197 folders of letters (originals and copies), and
seven interviews on tapes, with an accompanying transcription/catalog for most
interviews. The letters are originals and copies of originals from victims of the Teton
Dam disaster and from volunteers or family members associated with the flood, solicited
as research for the book, That Day in June, edited by Janet Thomas, et al. (published
1977). The taped interviews are of adults who experienced the disaster as children,
conducted in 1991 by Anne F. Hatch for her graduate research and Plan B thesis, "Some
dam funny stories."
Repository:
Utah State University. Merrill-Cazier Library.
Special Collections and Archives. Fife Folklore Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library Utah State University 3000 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322-3000 Phone: 435 797-2663 Fax: 435 797-2880 Email: scweb@usu.edu
Languages:
Collection materials are in English.
Sponsor:
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant,
2007-2008
Historical Note
Teton Dam was located in Fremont County, Idaho, in the Teton River Canyon above Wilford.
It had just been completed in 1976. On June 5, 1976, the earthen dam failed and an
estimated 80 billion gallons of water swept downriver. The flood of water swept through
Wilford, Sugar City, and Rexburg. Ricks College in Rexburg was spared for the most part,
as it is located on a hill. Many residents of Rexburg and Sugar City spent the rest of
the summer in Ricks College dorms. Further down the Snake River Valley, Idaho Falls had
almost two days to get ready for the water. Trenches were dug around the end of the
Broadway Bridge, dynamite was used to blast log jams that pushed against the bridge, and
sand bags were piled along the riverfront. By the time the water reached Blackfoot, the
National Guard had been called in to help. Out in the Pingree area, ditches filled with
water, but no damage was done. The American Falls Dam was old and stood between the
flood waters and the rest of the Snake River Plain, so officials began releasing water
immediately. In the end the American Falls Dam held, and the flood was over. Cleanup
would take the rest of the summer. Thousands of volunteers from the region, especially
Utah, came in on buses to help.
Content Description
The letters are from victims of the Teton Dam flood and from volunteers or family
members associated with the flood, solicited as research for the book, That Day in June,
edited by Janet Thomas, et al. (1977). The interviews are of adults who experienced the
disaster as children, and were conducted in 1991 by Anne F. Hatch, as part of her
graduate research and Plan B thesis, "Some Dam Funny Stories."
The contents of each box is listed by folder. Each folder lists the name of the
informant, location of residence, gender, and status. There are seven (7) interviews
contained within six (6) tapes, and an accompanying transcription/catalog for most
interviews. The informants are listed alphabetically by last name. Listed first in the
finding aid are the informants who contributed letters (Boxes 1-3). Next is the list of
informants interviewed by Anne Hatch in 1991, the contents of which are in boxes 4 and
5.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access : Restrictions
Open to public research. To access the collection a patron must have the following
information: collection number, series number, sub-series number, if applicable, box
number and folder number (or image number).
Restrictions on Use : Copyright
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of
the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her
transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Utah State University Libraries, its officers, employees, and agents
from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of
copyright.
Permission to publish material from the September 11, 2001 USU student documentary collection must be
obtained from the Curator of the Fife
Folklore Archives and/or the Special Collections Department Head.
Preferred Citation :
Teton Dam disaster collection, 1976-1991. (FOLK COLL 26). Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives Department.
Administrative Information
Arrangement :
Contributed letters and interview transcripts are listed alphabetically by
informant/narrator's last name.
Acquisition Information :
This is a collection of letters and interviews by individuals who experienced the Teton
Dam disaster of June 5, 1976, in southeastern Idaho. The letters are originals and
copies of originals from victims of the flood and from volunteers or family relatives
associated with the flood, solicited as research for the book, That Day in June, edited by Janet Thomas, et al. The interviews are of folks
who experienced the disaster as children, and were interviewed about the event as
adults. The interviews were conducted in 1991 by Anne F. Hatch, as part of her graduate
research and related to her Plan B "Some Dam Funny Stories."
Processing Note :
Collection processed by Anne F. Hatch. Finding aid created by Susan Gross, May 2004; updated by Randy Williams, March 2012.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Teton Dam Disaster contributed letters
Container(s)
Description
Box
Folder
1
1
ANONYMOUS - Sugar City, ID; unknown,
adult
1
1
ANONYMOUS - Rexburg, ID; unknown, adult.
1
1
ANONYMOUS - unknown; unknown, adult.
1
1
ANONYMOUS - unknown; unknown, adult.
1
1
ANONYMOUS - unknown; unknown, adult.
1
1
ANONYMOUS - unknown; unknown, adult.
1
1
ANONYMOUS - Bountiful, Utah; female, volunteer.
1
1
ANONYMOUS - Salem, ID; female, adult.
1
1
ANONYMOUS - Rexburg, ID unknown, adult.
(Poem)
1
2
ABEGGLEN, Ivan - Wilford, ID; male, adult.
1
3
ALLEN, Barbara - Blackfoot, ID; female, adult.
1
4
ANDERSON, Clyde W. - Rexburg, ID; male, adult.
1
5
ANDERSON, Jerry, et al - unknown; male, adult.
1
6
ANDERSON, Michelle L. - unknown; female, youth.
1
7
ARAVE, Brian - unknown; male, youth.
1
8
ARAVE, Vanica - Newdale, ID; female, youth.
1
9
ARNELL, Martha - Sugar City, ID; female, adult.
1
10
ARNOLD, Mildred V. - Sugar City, ID; female,
adult.
1
11
ARNOLD, Verla - Sugar City, ID; female, adult.
1
12
ASHCRAFT, Helen - Sugar City, ID; female,
adult
1
13
BAIRD, Katie - Rexburg, ID; female, adult.
1
14
BALL, Keith and Betty - Salem, ID; male, female,
adults.
1
15
BALL, Val - Salem, ID; male, adult.
1
16
BARCLAY, Michael - Riverside, ID; male, adult.
1
17
BARKER, Ruth - Idaho Falls, ID; female,
volunteer.
1
18
BARRUS, Ruth - Sugar City, ID; female, adult.
1
19
BAUER, Conn - Wilford, ID; male, adult.
1
20
BELNAP, Joseph Francis - Rexburg, ID; male,
adult.
1
21
BENHAM, Elva - Idaho Falls, ID; female, adult.
1
22
BENNETT, Mrs. Clea - Rexburg, ID; female, adult.
1
23
BIRCH, Alice - Wilford, ID; female, adult.
1
24
BIRCH, Connie Baron - Sugar City, ID; female,
adult.
1
25
BIRCH, Rayola - Wilford, ID; female, adult.
1
26
BIRCH, Wilda - Idaho Falls, ID; female,
volunteer.
1
27
BLACK, Martha - St. Anthony, ID; female, adult.
1
28
BOWEN, Nada - Sugar City, ID; female, adult.
1
29
BRIGGS, Marion - Sugar City, ID; male, adult.
1
30
BROCK, Gary - Rexburg, ID; male, adult.
1
31
BROWN, Florence K. - Sugar City, ID; female,
adult.
1
32
BROWNING, Orsena - Newdale, ID; female,
adult
1
33
CAPSON, Glen and Rayola - Blackfoot, ID; male,
female, adults.
1
34
CAZIER, Janet - Rexburg, ID; female, youth.
1
35
CHRISTENSEN, Lloyd and Reana - Mink Creek, ID;
male, female, volunteers.
1
36
CLEVERLEY, Carol N. - Francis, ID; female,
adult.
1
37
CONNELL, Gerald and Connie - Ammon, ID; male,
female, adults.
1
38
COX, Zina - Shelley, ID; female,
adult
1
39
DALLING, Dorothy H. - Sugar City, ID; female,
adult.
1
40
DALLING, Susan - Salem, ID; female, adult.
1
41
DALLING, Val - Rexburg, ID; male, adult.
1
42
DANSIE, Fay Evans - Rigby, ID; female, adult.
1
43
DAVENPORT, Effie S. - Sugar City, ID; female,
adult.
1
44
DAVIS, Marie W. - Sugar City, ID; female, adult.
1
45
DAYTON, Earl - Teton, ID; male, adult.
1
46
DEARING, Frances - Sugar City, ID; male, adult.
1
47
DERR, Dawna - Rexburg, ID; female, adult. (Poem)
1
48
DILWORTH, Asael E. - Twin Falls, ID; male,
volunteer
1
49
EGBERT, Elva Rae - Murtough, ID; female, adult.
1
50
ELDRIDGE, Mrs. Wallace - Sugar City, ID; female,
adult.
1
51
ESPLIN, Jean - Blackfoot, ID; female, adult.
1
52
FARLEY, Wendy - Sugar City, ID; female, adult.
1
53
FELT, Edna - Blackfoot, ID; female, adult.
1
54
FIELD, Daisy - Rigby, ID; female, adult.
1
55
FORSYTH, Grace G. - Sugar City, ID; female,
adult. (Poem)
1
56
FREDERIKSEN, Mary L. - Rexburg, ID; female,
adult.
