1997 Red River Valley Flood Collection, 1997-

1997 Red River Valley Flood Collection

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Collection Overview

Title: 1997 Red River Valley Flood Collection, 1997-

ID: OGLMC1351

Extent: 39.25 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 00/00/1997

Subjects: Grand Forks - Floods, Grand Forks County, North Dakota - Floods, Red River Valley Flood of 1997, University of North Dakota - 1997 Red River Valley Flood

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The 1997 Red River Valley Flood Collection has been divided into ten series as follows:

Series 1: Personal Accounts

Series 2: Media Coverage

Series 3: Publications

Series 4: Governmental Organizations

Series 5: Photographs

Series 6: Audio-Visuals

Series 7: University of North Dakota

Series 8: Grand Forks Greenway

Series 9: Artifacts

Series 10: Miscellaneous

Collection Historical Note

The winter of 1996-1997 was unusually harsh as eight blizzards struck the Grand Forks region of the Red River Valley. The last and one of the most severe, Blizzard Hannah, occurred April 4-6, 1997. When the snow began to melt and the Red River began to rise, the people of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks began flood preparations in earnest. However, the cities' preparations did not anticipate the extent of the flooding. Flood preparations were made to protect the cities from a 49-foot flood crest; the actual flood crested at 54.33 feet on Tuesday, April 22. On April 18, the Red River began to overrun temporary dikes along the river. Those areas in immediate danger were evacuated. As the river continued to rise without any hint of slowing, the entire cities of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks were evacuated on April 19. On that same day, a fire broke out in downtown Grand Forks that destroyed 11 buildings, including one entire block. During the evacuation, University of North Dakota and city of Grand Forks employees remained behind to continue to protect what they could from the still rising river crest and to perform those various administrative and governmental functions that needed to be done. On Thursday, April 24, government officials began to allow people back into the driest areas of town to visit their homes and begin the cleanup process. While the majority of the cleanup itself was finished by the end of the 1997 summer, reconstruction of destroyed basements, houses, and buildings has continued into 2000. In addition to these reconstruction efforts, the cities of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks have been developing flood abatement strategies, most notably a 54-foot dike system in Grand Forks and a Greenway along the Red River itself.

Subject/Index Terms

Grand Forks - Floods
Grand Forks County, North Dakota - Floods
Red River Valley Flood of 1997
University of North Dakota - 1997 Red River Valley Flood

Administrative Information

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Method: The collection has received numerous donations from a variety of individual donors.

Related Publications: Please search the library catalog for a complete list

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). 1997 Red River Valley Flood Collection. OGLMC 1351, Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid migrated to Archon in February 2016.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Personal Accounts],
[Series 2: Media Coverage],
[Series 3: Publications],
[Series 4: Governmental Organizations],
[Series 5: Photographs],
[Series 6: Audio-Visuals],
[Series 7: University of North Dakota],
[Series 8: Greater Grand Forks Greenway],
[Series 9: Artifacts],
[Series 10: Miscellaneous],
[All]

Series 3: Publications

The third series consists of various publications regarding the flood and its aftermath.

Box 3

Folder 5: City of Grand Forks Newsletter; 1997
Folder 6: Grand Forks City Publications; "Flood Protection Update": November 1997-July 1998
Folder 7: Grand Forks City Publications; "Flood Protection Update": August 1998-October 1999
Folder 8: Grand Forks City Publications; "Flood Protection Update": August 1998-October 1999
Folder 9: Grand Forks City Publications; "Recovery Road: The Path to Building a Disaster Resistant Grand Forks": January 1998-June 1998
Folder 10: Grand Forks City Publications; "Recovery Road: The Path to Building a Disaster Resistant Grand Forks": January-June 1998
Folder 11: Recovery Times (ND and MN); April-August 1997
Folder 12: Disaster Outreach Newsletter; The Newsletter: Help Through Recovery...Support for the Future; February-October 1998
Folder 13: Lake Region Shelter News; April 21-May 8, 1997
Folder 14: The Winrod Letter (Anti-Semitic Newsletter of "Christian Identity" minister Gordon Winrod); May-June 1997
Folder 15: The Salvation Army; Newsletters (1997-1998); Letters/Certificate to Sandy Slater (May 30, 1998)
Folder 16: Village Family Service Center; One Year Has Passed; March-April 1998
Folder 17: Nodak Electric Cooperative; Nodak Neighbor; April 1998
Folder 18: Miscellaneous Newsletters; April 1997-April 1998 and Undated
Folder 32: Minnesota Photographers Newsletter, Disaster Relief, American Gas Association (Field Report), 1997 and Undated
Folder 49: Aatrix Software and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 1997
Folder 50: The Software Doctor, North Dakota League of Cities, Building Material Retailer, Red River Radio Amateurs, Inc., 1997
Folder 51: Kathleen Easton and Gorden Chorney, General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, ELCA, Rescue Mission, Creator Unknown, Park Rapids Chamber of Commerce, 1997-1998
Folder 52: Internet-Posted Pictures and Stories of People's Homes, 1997

Box 4

Folder 14: "The Gilgamesh Journals" by Jay D. Jerde, Dubuque, Iowa: 1997

Folder 24: Organizational Newsletters:

Item 1: Nodak Neighbor (NoDak Electric Cooperative), May 1997
Item 2: Nodak Neighbor (NoDak Electric Cooperative), June 1997
Item 3: AARP Bulletin, June 1997
Item 4: Northern Lights (Beltrami Electric Cooperative), June 1997
Item 5: "A Wave of Generosity: People Respond to the Flood of '97," North Dakota Community Foundation
Item 6: Unknown publication regarding Grand Forks Medical Park

Folder 26: Nursing Matters, June and September 1997; Prairie Rose (Publication of the North Dakota Nurses Association, August 1998

Folder 34: "Wear Protective Clothing During Flood Cleanup." Kansas State University, 1993

Folder 38: City of Grand Forks 1998 Water Quality Report

Folder 43: Grand Forks Public Schools, Spotlight on Excellence: August 1997 and June 1998

Folder 44: American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works and National Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Property; Property Salvage Tips; November 11, 1993

Folder 45: American Red Cross Booklets; Home Repair (August 1992), Coloring Book (October 1993)

Folder 47: "Replacement Housing Development Project Briefing Paper." Grand Forks Homes Inc., 1999

Folder 48: "Review of the Costliest Winter in North Dakota History." Prairie Publications. June 1997

Folder 37: North Dakota State Water Commission: "The Floods of 1997: A Special Report", June 1997

Folder 52: Business Fliers and Notices

Item 1: Red River Valley Community Action
Item 2: Curt D. Johnson Auction Company
Item 3: Fine Print of Grand Forks
Item 4: First National Bank
Item 5: Valley Interfaith Coalition to Recovery (VICTORY)

Folder 53: University Federal Credit Union

Folder 55: Empire Arts Center, Grand Opening Program: 28 March 1998

Folder 56: Northern States Power Company

Folder 57: Summer Performing Arts Company. "Keep the Faith" Program. Summer 1997

Folder 63: Miscellaneous

Item 1: Valleyfair Coupon
Item 2: Deutsche Kinder Chapter, Germans from Russia Heritage Society: Annual Meeting Cancellation Notice, 27 May 1997
Item 3: Admission Tickets for The Bouncin' Back Bash at UND Memorial Stadium, 22 June 1997
Item 4: Grand Pasta Party on the Prairie, 23 August 1997
Item 5: "High Water Follies" Program, Firehall Theatre, 1997

Box 8

Folder 10: Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Wapakoneta, Ohio, bulletin: June 1997
Folder 21: Annual Reports: EGF County Soil Conservation District; ND Community Foundation; United Way of Grand Forks, 1997-1998
Folder 24: Government Computer News, October 1998
Folder 25: Newsletters, 1997
Folder 26: Newsletters, 1998
Folder 27: Newsletters, 1999

Box 17

Folder 2: "Constructive Communications," City of Grand Forks: June-November 2004

Folder 3: "Flood Protection Update," City of Grand Forks: November 1999-April 2004

Folder 4: "Forks Focus," City of Grand Forks: 1999-2000

Folder 5: "Greenway Connections," Greater Grand Forks Greenway: 1999-2004

Folder 43: Materials from Dr. Marita Hoffart:

Item 1: "Flood Experience & Its Impact on Survivor's Health" by Elizabeth Pross Keene
Item 2: "School-aged Children's Experience of being in a Flood When Their Community was Devastated" by Dr. Marita Hoffart
Item 3: "How to Help Children After a Disaster" by North Dakota Human Services

Folder 93: City Scan: June 1997

Box 24

Folder 14: "City Scan," Northern Dakota League of Cities: October 1997 and July 1998

Folder 15: "Depot Dispatch," Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce: November 1997 and June/July 1998

Folder 16: "Exchange, Economics, News, and Developments; Second and Third Quarter 1997," Bank of North Dakota; "Recovery Lutheran Disaster Response," Joint Ministry of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: March and April 1998

Folder 17: "Flooding in the Grand Forks - East Grand Forks Area: Educational Series 12," North Dakota Geographical Survey, 1980

Folder 18: Magazines:

Item 1: "A University and a Community . . . the Flood of '97 . . . surviving and recovering"
Item 2: "Flood of '97 Guard Awards Ceremony; August 6, 1997, Grand Forks, AFB, North Dakota" pamphlet
Item 3: Minnkota Messenger: Special Disaster Edition; Summer 1997
Item 4: North Dakota Horizons Special Issue: The Great Flood of '97; Fall 1997
Item 5: North Dakota Water; June 1998
Item 6: "Summer Performing Arts Company Presents Keep the Faith: A Celebration of Community" program

Folder 19: Newsletters and pamphlets:

Item 1: Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services: AE Communicator Special Flood Anniversary Edition; 1998
Item 2: Downtown News Exchange; Spring 1998
Item 3: University of North Dakota: Grand New Horizons; Winter 1997
Item 4: Greater North Dakota Association: Business Report; November 1997
Item 5: Office of Emergency Medical Preparedness: Information Update; Winter 1997-1998
Item 6: Official Newsletter of the North Dakota Tourism Department: Inside Tourism; 1997
Item 7: Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota: Messenger; April 1998
Item 8: Minnesota Historical Society: Member News; July/August 1997
Item 9: Natural Hazards Observer; May 1998
Item 10: North Dakota Medical Association News; September/October 1997
Item 11: The Weekly Newspaper of the Transit Industry: Passenger Transport; May 1997.
Item 12: United Way: By the Way; Spring 1998

Folder 20: Printouts, flyers, pamphlets and parts of whole publications:

Item 1: "1998 National Community Leadership Award" photocopy
Item 2: "AARP Says… Don't Get Stung by Home Repair Scams!" - small yellow pamphlet and big yellow pamphlet Grand Forks Flood Control Study; --January 1997
Item 3: "Commemorating the Disaster" Flyer for Holy Family Catholic Church; February 28, 1998
Item 4: "Flood Stuff"
Item 5: Grand Forks Flood Control Study; January 1997
Item 6: "Intergenerational Dialogue, Saturday, February 28, 1998. Holy Family Catholic Church, Grand Forks, North Dakota."
Item 7: MeritCare Health System: North Dakota Epidemiology Report: Division of Disease Control; January - March 1997
Item 8: North Dakota Housing Finance Agency: Thresholds; Fall 1997
Item 9: North Dakota Legislative Council: Disaster Recovery and Mitigation Funding in Other States; May 1997
Item 10: North Dakota Water: A Slice of History: Floods Remembered; July 1998
Item 11: "R.A.F.T Resource Agencies Flood Team"
Item 12: "SBA U.S. Small Business Administration: Disaster Loans Available for Flooding Victims"
Item 13: The Source; January and March 1998
Item 14: "The Story of the Empire Arts Center, Grand Forks, North Dakota"
Item 15: University of North Dakota at Grand Forks: University Letter; April 10, 1998
Item 16: Valley Interfaith Coalition to Recovery: Victory Update; April 6, 1998

Folder 22: Flood acronyms, vocabulary, signs, notes, stories, poems and quotations

Folder 23: Fed Gazette. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. September 2006

Special issue on Grand Forks flood recovery

Department of Special Collections
Digital Finding Aids