Teton Dam Disaster Oral History transcriptions and tapes
Scope and Contents
To better understand this loss, a program to gather and preserve personal accounts of the disaster was jointly undertaken by the Department of History and Geography of Utah State University, Ricks College and the Idaho State Historical Society. The oral histories obtained by these agencies provide recollections of the flood and its aftermath from the perspectives of individuals, families and communities. One hundred and twenty-four (124) interviews were completed and are now available for historical and scholarly research in the Department of Special Collections and Archives at Utah State University. .
Dates
- Creation: 1976-1978
Language of Materials
Collection materials are in English.
Restrictions
Open to public research.
Copyright
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Utah State University Libraries, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.
Permission to publish material from the teton dam disaster oral history transcriptions and tapes must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.
Historical Note
On June 5, 1976, the newly constructed Teton Dam in southeastern Idaho collapsed. Water contained in its filling reservoir surged through the Upper Snake River Valley, inundating whole communities, blanketing farm lands with debris, and disrupting the lives of thousands. In its wake, the flood's damages totaled hundreds of millions of dollars. But in addition to property losses were the personal losses for which there was no reparation.
Extent
6 boxes (2.5 linear ft.)
Abstract
Transcriptions and cassette tape recordings of oral history tapes giving personal narratives of the Teton Dam disaster in southeastern Idaho, June 5, 1976. Subjects include descriptions of the flood's approach, damage to property, recovery efforts and the effects of the ordeal on people's lives and their communities.
Arrangement
Transcripts in this guide are listed alphabetically by the last name of the person interviewed. In addition, each interview has been given a numerical identifier to serve as its call number. A synopsis of subjects touched upon in a particular narrative is given for each interview. For the most part, the tapes are arranged alphabetically as well.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The tapes were made available by the joint efforts of Utah State University, Ricks College and the Idaho State Historical Society through a grant from the Community Improvement Through Local History program.
- Title
- Guide to the Teton Dam Disaster Oral History transcriptions and tapes 1976-1978
- Author
- Finding aid created by Special Collections and Archives.
- Date
- ©2016
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Based On Dacs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard)
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding guide is in English in Latin script.
Revision Statements
- 2009: Template information was updated to reflect Archives West best practice guidelines.
- May 18, 2016.: A full inventory of the cassette tapes was added when it was discovered that some of the recordings were not accompanied by a transcript, and therefore not included in the original inventory. Cross-references between the tapes and transcripts were also added.
Repository Details
Part of the Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives Repository
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan Utah 84322-3000 United States
435 797-8248
435 797-2880 (Fax)
scweb@usu.edu