Many folks do not know about Earthquake Lake and the devastation that occurred in 1959. I am sharing this story and photos with you as this earthquake would have changed my families life history forever if not for a simple decision made by my Uncle Bob.
Uncle Bob married his love, Pat, on August 17, 1959 in Dickinson. They had decided to honeymoon Hebgen Lake along the Madison River and had rented a cabin at the base of the mountain. On the way to their cabin, they stopped at Hardin to visit my Aunt Emelia and her husband as they were not able to make it to the wedding. When Uncle Bob and Aunt Pat were getting ready to leave, Aunt Emelia kept asking them to stay overnight so they could visit more and they could leave after breakfast. It took a lot of convincing on her part, but eventually Uncle Bob agreed and they stayed overnight. When they woke up the next morning they learned about the earthquake on the news, and realized that their honeymoon cabin was one of many that was totally buried. One simple decision to stay overnight in Hardin saved their lives.
(Courtesy of the US Forest Service) On August 17, 1959, near midnight, an earthquake near the Madison River triggered a massive landslide. The slide moved at 100 mph and in less than 1 minute, over 80 million tons of rock crashed into the narrow canyon, blocking the Madison River and forming Earthquake Lake. This earth-changing event, known as the Hebgen Lake Earthquake, measured 7.5 on the Richter scale.
At the time it was the second largest earthquake to occur in the lower 48 states in the 20th century. Twenty-eight people lost their lives in the event.
The landslide left a jagged scar across the canyon, which the highway cuts through. Earthquake Lake itself–only 1/4 mile wide and in some places more than 120 feet deep–still has an eeriness to it. Dead bleached trees which had been growing from the mountainside now rise from the surface of the lake.
In 1967, the Forest Service’s Earthquake Lake Visitor Center opened its doors for the first season of operation. Today, the center provides interpretive services for more than 50,000 visitors annually. The natural attractions and the easily-seen effects of the strongest earthquake in the Rocky mountains has made this area one of the outstanding scenic and geological study areas in the west.
Visitors can bring a picnic and relax on one of the lake’s numerous beaches, venture into the water for a refreshing swim, or explore the area on a boat or watercraft. The Madison River flows from Yellowstone National Park into Hebgen Lake and Earthquake Lake before winding through the stunning Madison River Valley
