I love this photo. It was a joke but it was true...we really did reside in WRECKSBURG until the city was cleaned up. Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers!

by Jan Wright

Today is the anniversary of the Teton Dam Flood which happened 33 years ago. That was quite something to be involved with. At the time I had two toddlers and one on the way. My neighbor ran to tell me he heard on the radio that the dam broke and we needed to get out.  It was about 2 1/2 hours after the warning that we saw this come through town. Dale is on the right standing at the base of Ricks College campus, watching debris and cows float by.

Looking toward the US Post Office. My husband Dale is actually in this photograph on the right. June 5, 1976. Cows and debris floated by all day.

After living for a time at the college dorms, we were issued a HUD trailer to stay in while Dale worked on our home. We sustained only minimal damage because our house floated up off the foundation and came back down about 2 inches off where it was. The only way we knew is because the hose went under the house and came up out of the other side!

The damage of our home looking toward the west.

Despite all the dirt and mud, one month later the town of Rexburg had a 4th of July parade. The top image is one of my favorite flood pictures. It is a van with a sign “WRECKSBURG!” on it. We were a wreck, but we kept going, and cleaning, and sweeping. A special place in my heart is for all the volunteers who came to help the town. They came by the bus full!  We made it through a tough time and today Rexburg is a beautiful, little town to raise a family.

The food line at Ricks College. Some people said the food tasted bad. I thought it was great. It was the first time I tasted watered down soup and peanut butter/honey sandwiches!

The Rexburg parade July 4, 1976.

The Rexburg parade July 4, 1976.