Title Christmas Day Flood aerial photographic collection Dates 1964-1965 (inclusive) 1964 1965 Quantity .45 cubic feet (725 photographs in 1 document case) Collection Number Org. Many of the streets of Rufus disappeared under avalanche of mud and boulders borne out of a canyon in hills south of town. Mud slides and water blocked Terwilliger Boulevard in Southwest Portland. Repository Oregon Historical Society Research Library 1200 SW Park Avenue Portland, OR 97205 Telephone: 503-306-5240 Fax: 503-219-2040 libreference@ohs.org Access Restrictions. 1964 Dogwood Ave was built in 1945 and last sold on September 19, 2017 for $55,000. near Elkton, the flood of December 1964 reached a stage 6.5 feet higher than the historic flood of 1861, which was equaled by the flood of December 1955. The State Highway Division contracted with loggers to remove the logs and other debris. This 100-year flood event caused an estimated $71 million in damages, with especially heavy agricultural losses to crops, livestock, and soil erosion. Most houses had 2 or 3 feet of water and days later, some were still deep in mud. The floating floor at the park's skating rink did survive nicely, however. The flood turned this farmland about 15 miles south of Salem into a lake for several days. The shopping center near the confluence of the Clackamas and Willamette rivers forms an island in flood waters. The road was under six feet of water, so boats belonging to Bob Taplin and Frank Corder took Fire Chief Dale Stockton and his crew out to the fire. The flood may have thus turned out to be a mixed blessing. 35: The Umpqua River is at flood stage. 26: The North Umpqua River is at flood stage. It was torn down in 1969 to make way for what has become Tom McCall Waterfront Park. After a devastating flood in 1964, a dike was constructed to protect the lower town. Bulldozers can be seen working to repair the damage. Joie Smith, right, provided pulling power on the temporary rigging. An unofficial measuring station at the Portland Police Bureau's Harbor Patrol statiion shows the depth of the Willamette reaching nearly 29 feet. Pictured here, Mrs. Darold Strean of Keizer sits among the few items she was able to salvage from her home after The 1964 Christmas Flood. Water was as much as 2 feet deep on South Broadway in downtown Coos Bay. Even free admission may not have been enough to attract visitors to Oaks Amusement Park during the flood. The following months, the City took a hard look at their own blighted and underutilized waterfront area, isolated for years from the rest of the community by a long dike wall built for flood protection in 1964 and began discussions on how to turn it around. The cable crossing was between Detroit and the Detroit Reservoir Dam. Deputy Bill Farr of the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office warned motorists away from a flooded area of Southeast 102nd Avenue and Foster Road. © 2021 Advance Local Media LLC. 111/18/1996 146,000 122.17 1>25 1 12/4/1996 27,500 17.2 <5 1/1/1997 31,700 18.45 <10 58,890 12/22/1964 60,200 Lot 16 Summary 725 black and white aerial photographs, 23 December 1964-16 January 1965, of rivers and cities affected by the Christmas Day flood in Oregon. Behind them is the old Public Market Building, which was home to the Oregon Journal. For several days, it was the only way to get across the river before U.S. 26 was reopened. Following a devastating flood in 1964, a dike was constructed to protect the lower town. The previous bridge was known locally as the Young’s Bay Bridge due … The post office was established July 17, 1912. At … Photos in this album illustrate the severity of the storm and encourage preparedness for the next big one... because, it's when, not if. Although the U.S. Forest Service maintains a local office in the town, Reedsport’s historic connection with the timber industry ended in 1999 with the closing of the International Paper plant in nearby Gardiner. Prior to the massive 1964 flood an arched timber truss bridge spanned the emerald colored waters of the North Umpqua River approximately 20 miles east of Roseburg off Oregon Highway 138. Reedsport was established on the estuary of the Umpqua River on January 7, 1852. Donna Bruce showed how ropes were used to help her neighbors out of trailer court alongside highway in Rufus. US Dept of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service Middle Atlantic RFC 328 Innovation Boulevard Suite 330 The flood in 1964 may have something to do with this. Station Name Flood Stage 1950 1955 1961 (February) 1961 (November) 1964 1965 1971 1974 1981 1983 1996 (November) 1996 (December) 1998 2005; South Umpqua River at Tiller That last occurred in 1964. An auto race track is at upper right. This aerial view shows entire neighborhoods that have been flooded by the Willamette River. This boxcar and cabboose were knocked off their tracks near the town of Biggs in the Columbia River Gorge. 1613 Umpqua Rd was built in 1964. Larry Larwood, 16, of Independence, indicates depth of crevasse that was caused by flood waters from the Willamette River. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! The Main Stem Umpqua and the South Fork get quite a bit of attention for Winter-Run Steelhead. The Umpqua River — in Douglas County, western Oregon. Many of Oregon’s flood records were set during the December 1964 and January 1965 “Christmas Flood.” Damage from this flood event totaled over $157 million dollars and twenty Oregonians lost their lives. A number of businesses catering to all-terrain vehicles have opened in Reedsport to serve the needs of this growing activity. Raging water in the John Day River undermined the footings of the new John Day River Bridge in the Columbia River Gorge. Flooding on November 18-19 was caused by heavy rains that fell on many locations throughout the Umpqua River Basin (table 1). An avalanche of rocks, logs and other debris smashed into the Harry Engle home at Wildcat Creek. The construction of the dam was delayed for months. (Record Group 95) 1870-1998 Overview of Records Locations Table of Contents 95.1 Administrative History 95.2 General Records of the Forest Service and its Predecessors 1882-1988 95.2.1 Records of the Office of the Chief of the Forest Service 95.2.2 Records of staff offices 95.2.3 Records of organizations that included Forest Service representatives 95.2.4 Miscellaneous records 95.3 … Greg Kurath, 12, a student at Tuality School, rowed his sister, Karen, 16, who attended Tigard High School, and Steven Von Hagen, 10, who attended Tualatin Grade School, across flooded Southwest Hazelbrook and Roy roads near Highway 99W. Rail yards in Northwest Portland were partially covered by flood waters from the Willamette River. Also visible is the Southern Pacific rail line. During this flood, the waters reached the fish hatchery and overflowed the fish troughs allowing hundreds of thousands of smallmouth bass to be introduced into the Umpqua River. Recovery costs ran into the multi-millions if not billions. Workers sandbag the harbor wall along the Willamette River in downtown Portland. Crews rebuild the approaches to the Zigzag River bridge near Rhododendron. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Umpqua Forks.jpg 3,684 × 1,247; 2.69 MB. Fifty years ago, weather conditions conspired to create what would become one of the most destructive events in the recorded history of the Pacific Northwest. A tangled mass of aluminum was all that remained of a big house trailer that was caught in flooding and a mudslide in the heart of Rufus. The Smallmouth Bass which was not a native to the Umpqua, has ironically become a summer favorite on the river. The Hawthorne Bridge and the Marquam Bridge -- still under construction -- can be seen in the background. Three people died as a result of the collapse of the bridge, which carried Interstate 80 North (now I-84). On the North Umpqua River the flood of 1964 was the highest since at least 1906, as shown by streainflow records at several sites from near the mouth to above Idleyld Park. Today, they are the most common fish in the river. Willamette Falls became Willamette Rapids during the 1964 Christmas Flood. Steve Wood, 16, son of North Wood, Salem, posted a "for sale" sign at the spot where the Willamette River washed away the family home, located in the suburb of Keizer. Now known as The 1964 Christmas Flood, it destroyed roads, homes and businesses and took at least 17 lives. The building of Southern Pacific Railroad lines extending south to Coos Bay led to the development of Reedsport. Homes and businesses along and near the Umpqua River near Scottsburg begin to flood. Based on Redfin's Reedsport data, we estimate the home's value is $102,552. Except for these ducks, no one was playing golf at Waverly Country Club. An abandoned Christmas tree can be seen on the front porch of this home in Rufus, one of the towns devastated by mudslides caused the intense rainfall during the 1964 Christmas Flood. Flowing between the Central and Southern Oregon Coast Ranges to the Pacific Ocean. The Christmas flood of 1964 was a major flood in the United States' Pacific Northwest and some of Northern California between December 18, 1964, and January 7, 1965, spanning the Christmas holiday. U.S. 30 through Biggs Junction in the Columbia River Gorge was impassable after flood waters knocked out this bridge. Parking area for Jantzen Beach Park is at upper left. A helicopter hovers over the west bank of the Willamette River near the Dunthorpe area between Lake Oswego and Portland. Many people who owned summer homes in the Rhododendron area returned to sights such as this in the days after water from The 1964 Christmas Flood turned the Zigzag River into a raging torrent. This 2,138 square foot house sits on a 4,791 square foot lot and features 3 bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms. Multnomah County deputies, Sea Scouts and Boy Scouts all work to help people whose homes were flooded near Southeast 101st Avenue and Foster Road. 1964 Dogwood Ave is a house in Reedsport, OR 97467. This photo of flooding along U.S. 99 West in Corvallis appeared in The Oregonian on Christmas Eve 1964. The Christmas flood of 1964 was driven by a series of storms, known as atmospheric rivers or “pineapple expresses,” that battered the region producing as much as 15 inches of rain in 24 hours at some locations. The high water destroyed municipal sewage plants and flooded out 300 houses in north Salem. The 100 year flood on the South Umpqua River is about 125,000 CFS. The flood caused water from the city’s fish hatcheries to overflow the fish troughs, which resulted in hundreds of thousands of small mouth bass being pushed into the Umpqua River. The late 19th century had seen boom times in Reedsport, with canneries, mills, hotels, banks, saloons and other businesses in old town before the 1964 flood and subsequent construction of … Even days after the worst of the flood, backwaters of the Tualatin River made going to school more of a chore for three youngsters south of Tigard. Lorraine Goodson, a cook at the Alpine Hut, crosses the Zigzag River in a cable hoist. Widespread low-land and agricultural flooding can be expected from Kellog through Elkton to Scottsburg. Considered a 100-year flood, it was the worst flood in recorded history on nearly every major stream and river in coastal Northern California and one of the worst to affect the Willamette River in Oregon. This 1,429 square foot house sits on a 4,356 square foot lot and features 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Expect low-land and agricultural flooding from the Kellog area through Elkton to Scottsburg. Dodge Bridge on Oregon 234, 15 miles north of Medford, was among five bridges knocked out or damaged by raging Rogue River in Jackson County. 725 black and white aerial photographs, 23 December 1964-16 January 1965, of rivers and cities affected by the Christmas Day flood in Oregon. Flooding also occurred in several other communities downstream of Portland/Vancouver … The driver of this car was among three people who died after the raging water in the John Day River undermined the footings of the new John Day River Bridge in the Columbia River Gorge. It also affected parts of southwest Washington, Idaho, and Nevada. y midNovember in 1964 plans were put on hold for the Christmas season as the rain-swollen North Umpqua River and its tributaries posed a flood threat. 1 14308000 South Umpqua River at Tiller 449 1911, 1940–2002 1 Flood events are the annual peaks for water year 1997. Logs and other debris fill North Cove, at Depoe Bay. During this flood, the waters reached the fish hatchery and overflowed the fish troughs allowing hundreds of thousands of small-mouth bass to be introduced into the Umpqua River.According to fishing reports small-mouth bass became the most abundant fish in the Umpqua River. Engel was last seen on the front porch when the slide hit. Oregon:  7,032, California:  5,090, Washington:  153, Idaho:  150, Oregon: $245 million, California: $200 million, Washington: $12 million, Idaho: $7.5 million, Eugene 22.6 feet (half foot below flood stage), Salem: 29.5 feet (1 ½ feet above flood stage), Portland: 29.8 feet  (12 feet above flood stage), Sources:  "Wild Water," by Ellis Lucia;  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Snow, then a warm rain combined for that flood event. Enter your email address to subscribe to this Reedsport.info and receive notifications of new posts by email. Supplies were moved by cable to Detroit and Idanha when Whitman Creek caused washouts and slides. In the last quarter of the 20th century, Reedsport struggled with the collapse of the Oregon timber industry. Interstate 5 can be seen under construction in this photo, which looks north along the east bank of the Willamette River. Fifty years ago, weather conditions conspired to create what would become one of the most destructive events in the recorded history of the Pacific Northwest. They are believed to have been washed accidentally from a nearby pond into the river during the flood of 1964 and the rest is history. The ramps near the bottom of the photo are those connecting to the Hawthorne Bridge while the Morrison Bridge and Burnside Bridge can be seen, in order, to the north. December 1964 flood. Before the post office was established in 1912, Reedsport was a camp for railroad construction workers. This car was abandoned along U.S. 101 near the Ben Russel Chevrolet dealership, just north of Tillamook. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/21). All rights reserved (About Us). Water was as deep as 15 feet along some parts of Washington Avenue in Oregon City. Christmas Flood of 1964 Fifty years ago the Pacific Northwest reeled under a storm event that caused massive flooding throughout the region, affecting thousands of lives. These homes in Wilsonville were flooded nearly to their roofs. A profile of the Umpqua River was computed for the 100- year flood adjusted for storage in the proposed Days Creek Lake on the South Umpqua River above Days Creek. The Santiam River chose a new channel during the flood and in the process wiped out a section of the North Santiam Highway about two miles east of Idanha. The bridge survived the flood, but its approaches were torn away. 1613 Umpqua Rd is a house in Woodburn, OR 97071. The Green Peter Dam was under construction at the time of the flood and damage to the project site was estimated at $1 million by the U.S. Army Engineers. In the last two decades, Reedsport has seen an increase of tourism. Water flows over the top of the harbor wall along the west shore of the Willamette River in downtown Portland. This house has been listed on Redfin since February 09, 2021 and is currently priced at $304,500. Dr. John Gerin, Newberg dentist, used a boat to inspect his house, threatened by the rising Willamette River that flooded this residential area two miles east of Newberg. At least 15 people died in the flood, and the city was a complete loss. Water from flooding Columbia River broke the dike protecting trailer homes on Hayden Island. PROVISIONAL DATA SUBJECT TO REVISION. It was named for a local settler, Alfred W. Reed, who founded the city in 1912. 27: Expect minor flooding of agricultural land in the Garden Valley and Melrose areas. 2). Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Thirty families had to be evacuated. The superimposted arrow points to where Southeast 82nd Street dips into the Clackamas River near Oregon City. Following a devastating flood in 1964, a dike was constructed to protect the lower town. Expect minor lowland flooding mainly near the confluence with the South Umpqua River. Wildcat Creek on the slopes of Mount Hood more than earned its name durin The 1964 Christmas Flood. The rains resulted from the convergence of a broad upper-air weather system of moist subtropical air, which originated over the tropical Pacific, and a cold-air mass over Washington (fig. The bridge carried Interstate 80 North (now I-84). Water reached the counter top in this drive-in restaurant just north of the Tillamook City limits along U.S. 101. Logs jam Wiley Creeek, south of the South Santiam Highway bridge at Foster. This aerial photo looks south toward the Broadway Bridge and Memorial Coliseum. National Guardsmen patrolled the area for a time after reports of looting. 33 Houses hang over the edge of the Zigzag River bank in Rhododendron after the the flood. More evidence of the massive mud slide that hit Rufus could be seen at the site of a small concrete bridge in the Columbia River Gorge town. Highway travel through area was routed via bypasses . ... Umpqua flood of 1964.jpg 2,968 × 2,388; 623 KB. Every few years, flooding will occur enough that city employees will close these dikes to prevent low-lying areas of the town from flooding. Fire and flood were in store for Bud Yan, Nehalem home owner, on Christmas Eve when fire broke out in his home, which was already flooded. USGS 14321000 UMPQUA RIVER NEAR ELKTON, OR. Only half of the front door is above the water mark. Many county roads and parks also begin to flood upstream of Winchester to the confluence with the Umpqua River. Built on marshy ground, for much of its history Reedsport has struggled with frequent flooding; most of its early buildings were elevated three to eight feet above ground. They also watch the rise of the North Umpqua River after a storm. The water washed out new black top road near Independence. Another part of the recent surge in tourism is due to the sand dunes that are near Reedsport. Recently, Reedsport has seen a rise in tourism due to recreation at the nearby Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area in Winchester Bay. The combination of heavy rain, melting snow, and frozen ground caused extreme runoff, erosion and flooding. The same stretch of road had been wiped out by a slide 10 years earlier. The flood of 1964 was one of the worst such floods in the twentieth century. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. From December 20th through the 24th of 1964, the most severe rainstorm to occur in Central Oregon, and one of the most severe west Much of the Columbia Gorge community of Rufus was wiped out by this mudslide. Most of this bridge across the North Umpqua River in Roseburg was washed away during the flood. In Oregon, 17 or 18 people died as a result … Part of this is due to its close proximity to the fishing of the Umpqua River. Two weather disasters in 2015 opened up millions of dollars in grant funds to Douglas County, and Reedsport is claiming most of that money for flood mitigation.