NV–45-50

lornajarrettblanchard December 21, 1964

–45-50 Blanchard tally of State breakouts below.
— 47 Burt and Stroud. Extreme Weather: A Guide & Record Book. 2004, 128.
— 47 Geological Survey, Floods of [Dec] 1964…[Jan] 1965 in…Western States, Pt. 1. 1971. A1.
— 47 USGS. The Christmas Flood of 1964 (webpage). 12-11-2014.
— 47 Taylor and Hatton. The Oregon Weather Book: A State of Extremes. 1999, p. 90.
— >40 AP. “Business District of Portland May Bee Flooded. Humboldt Times, CA, 12-26-1964, 1.
— >40 AP. “Flood Threat to Portland Eases.” Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA, 12-27-1964, p. 1.
— 40 Five-state area as of Dec 26 (CA, OR, WA, ID, NV).
— 6 By Dec 23.

Summary of State Fatality Breakouts Below:

Northern California (24-28)
Idaho ( 2)
Nevada ( 1)
Oregon (17-18)
Washington ( 0- 1)
Total 45-50

Breakout of Rainstorms and Flooding Fatalities by State:

Northern California (24-28)
–28 Blanchard tally from locality breakouts below.
–24 Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA. “Helicopter.” 1-2-1965, p. 3.
–24 NCJ, Humboldt Co., CA. “Remembering Those Lost…Helicopter Crash of the ’64 Flood.” 12-22-2017.
–24 North Coast Journal, Humboldt County, CA. “When the Waters Rose in 1964.” 12-26-2019.
–19 Humboldt County
–24 Paulson, et al. “National Water Summary 1988-89…and Floods”
–24 State of CA Dept. of Water Resources. Flood! Dec 1964 – Jan 1965. p. 44.
–20 As of Dec 28, according to UPI.
–19 As of Dec 28, according to AP.
–18 Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 6, No. 12, December 1964, p. 118.
— 0 Direct; though “a number” of indirect deaths; e.g. boating in high water; drowning.
Breakout of California Rainstorms and Flood-Related Deaths by Locality:
— 1 Del Norte County, Dec 25. State of CA DWR. Flood! Dec 1964 – Jan 1965 p.44.
–1 Crescent City. Tractor buried in slide doing disaster work; Howard Carter Jr., 29.
–23 Humboldt County. Blanchard tally from locality breakouts below.
–19 Humboldt County. State of CA DWR. Flood! Dec 1964 – Jan 1965 p.44.
— 2 Dinsmore area, Van Duzen River. Lee Smalley, 23, and mother, Mrs. Ruth Brawley, 60.
— 3 East Fork. Landslide sweeps two cabins and trailer house into Willow Creek.
–1 Sara Cash (body found Jan 22).
–1 Charles Flockhart (Have not located report that body was found.)
–1 Louie (Lou) Main. (Body found May 30 in Willow Creek and identified.)
— 4 Eel River at McCann, Dec 26. USMC helicopter, photographic mission, goes down.
— 1 Orick area, Jan 1. Dump truck “doing flood-relief work” hits Yevonne Marie Cavan.
— 1 Orleans, Dec 22. Drowning? Road collapse beneath jeep; John Butler, 62.
— 7 Patricks Point area, Dec 22. USCG helicopter with 4 rescued civilians crashes.
— 7 Trinidad area ~Strawberry Rock, Dec 22. USCG helicopter 1363 crash.
–3 Crew
–Lt. Cmdr. Donald Prince
–Petty Officer 2nd Class James A, Nininger Jr.
–Royal Canadian Navy Sub-Lt. Allen Alltree.
–1 Bud Hansen, local volunteer helping to spot flood survivors and landmarks.
–3 People rescued from floodwater and onboard.
–Marie Bahnsen
–Betty Kemp
–Melanie Kemp, 20-month-old daughter of Betty Kemp.
— 5 Pepperwood, Eel Riv. (Mr. and Mrs. Brueck and son; Mrs. Albert Porter; unknown
— 1 Mendocino County. State of CA DWR. Flood! Dec 1964 – Jan 1965 p.44.
— 1 Siskiyou County. State of CA DWR. Flood! Dec 1964 – Jan 1965 p.44.
–1 Happy Camp. ARC worker Paul R. Gillis, 40, killed by helicopter blades, loading supplies.
— 2 Trinity County. State of CA DWR. Flood! Dec 1964 – Jan 1965 p.44.
— 1 Sierra Nevada. Phil Seilhelmer, 23, of Reno, NV “died of exposure in Sierra Nevada.”

Idaho ( 2)
–2 UPI. “West Coast Floods At A Glance.” Humboldt Standard, Eureka, CA, 12-25-1964, p. 1.
–1 Grangeville, Lochsa River, by Dec 26. John Nock, 37, drowned in rescue attempt.
–1 Lewiston, Clearwater River, by Dec 26. Drowning; Sylvester Fanning, 48.

Nevada ( 1)
–1 UPI. “West Coast Floods At A Glance.” Humboldt Standard, Eureka, CA, 12-25-1964, p. 1.
–1 Truckee River, by Dec 25. Drowning; Robert Osborne, 11; trying to rescue his dog.

Oregon (17-18)
–18 Albany Democrat-Herald, OR. “Remembering the Christmas Flood of 1964.” 12-24-2014.
–18 AP. “Oregon rivers still receding.” Port Angeles Evening News, WA, 12-28-1964, p. 1.
–18 Blanchard tally of locality breakouts below.
–17 Dresbeck. Oregon Disasters: True Stories of Tragedy and Survival. 2006, p. 91.
–17 KIVTV. The Weather Expert. “Winter Weather Awareness – Winter Flooding.”
–17 NWS Forecast Office, Portland, OR. Oregon’s Top 10 Weather Events of 1900s.
–17 Taylor and Hatton. The Oregon Weather Book: A State of Extremes. 1999, p. 90.
–15 Sullivan. Oregon’s Greatest Natural Disasters. Eugene, OR: Navillus Press, 2008, p. 136.
–12 OR, by Dec 24. UP. “Records Level At Portland,” Medford Mail Tribune, OR, 12-24-1964.
–10 OR, by Dec 24.
— 1 On Dec 22.
Breakout of Oregon Flood-Related Fatalities by Location, where noted:
–1 Bend, Deschutes River, by Dec 25. Drowning; Curtis Stark, 60, trying to move log from dam.
–1 Biggs area. Drowning; boy from Wasco when family car went off U.S. 97 near Biggs.
–1 Gresham, by Dec 24. Electrocution; man attempting to repair power line in flooded area.
–1 Jefferson, by Dec 25. Drowning; Mrs. Gladys Mason, about 60.
–2 John Day River bridge. Car goes “off another bridge over the John Day River.”
–1 Mill City, by Dec 25. Drowning; Richard Turpin, 81, “found dead in water-filled ditch.”
–1 Millington, near Coos Bay, by Dec 24. Electrocution; boy at his home.
–1 Myrtle Creek, by Dec 24. Drowning; male as he was moving furniture from his home.
–1 Reedsport, body recovered Dec 27. Male, 54, drowned in his trailer home.
–1 Roseburg, Sutherlin Creek, by Dec 25. Drowning, Mrs. Ella Cox, 65.
–1 Rufus area, John Day River at Columbia River, bridge fails, Dec 22. Drowning; male, 60.
–2 Sutherlin area, by Dec 24. Drownings; swept away from their stalled car.
–1 The Dalles, by Dec 24. Drowning; boy from Rufus when car he was in plunged into creek.
–2 Warm Springs Indian Reservation, by Dec 25. Drowning; Nettie White, 54, car into river.
–1 Wildcat Creek, Zigzag area, by Dec 26. Drowned in stream/slide; Harry Engols, ~70.

Washington (0-1)
–1 Dec 16-23. Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 6, No. 12, December 1964, p. 122.
–0 Dec 28. UPI. “Twenty dead in northern California.” Redlands Daily Facts, 12-28-1964, p. 1.

Narrative Information — Multistate

Geological Survey: “The floods of December 1964 and January 1965 in the Far Western States were extreme; in many areas, the greatest in the history of recorded streamflow and substantially greater than those of December 1955. An unusually large area — Oregon, most of Idaho, northern California, southern Washington, and small areas in western and northern Nevada was involved. It exceeded the area flooded in 1955. Outstanding features included record-breaking peak discharges, high sediment concentrations, large sediment loads, and extensive flood damage. The loss of 47 lives and direct property damage of more than $430 million was attributable to the floods. Yet, storage in reservoirs and operation of flood-control facilities were effective in preventing far greater damages in many areas, particularly in the Central Valley in California and the Willamette River basin in Oregon.

“The floods were caused by three principal storms during the period December 19 to January 31. The December 19-23 storm was the greatest in overall intensity and areal extent. Crests occurred on many major streams December 23, 1964, 9 years to the day after the great flood of December 23, 1955. The January 2-7 storm produced extreme floods in some basins in California. The
January 21-31 storm produced maximum stages in some streams in northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington and a repetition of high flows in part of the Willamette River basin and in some basins in coastal Oregon. All the storms, and particularly the warm torrential rain December 21-23, reflected the combined effect of moist unstable airmasses, strong west-southwest winds, and mountain ranges oriented nearly at right angles to the flow of air. High air temperatures and strong winds associated with the storms caused melting of snow, and the meltwater augmented the rain that fell on frozen ground. The coastal areas of northern California and southern Oregon had measurable rain on as many as 50 days in December and January. A maximum precipitation of nearly 69 inches in the 2-month period was recorded in southern Oregon, and recorded runoff at several streamflow-measurement stations indicates that greater precipitation probably occurred at higher altitudes in these areas. [A1]

“Flood runoff in streams, not affected by regulation, exceeded any previously recorded throughout much of the area. Some streams that had particularly notable floods are: Deep and Plush Creeks in the Great Basin in Oregon, where the maximum flows were nearly twice those of the record floods of 1963; Thomes Creek, a west-side Sacramento River tributary in the Central Valley, where the maximum flow was 160 percent of the record peak of 1955; Eel, Klamath, and Smith Rivers in north-coastal California, where the catastrophic peak flows were about 1-1/3 times the floods of 1955 and the legendary winter floods of 1861-62 and inundated, damaged, or destroyed nearly all communities along the main rivers; Grande Ronde River in the lower Snake River basin, where the peak discharge at La Grande was 1.6 times the previous maximum flow during 57 years of record; John Day River in the lower Columbia River basin, where the peak discharge at the McDonald Ferry gaging station exceeded the historic peak of 1894; many Willamette River tributaries, where maximum flows exceeded previous record flows; and the Rogue River in coastal Oregon, where the maximum flow of about 500,000 cfs below the Illinois River near Agness was 86,000 cfs greater than the previous maximum in a 74-year record. The partly regulated flow of the Willamette River far exceeded that in 1955. [A2]

Newspapers (multi-state coverage):

Dec 23: By The Associated Press. Gale-whipped torrential rains from the Pacific lashed California, Oregon, Idaho and Nevada today for the third straight day, endangering scores of cities and towns and threatening to force evacuation of a city of 11,000.

“The Christmastime deluge has killed six persons….” (Associated Press. “Rains Lash Coast Area.” Daily Chronicle, Centralia-Chehalis WA, 12-23-1964, p. 1.)

Dec 26, AP/Humboldt Times: “San Francisco (AP) – Flood waters which have caused more than 40 deaths and property damage in the millions of dollars for six days in the Far West posed their greatest peril Friday night [Dec 25] at Portland, Ore. The business district in that city of 373,000 was in danger; its railroad station was closed; its main rail and highway links north were cut.

“To the south, in storm-battered northwestern California, the aircraft carrier Bennington arrived off Eureka, Calif. With 20 Marine helicopters, five doctors and medical supplies for 1,000 patients. The helicopters joined as many more of the Army, Navy and private firms struggling through fog and rain to aid the sick and homeless. One sought to get a doctor to a man with a broken back. Another warship, a destroyer, unloaded enough food in the area Friday to serve flood victims 30,000 meals.

“At Portland, the swollen Willamette River, 12 feet above flood stage for lowland areas, actually rose above the main seawall protecting the business district for more than a mile of the river’s length. Only an additional concrete barrier, three feet high and six inches thick, stood between the roiling waters and Portland’s downtown area. The wat4r level was less than two feet from the top of that barrier. And anxious citizens were told it would be at least another 24 hours before they could know if the danger was past.

“In Oregon, a workman trying to clear away a log was swept over a Deschutes River dam to probable death.

“Government agencies and the Red Cross spurred a massive relief effort to aid 30,000 affected families in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Nevada. The Red Cross cared for more than 3,500 refugees at California and Oregon shelters….” (Associated Press. “Business District of Portland May Be Flooded.” Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA. 12-26-1964, p. 1.)

Dec 26, Associated Press: “San Francisco (AP) — A windstorm brushed flood-threatened Portland, Ore., today but sturdy dikes holding back the Willamette and Columbia rivers held fast. The winds, with gusts up to 45 miles an hour, moved on inland. The rain-swollen rivers had subsided slightly during the night.

“Rain lessened or stopped in water-logged Northern California. Clouds lifted to 3,000 feet and Civil Defense officials in hard-hit Humboldt County sent helicopters on rescue missions….

“The death toll stood at more than 40 in the Far West five-state flood plague. More than 14,000 persons were homeless and property damage was estimated in the millions of dollars….More than 7,000 persons were homeless in Oregon….

“Seven physicians in the Eureka area worked 12-hour shifts in helicopters taking injured victims and bodies from the stricken 70-square mile district….” (Associated Press. “Dikes Hold. Windstorm Lashes Portland.” The Daily Chronicle, Centralia-Chehalis, WA, 12-26-1964, p. 1.)

Dec 27, Associated Press: “Portland, Ore. (AP) — The threat of a major flood disaster in the heart of Portland eased Saturday as the crest of the great Christmas flood rolled down the Columbia River toward the open sea.

“Northern California began to count a staggering damage from floods. A 3,000-mile area still was isolated, but the flooding waters subsided.

“Rescue workers in Idaho were mending road washouts to reach some 300 stranded persons, and Washington’s beleaguered highway traffic began to return to normal….

“California: A ground party reached the wreckage of a Coast Guard helicopter which crashed Tuesday [Dec 22]. There were no survivors among the seven persons aboard.

Dec 28, United Press International: “California — Twenty dead, including 11 in two helicopter crashes. Fourteen northern counties declared disaster areas. Red Cross said 8,617 families suffered losses to homes, farms or businesses. Sixty highway bridges destroyed or damaged. Towns along Eel River in Humboldt County hardest hit.

“Oregon — Seventeen dead. More than 8,500 families suffered flood losses. Damage estimated at between $125 million and $150 million. Twenty-eight bridges washed out. Gov. Mark Hatfield calls floods Oregon’s greatest natural disaster.

“Idaho — Two dead. Total damage expected to exceed $1 million, including $200,000 damage to roads and highways. Dozen bridges destroyed in Shoshone County alone, 365 homes and businesses damaged.

“Nevada — One dead. Truckee River flooded low-lying areas but dramatic weather changes prevented repetition of destructive 1955 and 1963 floods.

“Washington — No flood deaths, although 17 died in accidents attributed to heavy snowfall in eight days before flooding began. Minor flooding in Spokane and Seattle. Damage unofficially estimated at $4 million.” (UPI. “Twenty dead in northern California.” Redlands Daily Facts, 12-28-1964, p. 1.)

Dec 29, Associated Press: “San Francisco (AP) — A mighty force of men and machines shouldered the task today of cleaning up after the West’s Christmas week floods, called by the governor of California ‘a major American disaster.’….

“Roughly the northern third of California, all Oregon and 14 counties in Washington had been declared a disaster area, enabling the region to receive special government assistance….

“The Red Cross estimated that more than 8,000 persons were driven out of their homes in Oregon. The flooding took 18 lives. However, the waters fell quickly when the rain stopped….

“Flood damage in Nevada’s Douglas County was estimated at $3 million by Leroy Wilcox, director of emergency planning for the state Civil Defense agency….

“Nineteen have died in the California floods so far, with some of the hardest-hit areas still unheard from and unable to be reached.” (Associated Press. “In flooded areas. Begin tremendous clean-up job.” Port Angeles Evening News, WA, 12-29-1964, p. 1.)

Dec 30, Associated Press: “San Francisco (AP) — The Far West’s ‘flood of a thousand years’ entered the recovery stage today as 15,000 homeless families and hundreds of stricken farms and businesses dug out from nature’s $1 billion blow. ‘As far as the real emergency — that’s over, right now,’ said Jim Morrison, Civil Defense spokesman at Eureka, Calif., in hard-hit Humboldt County. The report was identical in the five flood-distressed states of California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Nevada….

“The flood, described by Department of Interior water specialists as probably the greatest ever experienced in the West, caused 19 known deaths in California and 18 in Oregon….” (Assoc. Press. “Flood zones enter recovery stage.” Port Angeles Evening News, WA, 12-30-1964, p. 1.)

California

Odegard: “What happened was the Christmas Flood of 1964, one of the worst natural disasters in the state’s history. Eighteen Oregonians died in the flood, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. That macabre tally includes an Albany woman who was swept away and drowned after her car stalled in high water.

“About 20 Californians, two people in Idaho and one Nevada resident also perished in the storm, according to newspaper accounts….” (Odegard, Kyle. “Remembering the Christmas Flood of 1964.” Albany Democrat-Herald, OR, 12-24-2014.)

NOAA: “12 [Dec]. 1964. 40 dead from flooding in LA and Orange Counties.” (NOAA, A History of Significant Weather Events in Southern California Organized by Weather Type, p.25.)

Paulson: “Exceptionally large flood peaks were recorded on rivers in north-coastal California. On December 23, 1964, peak discharges of the Eel River at Scotia, the Klamath River at Klamath, and the Smith River near Crescent City were 30-40 percent greater than the 1955 peaks and exceeded flood stages of the 1861-62 floods. The peak discharge of the Salmon River at Somes Bar had a recurrence interval that exceeded 100 years. Botanic and geomorphic evidence indicates that floods exceeding the magnitude of the December 1964 floods may not have occurred since about 1600 (Helley and LaMarche, 1973) . Bridges on every major stream were destroyed. Along the Eel River, flood levels were 10 to 14 feet higher than during the previous peak discharge of record in December 1955. Several towns along the Eel and Klamath Rivers were totally destroyed. Twenty-four lives were lost in north-coastal California, and flood damage was about $195 million 1.5 times the loss in the same region caused by the December 1955 floods. Total damage for the State was estimated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1965 a,b) at $239 million.” (Paulson, et al.)

Weather Bureau. Storm Data: “Northern California. 18-31 [Dec]…18 [killed]…Floods.

“Heavy rains last half of December caused severe flooding on streams draining north coast and northern Sierras. New record stream heights and discharges established. For details see Climatological Data, California, December 1964.” (Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 6, No. 12, December 1964, p. 118.)

California Newspapers (Chronological)

Dec 21, 1964, Humboldt Standard: “Gale-force winds and torrential rains wrought havoc throughout Humboldt County last night, heading the swollen Eel River toward five feet above flood state by midnight tonight and closing Highway 101 between Garberville and Piercy. Several county roads and some communications also are out.

“Water was eight inches over the Fish Creek Bridge near Benbow on Redwood Highway 101 this morning at 11:30 o’clock. From Eric Denton at the scene came this terse quote: ‘Eel River is only a little over four feet below the big 1955 flood and appears to be rising a foot an hour at this time.’

“All rivers in Humboldt, Del Nort and Mendocino counties were still rising swiftly today, with rain still falling over the entire area between Crescent City and San Francisco and a heavy run-off from the hills, the U.S. Weather Bureau here reported. Chief meteorologist Ivan Anderson said the Eel is expected to reach the 17-foot flood stage by five o’clock this afternoon and 22 feet by midnight.

“On the eve of the anniversary of the disastrous 1955 flood which wiped out five Humboldt County communities and most of the town of Klamath, ranchers in the Ferndale lowlands were being advised to remove all livestock and machinery to high ground at once….

“The Van Duzen river already has flooded in the upstream areas and is adding to the load of the Eel…Mad River is expected to flood in the lower areas this afternoon.. Thousands of acres will be inundated, Andersons said. The Klamath river also is high and rising but no immediate danger exists…The Smith River, north of Crescent City, reached the 32-foot mark at noon today at the Dr. Fine bridge on Highway 101, with flooding in the downstream areas.

“Albert Nichols…custodian at Ruth Dam, reported more than five inches of rain there in 24 hours with three and one-half inches at Garberville. All areas of the county are close to those figures, Anderson reported. Other reports said Cedar Creek also is raging….” (Humboldt Standard, Eureka, CA. “Eel River Flood Warnings; Highway 101 South Closed.” 12-21-1964, 1.)

Dec 22, Associated Press: “By the Associated Press. More than 2,000 persons were evacuated from their stricken homes in communities in northern California during the night as more heavy rain swept areas in the Far West. Rain and strong winds also lashed sections of Oregon and Washington and 50 families near Portland were forced to leave their homes.

“About 800 residents of Orrick, Calif., 45 miles north of Eureka, were forced from their homes as Redwood Creek, a normally placid stream, inundated the community. All highways leading into the town were flooded. Earlier more than 1,300 persons were evacuated from their homes in communities in the Eel River Valley in northern California.

“Some 600 residents in the summer resort town of Weott, Calif., 50 miles south of Eureka, fled their homes as the Eel River rose toward a record crest. The community was under five feet of water. Weather Bureau officials predicted the river would reach 27 feet, nearly 10 feet above flood level. That mark was reached in the disastrous floods in northern California in 1955.

“The Humboldt County sheriff’s office, which reported the evacuations, also said 400 residents fled their homes in Pepperwood and about 300 persons were removed from Myers Flat. Phillipsville, a town of 150 residents south of Myers Flat, was isolated….” (AP. “Rain, Floods Lash Coast.” Daily Chronicle, Centralia-Chehalis, WA, 12-22-1964, p. 1.)

Dec 22, Humboldt Standard: “Flood and gale stricken Humboldt County appeared headed for further disaster this afternoon as the swollen rivers and streams continue to rise, a high ocean tide due to back up the torrents at mid-afternoon, and a new storm on the way. The Eel River at 10:45 a.m. was just under 27 feet, ten-feet over flood stage. Most low-lying areas were evacuated during the night or were being evacuated today, but some sectors are totally inaccessible due to the volume and swiftness of the flood. There is no known loss of human life, but a number of persons are stranded, especially in the Eel River delta area and at Starvation Flat of Carlotta….

“Areas south of Fortuna flooded today when waters from the Van Duzen and Eel Rivers broke through rip-rap at the south end of the main Sandy Prairie Dike….” (Humboldt Standard, Eureka, CA. “Eel River Still Rising as Entire Area Fights Flood.” 12-22-1964, p. 1.)

Dec 22, Humboldt Times: “The Humboldt County sheriff’s office reported at midnight last night that Phillipsville was completely isolated by Eel River flood waters which blocked off roads to both the north and the south. Wcott was reported completely evacuated and portions of the town were under five feet of water. Several houses at Myers Flat and Pepperwood were reported swept down river….

“The Eel River was expected to crest at 25 feet at Fernbridge during the early morning hours…A 25-foot crest is just two feet below the mark the Eel reached when it went on the disastrous flooding rampage of 1955.

“In Eureka, Robertson [Humboldt County civil defense director] said that he was requesting that Sacramento declare a state of disaster here.

“The flooding was the product of a storm driven by gale force winds which buffeted the Northern California and Oregon coast yesterday, dropping three to fierce inches of rain. Another storm, which promises to be equally violent, is due in the area today, according to U.S. Weather Bureau office in Eureka….” (Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA. “Hundreds Flee Eel Flood!” 12-22-1964, p.1.)

Dec 23, Humboldt Times: “Northern California’s rivers continued to run rampant yesterday, visiting death, destruction and heartbreak wherever they rage. Humboldt, Del Norte, Shasta and Mendocino counties have all been declared state disaster areas by Governor Edmund G. Brown.

“The Humboldt County sheriff’s office and the U.S. Coast Guard here last night were searching for an Army helicopter which was reported missing on a flight from Trinidad to Ferndale. A crew of three was believed aboard.

“In Orleans, sheriff’s deputy Harry Seward reported the death of John Butler, 62, who disappeared when a road collapsed beneath his jeep – tossing him into the torrential Klamath River….

“The Eel River was due to hit 29.5 feet at Fernbridge early this morning. Its high mark in 1955 was 27 feet.

“These communities were reported completely evacuated and most of them are now under water: Orick, Shively, Pepperwood, Myers Flat, Miranda, Phillipsville, Alton, Metropolitan, Stafford, Holmes, and parts of Rio Dell and Klamath Glen….

“Humboldt was completely isolated North, South and East as flood waters, rock slides and cave-ins severed U.S. Highways 299 and 101. Charles Snyder of the state Division of Highways said last night that ‘nobody’ will get in or out of Humboldt County by road before Christmas.’….

“Nine county bridges collapsed into the boiling flood waters yesterday. Among them were the important links Dyerville and south Scotia. Authorities feared the loss of the Rio Dell-Scotia Bridge and Fernbridge Bridge during the night. The Rio-Dell Bridge was described as ‘swaying.’

“The Scotia-Rio Dell bridge was reported taking a pummeling after a log deck containing 30 million board feet of logs broke at the Pacific Lumber Company plant at Scotia…..” (Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA. “Copter with 3 Missing; Rivers at All-Time Peak.” 12-23-1964, 1.)

Dec 24, Humboldt Times: “Flood-ravaged Humboldt County, still reeling under a three-day onslaught of the worst and most damaging catastrophe in local history, last night faced the heart-rending threat that there is still more to come as the Civil Defense Control Center in Eureka received reports of water risings anew in at least two of the area’s major rivers. Shortly after 10 p.m., the center began receiving word that there was a new and heavy rainfall underway at Alderpoint and the Eel River there was rising again. This was at 10:39 p.m. and at 10:45, the Fernbridge measuring station supported the initial report with a message that the river was on the rise again there after a recession recorded earlier in the day. At 11:06 p.m., the control center received word from Leggett where a steady rise in the river had been recorded over the previous two hour. A power failure was also reported at Leggett. The report from Mad River at 11:15 p.m. said initially that the river was rising again and another call at 11:30 p.m. disclosed that a rise of six inches had been recorded between 9:30 p.m. and 11:05 p.m. ….” (Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA. “Rivers Rise Anew As More Rains Fall in Mountains.” 12-24-1964, p. 1.)

Dec 24, Humboldt Times: “Crescent City (Del Norte Co.) – Crescent City remained cut off from most of the world Wednesday with 600 feet of the Klamath River Bridge gone, as well as Bridge 110 just north of Gasquet and one at Patrick’s Creek on Highway 199. Only the Coast Highway 101 remained open, according to latest reports, to Reedsport, Ore.

“The town of Klamath was almost obliterated.

“The beaches of the ocean are choked with logs washed down the Smith and Klamath Rivers. Mixed with logs are tires, oil barrels, sections of houses and other disaster debris…” (Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA. “Little Left of Klamath; Bridge Out.” 12-24-1964, p. 1.)

Dec 24, Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA: “President Johnson was expected to sign the declaration, late last night, which would establish Humboldt, Del Norte, Mendocino and other North Coast counties as major disaster areas….

“….the USS Bennington …Navy aircraft carrier…is expected to arrive here Christmas morning to assist in rescue and relief operations in the stricken flood areas. The Bennington will bring at least 16 helicopters, medicine, food and other supplies.” (Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA. “LBJ To Designate Coastal Region US Disaster Area.” 12-24-1964, p. 1.)

Dec 25, Humboldt Standard, Eureka, CA: “The Christmas skies of southern Humboldt County today are alive with reportedly more than two dozen military and private helicopters bringing food, clothing, medicines and other vital supplies to thousands of persons cut off from the outside world by the worst disaster ever to strike Northern California.

“The northern sector was blanketed to zero-zero visibility at McKinleyville airport and little better at Murray Field in Eureka and relief aircraft for the Willow Creek, Hoopa, Orleans and Klamath areas faced delays. Sheriff William Pederson said, however, that there are hopes of getting three of the copters in these areas by 11 a.m. ….

“More than twenty helicopters from the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Bennington were ordered to leave the ship at sea before it arrives off the local coast today to save time and expedite the mercy missions. Six of the big aircraft which arrived here late yesterday were loaded at McKinleyville and Murray Field during the night by civilian volunteers summoned by Civil Defense radio broadcasts and were reportedly in action before the foul weather resume. The turbo-jet copers are capable of carrying ten persons and 2,000 pounds of cargo each. In addition, a number of smaller private whirlybirds are in the southern sector. They presumably are from the Redding area….

“In addition, the Navy destroyer-escort USS Walton was due to arrive at Fields Landing at mid-morning and was seven miles offshore at ten o’clock. The U.S. Coast Guard at Fairhaven at that time reported the bar passable. The Walton is carrying Red Cross personnel and supplies, including medicines, ordered by the Commanding General of the Sixth Army in San Francisco….

“Residents of the Arcata area have been warned by Civil Defense medical officials to boil all drinking water before use due to probable contamination….

“Civil Defense authorities also issued a warning to all persons not to butcher any of the dead ranch animals which littered the ocean beaches from below the mouth of Eel River to Trinidad for health reasons – and possibly life itself.

“All streams are reported still receding slowly despite continuing rains, and search and rescue operations continued throughout the night via four-wheel drive vehicles, boats and on foot….

“Fortuna is reported glutted with relief clothing and needs no more, according to authorities there.

“There is an urgent need for sleeping space for refugees in the Garberville-Redway areas, which also need clothing and blankets. The Bennington is reported to be bringing in 1,000 of the later. Boots, shoes and rain gear are also especially needed…” (Humboldt Standard, Eureka, CA. “Rescue Mission. U.S. Navy Destroyer Here; Carrier Bennington Coming.” 12-25-1964, p. 1.)

Dec 26, Humboldt Times: “San Francisco (AP) – The Coast Guard said Friday it now appears there were six instead of three persons aboard its helicopter which crashed Tuesday during flood rescue work in northwestern California. All were feared dead. The Coast Guard was advised that the copter’s three-man crew picked up two women and a girl shortly before it smashed into a remote wilderness sector north of Arcata. At the time, it was being guided by radar through fog and rain toward an airstrip.

“The amphibious single-turbined copter vanished Tuesday. The wreckage was sighted Wednesday, with no sign of life, but the rugged terrain has defied efforts of ground searchers to reach the spot.

“The women, Betty Kempf and Marie Bahnsen, and Mrs. Kempf’s daughter, Melanie, 20 months old, were plucked from a flooded home near Ferndale on Tuesday….” (Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA. “CG Says 6 Were on Crashed Copter. Two Women, Baby Girl Feared Dead.” 12-26-1964, 1.)

Dec 26, Humboldt Times: “A man and a black dog were spotted coming down the middle of the flood-swollen Eel River on a log Tuesday morning about a mile north of Shively. Four witnesses reported seeing the man, who was straddling the log and yelling for help. No one was able to aid him. ‘I don’t think he had a ghost of a chance to make it to shore,’ [said one witness].” (Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA. “Man Spotted on Log in Flooding Eel.” 12-26-1964, p. 1.)

Dec 27, Humboldt Standard: “Four feared dead in U.S. Marine helicopter crash at McCann. Pilot, Marine Capt. Richard Gleason of Tustin escapes; rescued after two hours in river, Ervin (Bunny) Hadley, Eureka businessman, Civil Air Patrol squadron commander, aboard, serving as guide.

“Howard Carter Jr., 29, Crescent City, believed dead after Caterpillar tractor he was operating in rescue work in Big Flat area on Christmas day, buried beneath a slide.

“Survey reveals at least 100 homes destroyed in Hoopa area….Sixty-eight persons reported homeless in Shively. 34 helicopters taking aid to stricken area.

“Charles Flockhart, about 60, believed victim of slide at East Fork, six miles west of Willow Creek.” (Humboldt Standard, Eureka, CA. “The One Thousand Year Flood. Chronology – Flood Havoc To Break-through.” Feb 15-16, 1965, p. 3.)

Dec 28, Humboldt Standard: “Monday, December 28
“Search underway for personnel aboard missing U.S. Marine helicopter at McCann. Missing are: 1st. Lt. William Arbogast, Santa Ana; crew chief, Corporal Joseph Wallace Binkley, 23, Torrance; Navy man, Photographer’s Mate 1-C Alonzo A Slaughter, 31, Long Beach; and CAP [Civil Air Patrol] Squadron Commander Ervin Hadley, Eureka.

“Governor Edmund G. Brown arrives in driving sleet storm at Arcata-Eureka airport to conduct tour of Humboldt-Del Norte disaster area. Shocked, he says it is a once in a ‘thousand year flood.’” (Humboldt Standard, Eureka, CA. “The One Thousand Year Flood. Chronology – Flood Havoc To Break-through.” Feb 15-16, 1965, p. 3.)

Jan 1, 1965, Humboldt Times: “California’s flood-ravaged coastal section merged from an overnight and morning snow storm just before noon yesterday to find itself beset by the threat of a new flood in Del Norte County and the problem of supplying starving cattle.

“The death toll in Humboldt and Del Norte counties rose to 22 after reports reached here that three more persons are feared lost at Willow Creek, where two homes and a trailer house last week were buried by a landslide and then swept away by flooding waters of Willow Creek. The missing were identified by a resident…as Charles Flockhart, Sara Cash and Louie Main….” (Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA. “Two County Death Toll Rises to 22 as Three More Are Feared Lost.” 1-1-1965, p. 1.)

Jan 2, 1965, Humboldt Standard: “Saturday, January 2
“Flood death toll up to 24, when Yvonne Marie Cavan, 9-year-old Orick child is killed instantly by a dump truck doing relief-work. Red Cross worker, Paul Richard Gillis, 40, Tarzana, cut to death by the blades of a helicopter at Happy Camp….” (Humboldt Standard, Eureka, CA. “The One Thousand Year Flood. Chronology – Flood Havoc To Break-through.” Feb 15-16, 1965, 3.)

Jan 23, 1965, Humboldt Times: “The mangled body of a woman in her 40.s, believed to be Sara Cash, was found yesterday afternoon as men from the sheriff’s office dug into a massive pile of Christmas week flood debris near an old lumber mill five miles west of Willow Creek.

“Two more bodies, those of Lou Maines, about 45, and Charles Flockhart, about 55, are believed still buried under the mound of silt and logs which in some places reaches a depth of 30 feet. All three disappeared when two houses and a trailer house were completely buried in a massive landslide set off by flood rains.

“Three men yesterday began excavating with a powerful earth load4r. They will continue their search today for the missing two.

“Sheriff’s deputy Glenn Ragon told last night of finding the woman’s body some eight feet down in the rubble. He said identification in two purses, recovered from near the body, bore the name of Sara Cash.

“Pieces of Sara Cash’s house trailer also were sorted out. Ragon said the dwelling was shattered by the tide of logs and silt which swept down upon it. ‘The logs literally swept away the top of the trailer from the floor up – including all the furniture and inhabitants,’ Ragon said. Maines and Flockhart may have left their nearby houses to take refuge in the trailer house before the devastating landslide.

“Ragon said it would take about two more days to sift through the rest of the debris near the site of the old DeRossett mill….” (Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA. “Find Body of Flood Victim at East Fork.” 1-23-1965, p. 1.)

June 1, Humboldt Times: “Two male bodies, both discovered by fishermen over the weekend, have been positively identified as that of Humboldt County December flood victims. The first body, discovered Saturday in the Van Duzen River, about five miles west of Dinsmore, was identified late Sunday afternoon through dental charges as that of Lee Smalley, 23, of the 15th Corps, U.S. Army, Presidio of San Francisco. Smalley and his mother, Mrs. Ruth Brawley, 60, secretary of the Bellvue School District of Santa Rosa, were lost December 22 when the pickup truck in which they were attempting to escape flood waters was engulfed in the Van Duzen. Her body has not yet been recovered.

“The second body was found Sunday beneath a 300-foot bluff, three miles west of Willow Creek…and has positively identified as that of Louis Harold Main, 41, of that community. Main was one of three missing since the flood and a landslide carried away three cabins and a trailer at the old DeRossett mill site of East Fork, six miles west of Willow Creek. He was identified by a deformity in his back.

“The only other missing person from that tragedy is Charles Flockhart….” (Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA. “Two Bodies Positively Identified.” 6-1-1965, p. 1.)

Oregon

Burt and Stroud: “On December 18, 1964, a powerful Pacific storm roared ashore in Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. Record snowfalls fell at low levels, with five to 10 feet accumulating at the higher elevations.

“The snow changed over to a torrential warm rain, with two months’ worth falling in just five days and melting the snow at even the highest elevations. Government Camp at 3,900 feet in the Oregon Cascades saw a 55” snowpack reduced to 6” in just 48 hours. Eugene received 10.3” of rainfall in four days, and totals in the coastal hills and Cascades were at least double that.

“Massive flooding resulted as the melted snow and heavy rains swelled the rivers of southern Oregon to their highest levels ever. The Willamette and Umpqua Rivers and all their tributaries went into extreme flood, some of them at levels 50% higher than ever recorded. Forty-seven people died and damage of $430 million was reported in southern Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and northern California.” (Burt and Stroud. Extreme Weather. 2004, 128.)

Dresbeck: “…the Christmas flood of 1964…was spawned by heavy snows in mid-December, which brought with them the hope of a white Christmas. These hopes were crushed by the Pineapple Express, which followed the snows with warm, saturating rain — inches and inches of it. Some places received the equivalent of a year’s worth of rain in just a few days….

“By the end of the flood, every river in Oregon was above flood stage, more than thirty major bridges across the state were unusable, thousands of people had been evacuated, and seventeen people had died….

“…in Portland, the lower deck of the Steel Bridge not only was underwater, but had also been hit by a 1,000-piece log raft. This mass of wood had broken from a larger log boom near Oregon City and sped off downstream, slamming into all the river bridges as it went. It damaged the Hawthorne Bridge, in the center of Portland, so much that it was closed for a year. In Portland the Willamette reached 29.8 feet — 12 feet above the flood stage….

“…all the east-west highways in the state were closed — each and every one….” (Dresbeck. Oregon Disasters: True Stories of Tragedy and Survival. 2006, pp. 90-91, 94, 96.)

KIVTV: “The December 1964 rainstorm was undoubtedly the most severe rainstorm to ever occur over central Oregon, and among the most severe over western Oregon since the late 1870s. Several observing stations across central Oregon recorded two-thirds of their normal annual rainfall in just 5 days. Scores of stations set new records for both 24-hour totals and December monthly rainfall totals. Widespread severe flooding occurred, with at least 30 major highway bridges receiving such damage as to make them unusable! The new John Day multi-million dollar bridge was destroyed as were scores of bridges on county and secondary roads. Hundreds of miles of roads and highways were washed out or badly damaged. Thousands of people had to be evacuated due to ensuing floods.

“The Willamette River at downtown Portland had a stage of 29.8 feet. This was a record high for the winter season, and was within inches of the peak stage during the Columbia River spring flood of 1948. Hundreds of homes and other buildings were destroyed and an even greater number were badly damaged. .Heavy snow followed by persistent heavy rains lead to record flooding in Oregon during the later half of December 1964 and January 1965. In all, 17 people died. Virtually every river in the state was far above flood stage and mudslides, bridge failures, and inundation closed the state’s roads, airports, and railways. Reservoirs were overwhelmed early on in the storm and many proved unable to release water fast enough to prevent overtopping. Dorena Dam, south of Eugene had water flowing over the top more than 8 feet deep.” (KIVTV. The Weather Expert. “Winter Weather Awareness – Winter Flooding.”)

National Weather Service, Portland, OR, Forecast Office: “5 [Fifth of ten Oregon “major weather events”]. Floods of December 1964 to January 1965

“The December 1964 rainstorm was undoubtedly the most severe rainstorm to ever occur over central Oregon, and among the most severe over western Oregon since the late 1870s. Several observing stations across central Oregon recorded two-thirds of their normal annual rainfall in just 5 days. Scores of stations set new records for both 24-hour totals and December monthly rainfall totals.

“Widespread severe flooding occurred, with at least 30 major highway bridges receiving such damage as to make them unusable! The new John Day multi-million dollar bridge was destroyed as were scores of bridges on county and secondary roads. Hundreds of miles of roads and highways were washed out or badly damaged. Thousands of people had to be evacuated due to ensuing floods. The Willamette River at downtown Portland had a stage of 29.8 feet. This was a record high for the winter season, and was within inches of the peak stage during the Columbia River spring flood of 1948.

“Hundreds of homes and other buildings were destroyed and an even greater number were badly damaged. Heavy snow followed by persistent heavy rains lead to record flooding in Oregon during the later half of December 1964 and January 1965. In all, 17 people died. Virtually every river in the state was far above flood stage and mudslides, bridge failures, and inundation closed the state’s roads, airports, and railways. Reservoirs were overwhelmed early on in the storm and many proved unable to release water fast enough to prevent overtopping. Dorena Dam, south of Eugene had water flowing over the top more than 8 feet deep.” (National Weather Service Forecast Office, Portland, OR. Oregon’s Top 10 Weather Events of 1900s.)

Sullivan: “….The 1964 flood destroyed 33 highway bridges…it also washed out many railroad lines….The 1964 flood damaged every county in Oregon. A foot of water poured through the streets of Condon, an eastern Oregon city that is not in a canyon and really shouldn’t flood at all. The town of Mitchell, no stranger to flooding, was cut off from the world for days. Near Medford, half a dozen bridges washed out along the Rogue River….Throughout Oregon, 570 homes had been destroyed….

“Planners considered the Christmas Week Flood a ‘100-year event’ because it rivaled the flood of 1861 as the largest in Oregon’s recorded history. One important difference between the two events was the network of dams that had been build on the Willamette and Columbia river systems in the intervening century….the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimated that the dams lowered the 1964 floodcrest in Eugene by 14.8 feet, in Salem by 7.5 feet, and in Portland by 4.5 feet….” (Sullivan. Oregon’s Greatest Natural Disasters. 2008, pp. 139-141.)

Newspapers– Oregon:

Dec 23, Associated Press: “By The Associated Press. Oregon flood waters, which killed four persons Tuesday [Dec 22] and engulfed thousands of homes, crept into Salem today and force evacuation of a hospital. The Weather Bureau said serious flooding would spread in the state as rainfall continued at a slackened pace. Gov. Mark Hatfield said flood-control dams were filling rapidly. The flooding Mill Creek endangered Salem Memorial Hospital while the rest of the city braced for the flood crest of the Willamette River. Some 50 patients were taken home and 50 others were taken to Salem General Hospital, the only other hospital in Oregon’s third largest city. While sandbags were used in an attempt to save the hospital, cars from the state motor pool helped move patients.

“These other flood problems developed today: Water undermined piers of the bridge on Interstate 5 over the Santiam River, forcing closure of the span.

“State police said an automobile crashed through a barrier near the fallen John Day Bridge over the Columbia River in northeastern Oregon. There was no immediate word on whether anyone was hurt.

“A 10-inch gas main went out at the town of Rogue River, cutting off service to seven communities, including Medford….

“…in Jackson County…all of the bridges on the Rogue River were being washed out. The Shady Cove bridge on Oregon 62 and the Gold Ray bridge both went out. Dodge Bridge in the Medford area was sinking. The Rogue River stood more than 12 feet above flood stage at both Medford and Grants Pass. Dozens of homes in the Grants Pass outlying areas were flooded. Some 626 commercial bus passengers in Medford were stranded. Many got motel and hotel accommodations, but others slept in the depot. The tows of Hold Hill and Sams Valley were without electric power. Since bridges were out, repairmen could not get through….

“In the Portland area, several Willamette River houseboats broke loose from their moorings. High water flooded Oaks Park. Radio station KLIQ planned to go off the air because of a flooded transmitter room.

“All Lane County schools were closed, except for those in Eugene.

“The city of Cascade Locks was without drinking water as flood waters followed several days of blizzard-like conditions.

“However, those reports merely sampled the flood developments in the state. Reports of bridges in danger, families being evacuated and new flooding conditions continued to stream in.

“Getting through Oregon was tough. You could do it by air, but not on the ground. Rail lines were blocked by slides and washouts, and so were all highways….

“One man lost his life Tuesday as raging water’s tore down a central span of a year-old $2.4 million bridge over the John Day River where it enters the Columbia River in north central Oregon.” (Associated Press. “Oregon Hit Hardest by NW Floods.” Daily Chronicle, Centralia-Chehalis, WA, 12-23-1964, p. 1.)

Dec 23, Heppner Gazette-Times: “Morrow county [OR] was reeling Wednesday [Dec 23] from its share of damage from floods that ravaged the state in what Governor Mark Hatfield called the worst general disaster ever to hit Oregon. Rampaging waters that surged down creeks and canyons, after warm rains melted heavy coatings of ice and snow, ripped out roads, carried away bridges, flooded the city of Ione, surrounded farm homes, washed away tons of topsoil from farmlands and deposited heavy layers of silt, muck and debris in many places….

“…Ione took a terrific one-two punch, first getting an onslaught of heavy runoff down Rietmann canyon that flooded business building and made a river out of the main street. Then surging Willow creek, raging with a torrent from Rhea Creek, overflowed its banks and threatened homes and surrounded the schools with water 18 inches deep.

“Roads were out and blocked over most parts of the county with water at one time estimated at 10 feet deep over the Willow Creek highway at the Ione substation. The highway to Pendleton via Butter Creek was cut off with a culvert out, and the Willow Creek highway was reported closed from washouts in the Cecil area. At one time water was reported six feet deep at McNab. The Willow Creek from Heppner towards Cutsforth Park was out with a washout above the Florence place, the highway to Condon was out with a bridge apparently out at Rock Creek….As of noon Wednesday the only apparent way out of Heppner was via Pilot Rock to Pendleton. The Butter Creek bridge near the Randall Martin place was reported awash….” (Heppner Gazette-Times, OR. “County Reels from Flooding.” 12-24-1964, p. 1.)

Dec 24: “By The Associated Press. Oregon, with 10 persons killed by the worst flood in its history, and thousands more chased from their homes by wild, high waters, entered its third day of crisis today with little relief in sight. G. Mark Hatfield said the state ‘still faces a critical time in the next 24 to 36 hours.’….” (Associated Press. “Death toll to 10 in flood area.” Port Angeles Evening News, WA, 12-24-1964, p. 1.)

Dec 24: “Portland (UPI) — Thousands of flooded-out Oregonians prepared today for a bleak Christmas as the mighty Willamette River passed record levels near Portland. All flooded areas of the state today were declared disaster areas by the Small Business Administration in Washington, D.C.

“Tension mounted in Portland as a crest of 28 feet, 10 feet above flood stage, was forecast for Christmas morning. There already had been damage to waterfront property. At Oregon City below the falls the Willamette was a record 17 feet above flood stage this morning and was expected to go 2.5 feet higher by Friday.

“Twelve persons were known dead as floodwaters washed away homes and roads and crippled travel and communications.

“Highway Engineer Forrest Cooper said 28 highway bridges were out. He estimated damage to highways in excess of $10 million. Cooper flew over the Willamette Valley Wednesday. “I saw hundreds of houses flooded in the valley – in cities and towns and isolated farms. You just can’t imagine how much water there is”.” (Medford Mail Tribune, OR. “Record Levels At Portland,” 12- 24-1964.)

Dec 31 OR Editorial: “It is pretty well established that the flood of December, 1964, is the worst in the state’s history from the standpoint of the general devastation done….” (Heppner Gazette-Times, OR. “The Flood of December, 1964,” 12-31-1964, p. 2.)

Washington

Weather Bureau: “A series of events, including a cold wave on the 16th and 17th, heavy snowfall from the 19th through 21st in all areas of the State, followed by a rapid rise in temperature and heavy rainfall across the southern section of the State on the 22nd and 23rd, resulted in extensive flood damage in southeastern counties and some losses near the Columbia River in western Washington. Highway and railroad bridges were washed out isolating some communities several days. An estimated ten homes were damaged extensively or destroyed, 40 received major damage and 190 others received minor damage when basements were flooded. Slides occurred in many areas.” (Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 6, No. 12, Dec 1964, p.122.)

Washington Newspaper:

Dec 23, Centralia-Chehalis Daily Chronicle: “By The Associated Press. Floods, washouts and slides plagued wide areas of Washington Wednesday, forcing upwards of 200 persons from their homes, closing highways and rail lines, and threatening buildings. Most of the trouble spots were in Eastern Washington, where balmy temperatures and heavy rain turned a record snowpack into a sea of slush that fed swollen creeks and rivers.

“The Northern Pacific line was blocked at Kiona, in Benton County. Passenger and freight trains were being detoured over the Milwaukee Road from Spokane. Buses handled train passengers in the Yakima Valley. The Spokane, Portland & Seattle line was closed between Patterson and Maryhill, along the Columbia River….

“Rampaging Asotin Creek drove about 100 townspeople from their homes in Asotin in southeast Washington. The small community of Rockford in southeast Spokane County was threatened by Rock Creek. And about 50 homes in Kennewick were abandoned as snow runoff from the hills surrounded them with high water.

“Water ran into the ground floor of the sandbagged Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Pasco, but no patients had to be evacuated.

“Road closures from high water or slides were widespread….” (Associated Press. “Scores Flee Rampaging High Water.” Daily Chronicle, Centralia-Chehalis, WA, 12-23-1964, p. 1.)

Sources

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