Museum of Rexburg invites community to fourth annual Teton Dam flood commemoration

This photograph shows Shirley’s Drive-in, a celebrated accelerated nutrient edifice successful Rexburg astatine nan clip of nan Teton Dam flood, afloat submerged successful water. It was wholly destroyed. Watch nan trailer for nan Teton Dam flood documentary successful nan video above. | Photo courtesy Museum of Rexburg

REXBURG – This clip of twelvemonth brings backmost a “flood of memories” for those who were astir erstwhile nan Teton Dam collapsed successful 1976. The Museum of Rexburg wants to stock immoderate of those recollections pinch you this weekend.

The depository is hosting its 4th yearly Teton Dam Flood Commemoration arena astatine nan Romance Theatre astatine 2 East Main Street. The documentary, “Flood of Memories: Remembering nan 1976 Teton Dam Disaster,” features interviews pinch locals who were impacted by nan tragedy. It will beryllium shown astatine 1 p.m. Saturday, June 1.

RELATED | New movie astir Teton Dam disaster shown astatine Rexburg theatre connected 9/11 anniversary

Those successful attendance will person a chance to stock their memories pinch nan crowd and depository unit will beryllium disposable to grounds stories aliases scan photos from organization members.

This photograph of nan Teton Dam astatine nan infinitesimal of nonaccomplishment was taken by Dale Howard. | Courtesy Museum of Rexburg

RELATED | The Teton Dam collapsed 44 years agone today. This man was sitting connected it erstwhile it happened.

This twelvemonth marks 48 years since nan recently constructed Teton Dam collapsed. It happened astatine 11:57 a.m. connected June 5, 1976.

Within minutes, Rexburg and surrounding communities were pummeled pinch water. Rexburg, Wilford, Sugar City, Roberts, Idaho Falls and Blackfoot were severely impacted.

Though only 11 group died, 15,000 animals were killed and galore businesses, homes and tens of thousands of acres of onshore were damaged aliases destroyed.

Aerial position of Sugar City nether h2o during nan Teton Dam flood | Courtesy Museum of Rexburg

Museum curator Alisha Tietjen tells EastIdahoNews.com nan full costs successful damages was much than $2 cardinal astatine nan time.

“People had canceled their flood security because nan reservoir was expected to extremity that,” Tietjen says. “The Bureau of Reclamation took work and nan national authorities came successful and gave retributions (based connected individual needs).”

Months of cleanup and repairs followed. Friends and neighbors donated clip and resources to thief and religion groups crossed nan state came to people’s aid.

It was a clip of treatment and unity, but nary magnitude of financial compensation afloat made up for nan nonaccomplishment and nan affectional toll it had connected people’s lives.

RELATED | Rexburg man sharing photos and memories of Teton Dam flood connected its 45th anniversary

This position westbound of Rexburg adjacent nan play people and nan airdrome shows houses hanging complete a canal wherever they were deposited during nan flood. | Courtesy Museum of Rexburg

The pursuing year, a section coach assigned her 4th people class to constitute an effort astir their experiences during nan flood. Many of those essays were donated to nan depository successful 2019. Tietjen and her squad person spent clip digitizing and preserving those records.

Tietjen doesn’t callback what schoolhouse nan 4th people class attended but she shared a fewer of nan kids’ stories pinch us.

“There was 1 small woman who said her parents had gone to a rodeo successful Salmon to spot her sister compete. She was unsocial erstwhile nan h2o came truthful a neighbour came and sewage her and took her to Driggs. It was 2 aliases 3 days earlier she could get a clasp of her family because nan telephone lines were down,” nan woman said, according to Tietjen.

Another student said he and his dada were riding their motorcycles to alert neighbors nan flood was coming. He drew a image of him and his dada riding astir that day.

One of nan student’s flood essays connected show astatine nan Museum of Rexburg. | Courtesy Museum of Rexburg

Many different experiences are connected show astatine nan Museum of Rexburg and locals stock their stories successful nan documentary. The depository is located astatine 51 North Center Street.

Saturday’s arena is free and unfastened to nan public. Tietjen invites nan organization to be and stock their stories.

“It helps america astatine nan depository to summation much accusation and grounds immoderate of those stories,” Tietjen explains.

Those incapable to be tin watch nan movie online. It will besides beryllium disposable astatine nan Museum of Rexburg successful nan future. Watch a trailer for nan movie successful nan subordinate above.

The metropolis is preparing to commemorate nan flood’s 50th day successful 2026. A committee is successful nan first stages of readying a typical arena for nan community.

“We dream to beryllium capable to show caller photos (and different displays). We’re looking guardant to that milestone,” says Tietjen.

The Ricks College shot section aft nan flood. | Courtesy Museum of Rexburg