marysville.

Breakout of flooding related fatalities by locality, where noted in sources.
— 1 Colusa County, Colusa.
— 2 Del Norte County.
–1 Blue Creek area. Drowning; Amos Youn. Also note of Amos Young dying of heart attack.
–2 Crescent City Beach; bodies of two unidentified middle-aged women found.
–1 Klamath, Klamath River. Drowning; air mattress overturned in river; Ernest Whitney.
— 1 Fresno Co., San Joaquin. Drowning; car swept into Mormon Channel; Eugene Rangel, 60.
–10 Humboldt County.
–2 Bluff Creek. Drowning; cabin flooded; Mr. Gus Bartel, Mrs. Beatrice Bartell.
–1 Bluff Creek. Drowning; body found near Crescent City; Mrs. Dorothy Allison.
–1 Eureka area, Eel River, 19th. Car swept away by floodwaters; Henry Jensen, 70.
–1 Hoopa. Drowned in cabin behind Humboldt Fir Co., Dr. Herman W. Myers, 70.
–1 Hoopa. Unidentified man (not Dr. Myers) drowned at Hoopa.
–1 Pepperwood area. Drowned in cabin; Maxwell Gordon Cheyne, 66.
–1 Pepperwood area. Drowned near Pepperwood, “Man named Woods.”
–1 Petrolia, Dec 21. Joe Etter.
–1 Willow Creek area. Drowning; Fred Lacy. Also note of dying of heart attack.
— 1 Lassen County.
–1 Susanville. Swept into Susan River by tree branch while clearing bridge debris; Marvin Colter, 53.
— 1 Marin County, Novato, Hamilton Air Force Base.
— 3 Placer County, Auburn/Colfax area, American River drownings, Dec 22.
— 3 Mrs. Mildred D. Strula, 50; daughter, Lorraine Siler, 32; granddaughter, Mamie Rae Siler, 2.
— 3 Sacramento River.
–2 Locale not noted. Car swept into river; Mr. and Mrs. Quesaba of Walnut Grove.
–1 Locale not noted. Drowning; unidentified duck hunter.
— 9 Santa Cruz County. McMahon. “The History of Floods…in the City of Santa Cruz.” 1997.
–8 Santa Cruz area. AP. “Workers Rebuild Yuba City Levee.” Bakersfield Californian, CA. 12-30-1955, 2.
–8 Blanchard tally from locality breakouts below.
–2 Mt. Hermon. Pickup swept downstream; Joe Bayfor, 49, and Shannon Esplund, 12.
–1 Santa Cruz. Drowned in Santa Cruz home; Mrs. Lauralie Bernard, 70.
–1 Santa Cruz. Drowned in Santa Cruz home; Kathleen Bernard, 40; same home.
–1 Santa Cruz area. Heart attack being evacuated in a boat; Phillip Firdley, 73.
–1 Santa Cruz, San Lorenzo River. Giacomo Palotti, carried away by floodwaters.
–1 Santa Cruz area. Unknown middle-aged man; body was swept onto Pacific beach.
–1 Swanton. Gladys Shaw, 40. Body found on Jan 2 by her husband John E. Shaw Jr.
— 1 Siskiyou County.
— 1 Sonoma County.
–1 Santa Rosa area. Rancher James Foreman, 48, drowns; his horse caught in submerged fence.
–38 Sutter County. Blanchard estimate.
–31 Sutter County. AP. “Finding of Two Bodies Raises Toll From Flood.” Modesto Bee, 1-3-1956, p. 12.
–38 Yuba City.
–38 Yuba City. Appeal Democrat, Yuba, CA. “She came to symbolize 1955 flood. 10-23-2009.
–32 Yuba City. UP. “Yuba City Flood Toll is Now 32.” Palm Springs Desert Sun, 1-5-55, p.6.
–26 UP. “Hero’s Body Found in Calif. Flood Mud.” Long Beach Independent, CA. 12-31-1955, 1
–21 Blanchard tally of individual names located via sources cited.
–19 “AP. “Workers Rebuild Yuba City Levee.” Bakersfield Californian, CA. 12-30-1955, 2.
–17 Yuba City. Two bodies found in rubble Dec 28.
–13 Yuba City.
–1 Mr. Charles Bartlett.
–1 C. Earl Blackburn, undersheriff, 24th. Radio car swept away by wall of water.
–1 Robert Blackburn, son of undersheriff Earl Blackburn.
–1 Helga Erickson, 25. AP. “53 Known Dead…” Oxnard Press Courier. 12-27-1955, 13.
–1 Jean Erickson, 10. AP. “53 Known Dead…” Oxnard Press Courier, CA. 12-27-1955, 13.
–1 Barbara Adams Ethington, 22. AP. “53…Dead…” Oxnard Press Courier. 12-27-1955, 13.
–1 Brent Ardell Burdell Ethington, 4; drowned.
–1 Lloyd Ralph Ethington, ~28, father of Brent and Robin, Dec 24; drowned.
–1 Robin Darlene Ethington, 3, Dec. 24; body found Jan 2; drowned.
–1 A. W. Hudgins, 82. AP. “53 Known Dead…” Oxnard Press Courier, CA. 12-27-1955, 13
–1 Mrs. Vera Johnson, 60, of Medford, OR, visiting sister Mrs. Charles Bartlett.
–1 Verda Irene O’Connor. AP. “53 Known Dead…” Oxnard Press Courier. 12-27-1955, 13.
–1 Sara Pierce, 67. AP. “53 Known Dead…” Oxnard Press Courier, CA. 12-27-1955, p. 13.
–1 L. D. Russell, son of, 9.
–1 Deputy Sheriff John Leroy Talley, 24th. Police car swept away by floodwater.
–1 Sue Donna Washam, 27.
–1 Ernest Marion Yeates [or Yates ], 41.
–4 Unidentified persons. AP. “53 Known Dead…” Oxnard Press Courier. 12-27-1955, 13.
— 3 Tulare County.
–1 Tule River. Henrietta Woods, 46.
–1 Visalia. Heart attack during evacuation from home; Fred Hopkins, 72.
–1 Visalia. Heart attack after evacuation from flood threatened home; William Pierce, 72.
— 1 Weymouth? “Unidentified man drowned near Weymouth.”
— 1 Yuba County, Marysville. Heart attack during evacuation; John R. McFayden, 67.

Oregon (12-13)
–13 San Mateo Times. “Gift Aid to Flood Victims (continued from p.1).” 12-29-1955, p. 2.
–12 Blanchard tally from locality breakouts below.
— 1 Lake Labish area. Drowning; Peter Harris, 15.
— 1 Milo. Drowning; rubber boat capsized; “raging South Umpqua River.” Cecil Conner, 38.
— 1 Nehalem. Drowned near home; Ancel Lommen, 63.
— 1 Oakridge, by 25th. Car goes into washed out section of highway; John E. Clifford, 43..
— 1 Pendleton. Electrocuted by downed power line; Bert Gladney, 41.
— 1 Portland. Truck hits washed-out road shoulder; William C. Hiscoe, 47.
— 1 Roseburg, by 25th. Windblown tree falls; Victor Flury, 40,.
— 5 Remote. Landslide; Mr./Mrs. Marion Eugene Neal, 40 & 39, children Tommy, 18; Mary, 16; Becky, 20 mos.

Narrative Information

Active NorCal: “It was just minutes past midnight of Christmas Eve 1955 when the Gum Tree Levee on the Feather River in Sutter County collapsed, sending a 21-foot wall of water into Yuba City. In the darkness of the night, the town would go into complete chaos, with families fleeing from their homes to escape the deadly flood.

“In the end, 40,000 people would evacuate the surrounding area, with over 600 needing to be rescued by boat or helicopter and 38 people dying in the floodwater. It was a devastating natural disaster and a strong lesson for the area that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers calls ‘the most prone to intense flooding of any river valley in the United States.’

“The storm that caused the rise in waters in Northern California was one for the ages. A bombardment of precipitation slammed the entire west coast, with Shasta County receiving 15.34 inches in just 24 hours on December 20th. A statewide disaster was declared, with the storm resulting in 74 deaths and $200 million in economic losses.

“Yuba City and the surrounding communities felt the majority of these losses. On the confluence of the Yuba and Feather Rivers sits the small town of Yuba City, whose only hope to avoid significant flooding during large storms was its strategically placed levees. Fortunately, the levees of the nearby town of Marysville held during the storm, although some of the floodwater still made its way to the town. The levee south of Yuba City wasn’t as fortunate as the water poured in through the town, and the 5th Street Bridge was completely washed away downstream. With the collapse of the levee, downtown Yuba City quickly found itself sitting under 8 feet of water, with its 10,000 residents immediately scattering to find dry land. Army units were dispatched from Camp Beale to the scene, where military boats and helicopters picked people up off the tops of houses and on tree branches. If it weren’t for the efforts of the military, many more may have died.

“The Christmas Eve disaster received national attention ad President Dwight D. Eisenhower calling it a “major” incident. While the town quickly became an apocalyptic scene, 1,500 police and army officials strolled through the knee-high water in downtown Yuba City with instructions to shoot looters on sight.

“Eventually, the town would dry and rebuild. Today, more than 65,000 people live in the small town, with memories of flooding long in the past and new, improved levees on the forefront of their protection. But for the older generation of Yuba City residents, the memory of their town underwater is something that will never be forgotten.” (Active NorCal. “Remembering the Deadly Flood of 1955 that Put a NorCal Town Under 20 Feet of Water.” 1-12-2023.)

Jones and Lubow: “….For five days, starting December 19…rains, torrential and unrelenting, attacked the central and northern regions of California. With the rains came the winds. In the Sierra Nevada range, winds were clocked as high as 90 miles per hour. The San Francisco Bay suffered 75 mile-per-hour gusts. The barometric pressure fell to 29.00 and in some areas below that. The norther half of the state was under siege. This storm came in after several light storms in November and early December. The ground had already absorbed the precipitation from those rains. In the Sierras the snowpack was about 6 feet, normal for that time of year. Because this new storm was so warm – freezing altitude moved from 5,000 feet to 7,000 feet and finally to 10,000 feet – the water content of the snow was increased, but for the first five days, there was no significant increase in the snow pack.

“During the ten days from December 17 to December 26 – the worst of the precipitation – the rains demonstrated a pattern of a few hours of excessive rain followed by light rain for short periods. The storms then tapered off until they finally ended December 28…. (p. 104.)

“The rains abated for a while but came again in January. After another three weeks of intermittent storms, none as bad as those of the December deluge, the rains tapered off. In the end two-thirds of the state had been affected, sixty-seven people had died, and damages hit $166 million.

‘In the aftermath of the floods, new levees were built and new water management plans were drafted and implemented. But the floods have returned to the Sacramento Valley again and again, especially in the area of Yuba City. In 1964, 1986, and 1997, the Feather and Yuba Rivers flooded or threatened to flood. Yet the cities continue to build out into the floodplain, even with the threat of more floods….” (p. 107.) (Jones, Ray and Joe Lubow. Disasters and Heroic Rescues of California: True Stories of Tragedy and Survival. 2006.)

McMahon: “The costliest, deadliest, and most well-known flood in the history of Santa Cruz was on Dec. 22, 1955….The river moved well out of its banks on both sides, and flowed down Pacific Ave. at a depth of three to four feet. Water reached the steps of city hall on Center St., and was over eight feet deep in places on the east side of Front St. At the time, this was called a 100-year flood, but is generally called a 40-year flood today. (The same can be said for the storm of 1982.) But the water level was unquestionably higher in 1955 than in any other historic flood. Nine people were killed in Santa Cruz, two of these in their house on Garfield St. Water flow had reached the maximum possible at the Riverside Ave. bridge, and the river had begun to back up behind it as the flood peaked. Had this peak occurred at high tide, the of water could have been higher, and the damage to Santa Cruz would have been even worse level.” (McMahon. “The History of Floods…in the City of Santa Cruz.” 1997.)

Paulson: “Flood Dec. 1955 Northern two-thirds of State….Deaths, 76; widespread damage of $166 million….

“The floods of December 1955 (water year 1956) were memorable not only for the magnitude of peak discharge, but also for the duration of rain and the extent of area affected. Rain fell in coastal areas on 39 of the 44 days between December 15 and January 28 as several storms crossed the northern two-thirds of the State (Hofmann and Rantz, 1963) . In most areas, the storm of December 21-24, 1955, caused the most damage. Warm, moist air from the southwest released rains that drenched the mountains and melted much of the snow that had accumulated in the Sierra Nevada. During December 15-27, extremes of 40 inches of rain fell at several locations, and quantities greater than 20 inches were common in the coastal mountains and the Sierra Nevada.

“The floods of December 1955 produced peak discharges in much of the area that were in excess of any previously recorded. Flooding was particularly notable on the Klamath River on the north coast, the San Lorenzo River at Santa Cruz, the Feather River near Yuba City, the Kaweah River at Visalia, Alameda Creek in the San Francisco Bay area, and the Carson River east of the Sierra Nevada. Peak discharges at these widely separated rivers were generally 1½ to 2 times the discharge of the previously recorded peak flows. The peak discharge of the Merced River at Happy Isles Bridge, near Yosemite, had a recurrence interval that exceeded 100 years. On many streams, the floods ranked among the greatest since 1861 -62.

“On December 24, 1955, a levee failure on the Feather River flooded more than 3,000 homes in Yuba City and forced the evacuation of 12,000 people. Thirty-eight people died, and 95 percent of the city was inundated with floodwater as much as 12-feet deep. For the entire Sacramento River basin, about 382,000 acres were flooded.

“The San Joaquin River basin and the closed basins at the southern end of the Central Valley also were flooded as a result of the December 1955 storms. About 393,000 acres were inundated; the largest damage was in the Kaweah River basin. In the entire State, the floods resulted in 67 deaths and total damage estimated at $166 million by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Hofmann and Rantz, 1963).” (Paulson)

Stiles: “Abstract: The Yuba City flood of December 1955 was the worst disaster to strike California since the San Francisco earthquake. Initial attempts to bolster the levees, with the assistance of the military from nearby Beale Air Force Base, were unsuccessful; but as the waters swept over the countryside, well-organized evacuation took place. Beale provided emergency technical rescue and relief service. The Red Cross established numerous shelters and several giant kitchens and mobile canteens. As the waters subsided, the local health department undertook the massive task of arresting contamination and pollution, and the town contracted fro the removal of the thousands of tons of debris. Flood post mortem suggests that long postponed control measures, including dam construction, might have staved off the disaster. – Ed.

“Northern California had seen plenty of rain before, so a little more did not seem unusual. But then it started in force on December 18 and, accompanied by violent gusts of wind, continued as an unremitting downpour for nine days, drenching a land area of about 100,000 square miles. Precipitation of 20 inches or more was recorded by numerous valley and coastal gauges, while several in the Sierra exceeded 30 inches, establishing 1 780year record. The runoff transformed obscure rivulets into angry streams which soon roared out of their usual channels. The resulting floods washed away railroads and highways, destroyed farmlands and orchards, engulfed towns, drowned animals, and inundated homes by the thousands. As a nightmarish Christmas week turned into a dismal New Year, the water gradually subsided; the stricken counted their losses: 80 persons dead, 335 hospitalized, 4,338 injured, 50,000 forced from their homes, 1,277 homes destroyed, 2,725 homes wrecked, 225 million dollars property damage, and inestimable loss of fertile topsoil. Thus, California suffered one of its worst floods in history – in many respects its worst disaster of any kind since the San Francisco earthquake and fire in 1906; from the standpoint of relief expenditures, the nation suffered its sixth worst disaster since the founding of the American Red Cross in 1881.

“One center of tragedy was Yuba City, the seat of Sutter County, situated on the west bank of the Feather River about 120 miles northeast of San Francisco. On the opposite bank is the twin city of Marysville, the seat of Yuba County. Both are fast-growing communities of about 10,000 population. Both are centers of prosperous fruit and dairy farms. Both are at an elevation of only 45 to 55 feet above sea level, while the height of the nearby levees is 82.5 feet….” (Stiles, William W. “How a Community Met a Disaster: Yuba City Flood, December 1955.” Disasters and Disaster Relief, Vol. 209, Jan 1957, pp. 160-169. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science.)

Newspapers

Dec 19, AP: “San Francisco (AP) – The wild Pacific storm which crashed across Northern California during the night is diminishing, the Weather Bureau said, and should give way to scattered showers tonight and tomorrow. The season’s worst storm caused considerable property damage. Windows were shattered, trees toppled and houses were unroofed….The gales and heavy rain reached as far south as Merced and Salinas, and light rain was reported down to Fresno and Paso Robles. A weather reporting station on Black Road, west of Los Gatos, in the Santa Cruz Mountains, reported 8.42 inches of rain in the 24 hours up to 7 a.m. ….

“While there were many narrow escapes from snapping power lines and falling limbs, only one serious injury was reported….” (Associated Press. “Wild Storm Flays N. California.” Bakersfield Californian. 12-19-1955, p. 1.)

Dec 20, UP: “San Francisco (UP) – Danger of serious flooding by rain-swollen creeks and rivers in northern California was minimized today with the passing of a violent winter storm that drenched the area with rains whipped by winds of full gale force. At least two persons were drowned and 10 others were rescued from cars trapped by flood-stage waters in the Eel river valley. The Russian river, about 60 miles north of San Francisco, also was in flood stage, but residents and army engineers in both areas reported that the worst danger had passed.

“The latest fatality was James Foreman, 48, a rancher, who was drowned when his horse became entangled in a submerged fence on his ranch 10 miles west of Santa Rosa….

“The resort town of Guerneville on the Russian river was partially isolated when all the main roads to the community were flooded or closed by landslides…At Guerneville, the river stood at 38 feet at 8 a.m., eight feet above the flood stage of 30 feet. In 1948, the river rose to the 48-foot level….

“At Healdsburg, the Russian River crested about midnight at 21 feet, six feet above flood stage. At 8 a.m. the river stood at 20½ feet as the waters began dropping….

“Car Is Engulfed. Henry Jensen, 70, Fortuna, was drowned yesterday when the car in which he was riding was engulfed by a torrent of floodwater from the Eel River….” (United Press. “Storm Toll 2 Dead; Flood Fear Lessens; Damage Here Grows.” San Mateo Times. 12-20-1955, p.1.)

Dec 22, Ukiah News: “Old Man Winter will officially splash his way into Ukiah this morning (Thursday) at 7:12, after a week-long storm which has dumped 8.71 inches of rain here and sent the Russian river rolling out its banks to flood orchards and the lowlands. As the downpour continued yesterday the river began rising again and at 4 p.m. the level at Largo station was 11.19 feet. The low since the river crested at 23.10 feet Monday, was 9.85 feet about noon Wednesday. Flood warning stage is 17 feet while 21 feet is considered flood stage…” (Ukiah News, CA. “Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain…Total for Month Nears All-Time Record in 20 Years.” 12-22-1955, p.1.)

Dec 23, UP: “San Francisco (U.P.) Raging coastal and Mountain streams overflowed their banks in three western states today bringing death and destruction and driving thousands from their homes in the wake of week-long drenching rains, the worst in the Weather Bureau’s history. At least 12 persons were known dead, scores were reported missing, eight towns were flooded out completely and more than 15 others were inundated as the streams rushed to the sea and made more than 15,000 homeless. Property damage in Northern California, Western Oregon and Nevada was estimated in the millions. One estimate placed the loss at more than 10 million dollars, but no accurate check could be made.

“A state of emergency was declared by Gov. Goodwin J. Knight in Northern California, where the missing included 12 at the resort town of Santa Cruz where the San Lorenzo River isolated the city of 15,000 today. Eight of the missing there were reported swept to sea. The police teletype, only means of communication, said aid would have to be sent by airlift.

“The Santa Cruz business district was under five feet of water. Three persons were reported dead and three were reported missing in the area. A bridge was washed out at Watsonville in the same county.

“Near the Oregon border the towns of South Fork and Weott, with 500 residents, were both wiped out by the Eel River in Humboldt County. At Rio Dell, not far from the mouth of the Eel River, residents reported seeing 255 persons floating on debris to the sea.

“In Western Oregon, where two and possibly three, were dead, the roaring rivers continued to spread destruction. Hundreds of families were evacuated from their Christmas-decorated homes.

“In Reno, Truckee River went over its banks and threatened to flood the downtown area, endangering two prominent hotels with gambling casinos.

“Ten persons were known dead in California. Three were at Santa Cruz, two others were listed by the civil defense officials at Eureka, while three drowned at Auburn in the American River in the Sacramento area and two drowned earlier in the week at other points.

“The towns completely flooded in California were Pepperwood, Elinor, South Fork, Klamath, Klamath Glen, Weott – all in Humboldt County where the Eel and Klamath Rivers flooded – and Wood Lake and Three Rivers in Tulare County. The resort city of Guerneville, flooded by the Russian River in Sonoma County, prepared for complete disaster….” (United Press. “12 Dead as State Reels in Storm. 8 Towns Flooded; Thousands Fleeing.” Independent Journal, San Rafael, CA. 12-23-1955, p. 1.)

Dec 24, UP: “San Francisco (U.P.) – The Feather River broke through a levee and flowed over Yuba City early today drowning 4 and sending nearly 20,000 persons fleeing for their lives as destructive floods continued in three Western states with a death toll of at least 21. Two men, one woman and a child were known to be dead in the Yuba City disaster, according to the Yuba County disaster headquarters. Five of the casualties were in Western Oregon. One of the Yuba City casualties was the 9-year-old son of L. D. Russell.

“Across the Feather River from Yuba City, a serious threat to Marysville, already evacuated by its 10,000 inhabitants, developed today. Although the water in both the Yuba and Feather rivers which meet there had dropped from last night’s high, the Yuba cut through the levee at the Fifth Street bridge, the main entrance to Marysville from the south.

“About one-third of the bridge broke loose and was washed away. Hundreds of Army Engineers from Camp Beale Air Force Base, together with other volunteers, threw thousands of sandbags into the breached levee. United Press correspondent Ed Capps, calling from the only telephone line available from the city, reported that helicopters from Camp Beale dotted the skies as rescue operations were speeded.

“There were two breaks this morning in the levee system and the waters of the Feather River rushed into Yuba City so rapidly that many residents were unable to escape and were stranded on house tops and in trees. Rescue operations with all available boats began at daylight, and the Coast Guard was sending more craft to the area.

“Meanwhile, the cities of Modesto and Stockton were threatened by overflows on the Stanislaus and Tuolumne rivers….” (United Press. “Yuba City Under Water. Toll Rises; At Least 21 Dead.” Bakersfield Californian. 12-24-1955, p. 1.)

Dec 25, INS: “San Francisco (INS) – Raging flood waters ripped levees and forced evacuation of three more California cities last night as rain again lashed the Northern California coastal section, already reeling from blows of a seven-day storm, adding 10,000 persons more to the Christmas list of homeless refugees. More than 40,000 persons fled their homes throughout northern California and the Red Cross also reported it was caring for 20,000 refugees in 57 shelters.

“The Weather Bureau offered hope the worst was over, even while Watsonville, 90 miles south of San Francisco, was being evacuated when the swollen Pajaro River threatened to leap its banks.

“Yuba City, which only a few hours earlier had welcomed refugees from Marysville across the Feather River, was itself deserted as the roaring waters of the Feather tore a 40-fot hole in a protective levee. The entire 8000 population joined the refugees in the evacuation, many of them going to Sutter City in what was an ironic move.

“Some hours later, 1500 residents of Sutter City, a few miles west of Yuba City, were ordered out of their homes and fled to a Red Cross shelter at Woodland….

“The death toll soared to at least 22, scores were still missing, untold thousands were homeless and property damage was expected to exceed $50,000,000 in the three-state disaster area of California, Oregon and Nevada….

“President Eisenhower proclaimed the Reno area of Nevada as well as Northern California ‘a major disaster area’ and announced that Civil Defense Administrator Val Peterson would make a Christmas Day aerial survey of the stricken regions….

“The bodies of two middle-aged unidentified women were found on the ocean beach above Crescent City yesterday.

“Ernest Whitney drowned in the Klamath River when his rubber raft struck a bridge and overturned.” (INS (Independent News Service). “22 More Killed in Levee Break.” The Independent, Pasadena, CA. 12-25-1955, p. 1.)

Sources

Active NorCal. “Remembering the Deadly Flood of 1955 that Put a NorCal Town Under 20 Feet of Water.” 1-12-2023. Accessed 4-5-2023 at: https://www.activenorcal.com/remembering-the-deadly-flood-of-1955-that-put-a-norcal-town-under-20-feet-of-water/

Appeal Democrat, Yuba, Sutter, Colusa, CA. “She came to symbolize 1955 flood.” 10-23-2009; updated 11-1-2013. Accessed 4-5-2023 at: https://www.appeal-democrat.com/she-came-to-symbolize-1955-flood/article_d1fcf738-77cf-5cb3-8177-b19789530d0d.html

Associated Press. “20 Known Dead in Flood Area.” San Mateo Times, CA. 12-26-1955, p. 1. Accessed 4-5-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-mateo-times-dec-26-1955-p-1/

Associated Press. “53 Known Dead in Coast Floods.” Oxnard Press Courier, CA. 12-27-1955, p. 13. Accessed 4-4-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/oxnard-press-courier-dec-27-1955-p-13/

Associated Press. “Finding of Two Bodies Raises Toll From Flood.” Modesto Bee, 1-3-1956, p. 12. Accessed 4-5-2023: https://newspaperarchive.com/modesto-bee-and-news-herald-jan-03-1956-p-11/

Associated Press. “Flood Deaths May Reach 100, Yuba City Inundated For Second Time.” Oxnard Press-Courier, CA. 12-27-1055, p. 1. Accessed 4-4-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/oxnard-press-courier-dec-27-1955-p-1/

Associated Press. “Wild Storm Flays N. California.” Bakersfield Californian. 12-19-1955, p. 1. Accessed 4-4-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/bakersfield-californian-dec-19-1955-p-1/

Associated Press. “Workers Rebuild Yuba City Levee.” Bakersfield Californian, CA. 12-30-1955, p.2. Accessed 4-5-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/bakersfield-californian-dec-30-1955-p-2/

FamilySearch.org. “Barbara Adams.” Accessed 4-5-2023 at: https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/KWJZ-K89/barbara-adams-1929-1955

Familysearch.org. “Brent Ardell Burdell Ethington. 3 August 1951-24 December 1955.” Accessed 4-5-2023 at: https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/KC54-SL8/brent-ardell-burdell-ethington-1951-1955

FamilySearch.org. “Lloyd Ralph Ethington.” Accessed 4-5-2023 at: https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/KWJZ-K8S/lloyd-ralph-ethington-1927-1955

FamilySearch.org. “Robin Darlene Ethington.” Accessed 4-5-2023 at: https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/KCWG-BXL/robin-darlene-ethington-1952-1955

Humboldt Standard, Eureka, CA. “Confirm Only Three Deaths.” 12-26-1955, p. 1. Accessed 4-4-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/humboldt-standard-dec-26-1955-p-1/

Humboldt Standard, Eureka, CA. “Islands in Delta Area in Danger.” 12-26-1955, p. 1. Accessed 4-4-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/humboldt-standard-dec-26-1955-p-1/

INS (Independent News Service). “22 More Killed in Levee Break.” The Independent, Pasadena, CA. 12-25-1955, p. 1. Accessed 4-4-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/california-pasadena-independent-dec-25-1955-p-1/

Jones, Ray and Joe Lubow. Disasters and Heroic Rescues of California: True Stories of Tragedy and Survival. Guilford CT: Insiders’ Guide, an imprint of Globe Pequot Press, 2006.

McMahon, Daniel. “The History of Floods on the San Lorenzo River in the City of Santa Cruz.” Santa Cruz County History – Disasters & Calamities. Santa Cruz Public Libraries. 1997. Accessed at: http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/articles/289/

Officer Down Memorial Page. “Deputy Sheriff John Leroy Talley.” Accessed 4-5-2023. Accessed 4-5-2023 at: https://www.odmp.org/officer/reflections/13084-deputy-sheriff-john-leroy-talley

Paulson, R.W., E.B. Chase, R.S. Roberts, and D.W. Moody (Compilers). “National Water Summary 1988-89 – Hydrologic Events and Floods and Droughts. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2375; excerpted in Major Floods and Droughts in California (website). 1991. 10-9-2009 at: http://geochange.er.usgs.gov/sw/impacts/hydrology/state_fd/cawater1.html

San Mateo Times, CA. “Gift Aid to Flood Victims (continued from p.1).” 12-29-1955, p. 2. Accessed 4-5-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-mateo-times-dec-29-1955-p-2/

Stiles, William W. “How a Community Met a Disaster: Yuba City Flood, December 1955.” Disasters and Disaster Relief, Vol. 209, Jan 1957, pp. 160-169. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. Sage Publications, Inc.

Ukiah News, CA. “Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain: Total for Month Nears All-Time Record in 20 Years.” 12-22-1955, p. 1. Accessed 4-4-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/ukiah-news-dec-22-1955-p-1/

United Press. “12 Dead as State Reels in Storm. 8 Towns Flooded; Thousands Fleeing.” Daily Independent Journal, San Rafael, CA. 12-23-1955, p. 1. Accessed 4-4-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-rafael-daily-independent-journal-dec-23-1955-p-2/

United Press. “Here’s List of Major Flood Areas.” Independent Journal, San Rafael, CA. 12-24-1955, p. 8. Accessed 4-4-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-rafael-daily-independent-journal-dec-24-1955-p-16/

United Press. “Hero’s Body Found in Calif. Flood Mud.” Long Beach Independent, CA. 12-31-1955, p.1. Accessed 4-5-2023: https://newspaperarchive.com/long-beach-independent-dec-31-1955-p-1/

United Press. “List of Known Dead in Oregon, California Tabulated By UP.” Humboldt Standard, Eureka, CA. 12-28-1955, 3. Accessed 4-5-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/eureka-humboldt-standard-dec-28-1955-p-3/

United Press. “Storm Toll 2 Dead; Flood Fear Lessens; Damage Here Grows.” San Mateo Times. 12-20-1955, p1. Accessed 4-4-2023: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-mateo-times-dec-20-1955-p-1/

United Press. “Waters Again Leap Levees A Yuba City.” Independent Journal, San Rafael, CA. 12-27-1955, p.1. Accessed 4-5-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-rafael-daily-independent-journal-dec-27-1955-p-2/

United Press. “Yuba City Flood Toll is Now 32.” Palm Springs Desert Sun, CA. 1-5-1955, p.6. Accessed 4-5-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/palm-springs-desert-sun-jan-05-1956-p-6/

United Press. “Yuba City Under Water. Toll Rises; At Least 21 Dead.” Bakersfield Californian. 12-24-1955, p. 1. Accessed 4-5-2023: https://newspaperarchive.com/bakersfield-californian-dec-24-1955-p-1/