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June 10, 2022 3:15 am  #1


Remembering the 1972 flood

June 9, 1972.  My parents were down here in the hills, but they happened to be up in Spearfish that day, thank God, and avoided the tragedy.  My uncle, Melvin, spent the night on top of the local Kentucky Fried Chicken place *which is no longer where it used to be but not because of the flood. 

Some of my best friends (and they were also very close to my late husband) were married on June 10, 1972.  The plans were all made, their church was still intact, so they went ahead with their vows.  They both say hardly a day goes by that they don't think about this event because it tied in so closely with their lives at the time. 
 

There are several accounts online, but I stayed with the local newspaper here in Rapid for the information.  I wish there were more pictures with this article, but they do everything on the fly these days. 

I was in college up in Aberdeen at the time, just getting ready for the summer session to start on June 12th or something like that.  My parents called me from Spearfish to tell me that a local girl from my hometown was killed.  She was stranded in her car between Rapid and Black Hawk, I guess.  I could not find her name on the list, but I do not remember her married name. 

The account seems different than I remember it, however, because what caused the creek to rise was the bursting of the dam/reservoir up by Lake Pactola.  The gubmint did not want to admit they had anything to do with this disaster, of course, which is pretty typical now, too, and evidently was so back then. They believe if they don't come right out and TAKE the blame, people will forget.  Well, I'm here to tell you people did not forget.  But really - - a 1 minute blip on the local news???  Sheesh.

https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/50-years-later-remembering-the-1972-black-hills-flood/article_0db143e5-5023-5d30-bcfe-06f66592b307.html


A government which robs Peter to
pay Paul can always depend on
the support of Paul.
-- George Bernard Shaw
 

June 14, 2022 11:56 pm  #2


Re: Remembering the 1972 flood

The best picture, in my personal opinion, to demonstrate the fury of a flood, is one I cannot seem to find now.  It was a photo taken at Bowman Tires (which is still standing, still in business right across from the USPS and my son does a lot of business with them).  The photo involving Bowman Tires was of several cars waiting outside their repair shop (for servicing, I presume) which were stacked up like dominoes.  Literally, stacked up like dominoes.  The front end of the cars was headlight down on the pavement, the rear end of the car was up in the air and there were at least 10 to 15 of them or more, in a solid row.  It was the ultimate photo of the power of water.

The strangest thing about that photo, however, is that the PO (USPS) is across town, to the east, at least 3 miles from the creek/lake where the original flooding began, and there are many spots here on the west side of town left untouched. 

If I ever locate that photo I'm going to post it here and you'll see what I mean.
 


A government which robs Peter to
pay Paul can always depend on
the support of Paul.
-- George Bernard Shaw
     Thread Starter
 

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