Day 4

I’m looking forward to distributing Senior News. The rain is mild and I can get out and walk while enjoying the feeling of rain on my face. Yesterday was OK. The senior center was busy and pleasant in spite of the band playing. It does seem to ramp up conversational volume. Kevin sent information about a way to get more interest than the bank gives. Joyce Melton called and we talked for an hour! Caught up with the news.

Senior News article

Come Back Town was a name coined by KPOD radio owner Bill Stamps. It gives a picture of the spirit of Crescent City after the tsunami in March 1964. The four waves took the lives of eleven residents and destroyed twenty-nine city blocks. The downtown area was covered with logs, broken buildings, wrecked cars, store merchandise, debris and lots of trash. Governor Pat Brown said, “This is appalling. One must see it to believe it.” The Army Corps of Engineers immediately began to demolish, burn, and bulldoze the damage toward the bay. A sixteen foot sea wall was constructed from quarry rock, broken cement, foundations, floors, and other appropriate materials from the demolished buildings. The badly damaged swimming pool that was under construction was started again. The area from the sea wall to Front Street became Beachfront Park. 176 acres of this parkland were donated by the family of Henry Sause, a pioneer in tug and barge transportation of forest products. This is an area well used now for recreation, including Kid Town, horse shoe pits, disc golf holes, and picnic areas. Many events take place in the park such as Fourth of July celebrations and Sea Cruise car show.

Later that same year, Christmas time 1964, the area was drenched and flooded by torrential rain and melting snow. The entire Klamath town site was destroyed by the 55 feet of flood water in the Klamath River.  The Del Norte County spirit showed itself again with this catastrophe. The hero that emerged and has been remembered was a 900 pound bull. Once named Bahamas, the bull was swept from his barn into the turbulent river. The river was filled with logs, branches, broken limbs, whole tree trunks and the bull managed to cling to a raft of debris. The distance from Klamath Glen to Crescent City harbor is about sixteen miles of flooded river and raging ocean waves. The bull stayed on board his raft until he became part of a ten acre mass of floating debris in the harbor. He was spotted and a group of fishermen went to his rescue. They dug him out of the mess but after hours of tugging he was taken to a nearby gear shed. He was sick with pneumonia and on Christmas Day, he began to improve. He was a symbol of stamina and had earned a right to live. His inspiration brought him attention and a new name, Captain Courageous. He was allowed to live out his life of 23 years in comfort.

An afternoon in the research room at Del Norte County Historical Society museum is a treasure hunt. A great way to spend a rainy Monday in March.