A massive flood struck the Flathead Valley 60 years ago
An aerial view of flood waters in Columbia Falls, June 9, 1964. The lower bridge is Highway 2, the upper bridge is the Red Bridge in Columbia Falls. The entire Mosquito Flats neighborhood is under water (lower right) as is much of South Nucleus Avenue. Perhaps most interesting is the flooding east of the bridge. (Hungry Horse News archives)
Nyack Flooding June 8, 1964. (Hungry Horse News)
Aerial view of U.S. 2 reconstruction, June 17, 1964. (Hungry Horse News)
Bad Rock Canyon flood repairs, June 20, 1964.(Hungry Horse News)
An aerial shot of Columbia Falls after the flood of 1964. (Hungry Horse News)
Mrs. Fred Christman and high school senior Karalee sort through soaked belongings at their home near the Red Bridge in Columbia Falls in June 1964. The family lived there for 27 years. (Mel Ruder/Hungry Horse News)
Traffic goes over the rebuilt Belton Bridge in West Glacier after the Flood of '64. This photo was taken June 28, 1964. The flood destroyed the deck of the bridge but left the arch. It became the new entrance to Glacier National Park until the destroyed bridge in West Glacier townsite could be rebuilt. (Mel Ruder/Hungry Horse News)
Sixty years ago the waters rose and rose until they became the largest flood in Flathead County’s recorded history.
When torrential rains poured on top of a heavy mountain snowpack on June 8-9 of 1964, it caused, by some measures, one of the most powerful flash floods in the United States.
Water poured down both sides of the Continental Divide, tearing out roadways and rail lines and ripping away bridges. Three dams failed. Another was over-topped. At least 28 people died and more than 2,200 homes and buildings were damaged or destroyed in seven counties and a dozen communities in Montana.
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