Browse Items (105 total)

Jack McBride volunteered manning the phones at the State Radio during the Flood.

Irene's friend Anna lived by the packing company. Anna was rescued from the waters by firefighters only because they could see her white coat in the darkness of the night. She had just purchased the coat a few weeks before at Kmart. Irene searched…

Hiland recounts his flood experiences as groundskeeper for the Sioux San hospital.

Chief of Chaplains at Ft. Meade, Herb Cleveland used it as a staging area for flood victims and tells of flood and the community response to it.

Gregory lost both his parents the evening of the Flood when they were hit by a wall of water on their way to work at Meadowood Bowling Lanes. He and his two younger brothers survived.

Gerald Pringle's recollection of the 1972 Flood. Recorded at Rapid City Public Library on June 17, 2022.

Gary and Carole Sisson were out to dinner with friends when they cut their evening short to return home where their children were with a babysitter. Unable to cross the high water, they had to wait until the next day to reconnect with family.

Gary describes the Flood as being a spiritual event. The evening of the Flood he was in his VW car with the turn signal blinking left to go to Charlie Browns in Baken Park. For some reason he turned off the signal and decided to try to make it home…

Linda and Gary Anderson evacuated from trailer home that later floated away. Discuss aftermath of flood, including looting that took place.

Gail was eight years old and living with her family on Thunderhead Falls Road the evening of the Flood. When the water came rushing in their basement the family was forced to take refuge on a hillside. They were able to return to their badly damaged…

An evening of entertainment by Canyon Lake became an evening of terror. Claire and Frankie helped with radio communications.

Mr. Parker was owner/operator of Marv's Wrecker Service in Rapid City and was personally involved in several rescues.

Dr. Lindly shares his views as Superintendent of Schools at the time, and Chairman of the Salvation Army Advisory Board.

Donna was the bookmobile librarian and working at the library the day of the Flood. She remembers walking outside with Helen Hoyt and them both commenting on the black sky to the West. Her son who had just returned from Vietnam helped with the…

Donald was visiting a fellow retired military friend at his home near Meadowbrook Golf Course the evening of the Flood. He and his friend were in the basement trying to keep things from getting wet when their wives called from upstairs and said, "The…

Don was 16 the night of the Flood. His family's mobile home park lost 30-40 trailers that evening. His father was in Canada and knew nothing of the Flood or his ruined business until a float plane landed at the lake in Canada where he was fishing and…

Derek Leonard's recollection of the 1972 flood. Recorded during the 50th Anniversary event at Rapid City Public Library.

The day after the Flood, Derald and a neighbor launched Derald's boat in Box Elder Creek and were able to rescue a 12-year-old boy that had been clinging to a tree the entire evening. They also found five people stranded on the roof of a house and…

DelRita Schouten's recollection of the 1972 flood. Recorded during the 50th Anniversary event at Rapid City Public Library.

DelRita Schouten had lost her home and everything inside it to the flood. She now lives on a hill.