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