St. Francis Dam Disaster Site of 1928
Вставка
- Опубліковано 21 чер 2024
- History Hunters visits the site of the St. Francis Dam in the San Francisquito Canyon north of Los Angeles which collapsed in March 1928 and sent floodwaters cascading down the gully, killing at least 450 residents. Jeff will tell about the disaster in great detail and check out at least one major piece of the dam still left.
#stfrancisdam #flooddisaster #losangeleswater - Фільми й анімація
I grew up in Fillmore Ca....One day back in the early 70's my Dad came in from work ( he serviced irrigation systems for some of the citrus farms in the area and mentioned that they had discovered some human remains when some laborers had been clearing away some brush.
If I remember correctly, Dad said that the area was 50-75 yards from the bank of the Santa Clara River bed.
Odds are, the remains were of someone who was swept away by this disaster.
RIP to all who lost their lives.
When I talked about all the St Francis Dam victims not always being acknowledged or counted. I refer back to the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, where the city and state constantly maintained for decades that the dead never exceeded 700. An enterprising and curious San Francisco City historian found files with thousands of letters requesting info on family members or friends who disappeared after the 1906 Earthquake and Fire. After spending years painstakingly pursuing and cross referencing information, she was able to convincingly prove that the number actually exceeded 3,000 plus dead. She was even able to supply names for many of the dead, who were either buried in mass graves or their bodies were destroyed during the fires that took down most of the city, that the earthquake didn't already destroyed. The city originally ignored her findings until it got into the papers and suddenly she was a city hero.
What was the ladies name?
The cover up was to keep East Coast insurance companies and others in the dark. All insurance policies then were for fire, not earthquakes. If they had known the damage was all caused by the earthquake they may not have paid the claims.
Another amazing video. It continues to astound me how much California State History is NOT taught in schools. How can I, a life long resident with a college degree, have never even heard about this event? So much missing history... but Jeff is hunting it all down for all of us who basically missed out. Thanks Jeff!!
You have a college degree but wonder why this isn’t taught in school? Lol. Degrees don’t mean a whole lot in terms of intelligence it seems.
Because California has a lot of history, they can’t cover everything in k-12 schools.
Only indoctrinating woke now.
I just realized that my grandfather lived in Oxnard during this time but he never talked about it. I wish I could talk to him now. Thanks for the connection to history that should be remembered.
My gramma lived in Santa Paula at that time
You just realized or found out ?
This was such an interesting episode. All my kids were born in Ventura when we were stationed there for 5 years and I had heard about this disaster but never knew the details. Thank for the thorough research.
This is fascinating, me and my buddy partied in San Francisquito canyon in the early 2000s when we were living in Velencia. We wondered what all the random chunks of concrete were about. Didn't know it was the location of such a mega disaster. Thanks for the info!!
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 this 1 made me cry. Jeff, thank you for enduring foxtails, crawling through shrubs & putting up with the heat. You are appreciated. XO Paula
We appreciate you guys as well! Thanks so much!!!
Very interesting.
I'm 66yrs old and can remember my grandmother telling me stories about this tragic flood.
China Town
The canyon road used to go right through the old dam site on the west side of the creek. About 18 years or so ago, a bridge just south of the dam got washed out. They never repaired it. If you drive past pump station 2 you can park where the road ends. From there you can walk the old road with weeds and trees growing up though the cracks...it’s a spooky walk!!!
Spooky, but really beautiful and humbling. Pieces of dam litter the whole route.
@@aubreystrause1083 I went down there before the road was re-routed. I have a chunk of the old dam i use as a book end and reminder. In my own life I had to evacuate for a while after another even older LADWP dam teetered on the brink of collapse. This was the Lower Van Norman Dam after the 1971 Sylmar Quake. Our home was on the first street below it. Years before that I remember sitting in our living room watching on live TV as the Baldwin Hills Dam failed.
Born and raised in So Cal and I never heard of this disaster. Thank you Jeff, another great history lesson.
Well open up some books and read them it there at the library
Such a sad loss of life. One cannot imagine. RIP all those poor people, and thanks for enlightening us once again, Jeff.
God bless🙏
I grew up in Oak View and Ventura in the 50’s. As a young kid I didn’t realize all the impact of it but heard many stories. After a time in the service I returned to Ventura a few times did some off roading motorcycle throughout the Santa Clara river basin seeing still some of damage remnants. In 1969 there were torrential rains causing lots of damage the Ventura river was rampaging I lived at the time along Ventura Ave just past where the newer freeway to Ojai ended. After a week of nonstop rains (10 inches) a feeder creek leading across the high clogged the drainage and sent flooding waters seeking alternate ways to the Ventura river about a half mile from the house I rented. My parents lived in a mob lol home park in Casitis jump a few miles further up the highway and had been evacuated just hours before and came to my house. Then the rushing waters rose and two foot of water burst my front door open and we had to get out also. We survived luckily but lost most everything. The house I lived in was on the corner of a short street and actually served as a buffer for all the others on the street causing the water to flow down the street and throughout some orchards to the river sparing much damage to the other homes. It was a very scary venture I’ll never forget. I have a few stories about it all.
Wow!! I loved this story, would certainly enjoy hearing more.
Just found your channel...great stuff. Drove that canyon twice a day for 9 years not knowning that I was driving through history. Thank you for your effort.
The tragic loss of life and nature was totally devastating I am grateful for the information you shared. Thank you for the Historical Lessons , stay well 👽🚀
Thank you for the episode. Not a clue this happened and I'm glad you made this short film.
Fascinating story. I hadn’t heard of this before. What a tragedy and loss of so many people. I liked that you showed pictures of some of the victims. They need to be remembered. It adds a personal touch to see the faces of those affected.
PS - totally off topic , but this is the first UA-cam video I’ve watched and heard the phrase “ Foxtails in My Socks “ .
In the 1990's I interviewed a long-retired Southern Calif Edison employee for another reason but the conversation drifted to his story about the St. Francis Dam Failure. He told of a construction camp named Camp Kemp about 4 miles east of Piru where about 140 Edison construction employees were sleeping in tents when the dam broke. 96 of the 140 employees were trapped in their tents as they slept and died in the flood. He also told of the efforts taken to restore power to Southern California because at the time of the dam failure most power was supplied by transmission lines delivering power from Edison's hydro plants in the north. Those power lines were washed out by the flood causing widespread blackouts. Efforts to reroute power restored most outages before the morning peak load that same day.
I was vaguely aware of this but this video and history lesson really brought it home for me. Poor engineering and the power of massive amounts of water. Thanx for the history lesson.
Hey Jeff my aunt and uncle lived close to there there from providence ky.its a beautiful place. It's sad that many people lost their lives great video you and Sara are awesome Randy from Kentucky
Again, thanks so much, Randy! We appreciate you very much! Glad you liked our new video!
Good episode. Jeff you went all the way to the larger chunks. That’s a nice little hike. That tragedy is one of the reasons civil engineering projects are check and rechecked. It’s a sad way to learn not to cut corners. I learned details I’ve never heard before. Thank You.
You should come back when the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society has there annual tour of the dam site
Is there a website that I could check out and find more information about that tour?
I would greatly appreciate more information if you could provide it.
I visited this site in the mid-90s while on a field trip with my Geology class when I was attending Jr. Collage at LAVC. Very interesting piece of history for L.A.
I look forward to every Sunday for a new offering from you. Thank you so much for all the history of California. I was born in Orange, Ca, and taught school in Santa Ana for some 30 years. My favorite subject to teach my students was California history !!! Thanks again for all you and Sarah do !!!
Thank you Gary! Happy to hear from you! It’s an honor for a teacher to be watching our videos!
I grew up in Santa Paula and heard of this terrible tragedy. My 5th grade teacher was a child when this happened and I remember her telling us about how her father woke her up in in the early hours after the dam broke. She said they hurried to get to higher ground and away from the Santa Clara River area. Great video!! Thank you!
Thanks! Much appreciated! It was a horrible thing to happen to all those innocent people, many you had rough lives already! Blessings from Jeff and Sarah!
Though sad, thanks for sharing this part of California history. Now I know who Mulholland Drive was named after.
I have heard about the St Francis Dam many times in the past, but never with the detailed facts you shared today. You know, even with the technology we now have, harnessing the power of water scares me. I have always been afraid of dams. Thank you Jeff for another great video.
Fascinating historical fact I was totally unaware of.
It reminds me of the Vajont dam disaster in Italy where in 1963 over 2000 people died caused by a massive landslide that fell into the lake.
Greetings from Italy
Very, very well done. You took us where it would have been impossible for us to go. That dam site 😊
I believe Mulholland was self trained as an engineer. I think, I remember reading, he had very little formal education.
Yes you are very correct. I still think lots of city fathers covered their butts. Who ever heard of a five-day analysis of a dam failing that killed that many folks? Serious coverup occurred.
Makes sense that he had no idea how to build a safe dam, and wasn't smart enough to understand that. but money led him to believe he could do anything.
@@johncordova8304 ...the only obvious thing is the internet and your smartphone has made you an internet superhero.
Obviously you are short comprehension skills though! He explained in the video the politics of the situation that are out of the engineers hands, at least at the time period. You are misappropriating today’s engineering standards with 1927-28! Not that the money people don’t still have a lot of power, but the “state” has put in place quite a few requirements to safeguard.
@@jbenziggy It was a STATE commission that did the 5-day analysis. To eliminate conflict of interest. ** wink wink**
@@johncordova8304 In fact, he was an excellent engineer despite being self-taught. He was the inventor of many construction practices, designed the largest pipe in use at the time (in Owens Valley), and used several pieces of construction equipment for the first time. Please read up more on what caused the SF dam to fail (anchor into unstable sandstone that were missed in the design work, not "bad engineering"). He didn't profit from LA's growth nearly as much as others (Fred Eaton, SFV "farmers", media magnates).
Very well done. I was born and raised in Burbank but never heard about the dam. So sad.🥺
Thank you for making this video. I'd never heard of this disaster and I've lived in California my entire 44 years. As much as I dislike "big government" this is a clear case where dam licensing and oversight is critically important so we don't have a repeat.
In the late 90's, a man digging a new garden in his backyard in Ventura County unearthed a skeleton. He called law enforcement and later it was determined to be a victim of the flood. An Archeologist I talked to once said the entire valley surely contains skeletal remains to this day and is only a matter of time for another unearthing.
Wow, that is very eerie if not creepy! Who knows? Maybe bodies are buried beneath modern roads or in more backyards!
Jeff asking his family nicely why they didn't trek with him to the "damn site". 😆
It made Aiden laugh! LOL
@PK Dam hot dog. That put a smile on my face today.
i watched an interview with Harry Carey Jr. and his Sister some years back. They said the Indians at the trading post had left just prior to the dam break. Stating there was some bad juju or spirts coming from the dam and they were leaving. Also, being in const. my whole working life and working with concrete for a large part of that. that has to be some of the worst looking concrete i have ever seen. it appeard to be made from river sand and whatever they could find on location. Aggregate=is formed or calculated by the combination of many separate units or items; total. That cement was not formulated and due to the different size elements used and impurities in it the strength had to have varied from batch to batch hugely and super fine river sand has zero strength. So. Calif. has had and still has an unhealthy thirst for water. there are many unsavory stories of how they have acquired (stolen) water over the years and it still happens today. Another Dam to visit is Matilija Dam above Ojai Calif. it also has a checkered past and has been partially removed. it should be completely removed but as with all things $$$ is the holdup until something bad happens.
I definitely learned something new and I live next to the California aqueduct so thank you. Being a history buff myself I’m gonna need to take a trip out there.
A local LA author and documentary film maker Jon Wilkman wrote a book "Floodpath" a Amazon best seller telling the complete story of this event
You consisted give us fascinating videos. Without wanting to sound like a stuck record... thanks and hi from the Netherlands
Happy to hear your thoughts. Thank you for your time and support.
That is so Heartbreaking all those family's lost
Very well done. What remains of the concrete looks so cheap and no rebar. What a tragedy!
Steve ur rite
I remember this but forgot until this video. So sad for all involved, but great information about our history.
My brother in law and I stopped and checked out the Dam site on our way to a marathon he was running in very interesting and sad.
Such a devastating story but it must be told.
Another incredible story told so well Jeff! I had never heard of this disaster, even though the name Mulholland is well known in Southern California. This gives me chills having lived through the evacuations a few years ago of the area downstream of the Oroville Dam. The only thing better now is our public alert system . God bless that motorcycle officer who risked his life to warn others.💙
Thank you for including the map. This was one of your best episodes.
Thank you Jeff for another video of great research and presentation! I knew of the dam collapse but not much detail. Now thanks to you I know a lot more than before!👍
I have driven up and down San Francisquito Canyon hundreds of times and never stopped to read that sign.
Such a sad event in our states history. Thnx Jeff and Sarah for your insights and research!!
A fantastic insight... May god rest their poor souls..
Another great episode, thanks Jeff. Excellent shots and I really liked your music choices. Quite dramatic, fit perfectly.
Yeah there was a somber piano 🎹 piece near the end that I recognized from some other very well done documentary I’ve seen on UA-cam but I couldn’t place which one
@@Syclone0044 I was moved by that ending piano so I searched the music listed in the credits and couldn't find it.
Jeff, this was an awesome episode and very sobering to me.
During my late Teens and early 20's, I used to go to the San Fransisquito area to shoot some of my firearms. There was a Gun Club off of San Fransisquito Canyon Road but, since I wasn't a member, I traveled a couple of miles past and used an old Dry Riverbed to set up my targets. After viewing this video, I realize that I was using the old water coarse that brought total destruction to the area. IF, I had known the history at the time, I would not have desecrated the area with my presence. This is one reason why I love your channel. You keep us informed about our past.
Thank you.
Stan in Ceres.
I always heard about it but never knew the tragic details. Thank you for sharing this historical and no leaving the people out of the story.
Thank you so much sir for including that map of the dam site and the flow of the flood. I didn't realize it was that far North/East of the present Interstate 5. It must have washed out the original ridge route as well because HWY 99 didn't exist until 1934 or 35.
You are most welcome!
I used to live near there and went to see the site a few times...... very sobering. thanks for doing this video
Hello History Hunters, It's so sad what happened back then but thanks so much for sharing this story and putting this story together.
You are welcome! Thanks for honoring us with the viewing!
I had never heard of the St. Francis Dam disaster. So so tragic. I’ve seen in other documentaries in the case of such a catastrophic event, everybody blames or points the finger at someone else to don themselves with innocence. For Mr. Mulholland to step up and take full blame, and to attend the funerals of the victims shows a true bonafide character, based in a sorrowful regret. This doesn’t make what happened any less, but you just don’t see that in people today. Fantastic work Jeff. This was so educational, and in depth. Thanks for taking us with you . 👍
YES!! I’ve been waiting for this one! Excellent, excellent job Jeff! Thank you for covering this one.👍
What a tragedy! That’s such a shame to everyone one that lost their life or to the people that lost loved ones during this. I would like to walk some of the path the water had traveled and see for myself how it looks. Maybe one day when I can get out that way?
Thanks again Jeff! See ya on the next one! Take care now! Frank from Philadelphia, PA.
Very sad story, but a great history lesson. Thanks for all your effort to produce these videos. Very educational.
So do Love your ADVENTURES always so interesting thanks for taking us along
Happy to have you along 😊
Jeff, I appreciate what you have to go through to bring us your videos. We, your ardent followers, owe you big time. I had family living in Fillmore back then. I will have to ask those that are still remaining if they were a part of the St. Francis dam disaster. ....Russell D.
Thankyou for crossing ruff terrain to show us these sights!! This was a horribly sad story. You told it very well. I hadn't heard of this tragedy 😔 Thankyou History Hunters 🙏
Hi ! Very interesting vlog! So sad all those people lost their lives due to human error. Looks totally different place today . Stay safe and keep on vlogging! Thanks! Deborah Winnipeg Canada
Startling information with eye opening pictorial account of this infamous tragedy that could have been averted. As usual, politics and greed lay waste to those of us under its heel. Your in depth report put us there and we could feel the sorrow. Your detail and on site coverage was spot on.
As I live in Ojai I have many trips back and forth through Santa Paula, Fillmore, Piru and Castaic and think of the disaster that occurred there. I pass by the monument to the State Motor Officer and his fellow motorcyclist and it is inspiring if you know the meaning of it. Your video is complete with much information that is usually not mentioned in other accounts of this disaster and is typical of your videos. THANKS for enlightening those that did not know about it. And yes L.A. did steal Owens Valley water just as Ventura is trying now trying the same with ours.
A beautiful tribute to your mother, may she rest in peace!
This is such a tragedy! I had no idea this happened. Thank you for bringing this info to all of us
Wow. Never knew of that. Such a tragedy. Great vlog Jeff. Thank you.
I never heard this story before. Very well done. So sad for the people who were lost.
I’ve always thought this is one of the biggest, saddest, most preventable human engineering failings in American history. Thanks for your good descriptions and viewings.
History is to be learned from. I Think we have damns in the same state. Thumbs Up!
It’s always a bad year to live down stream of a dam
Excellent video! What kind of a person would give this video a thumbs down?
People who should not be watching my videos. LOL
Another amazing episode, thanks! I had never heard of this disaster before today, and likely never would have if not for you!
I moved from Los Angeles to oxnard. And now live in Camarillo. I was told about the story. That’s really horrible, on what happened to those family’s.
Lived in Ventura for a couple of years. I really like that area.
Loved the intro!!! Never knew the story of the dam. Thanks for another good show. (Sarah and Aiden, I don't blame you.)
Very sad history but really well done again Glad Sarah and Aidian enjoyed your filming :)
Thanks very much Lindsay!
I've seen quite a few people vlog this site and your's is the best by far. Great research, incredible detail and fantastic historical photos. You are the first I've seen to encounter that huge chunk of concrete-a tribute to your tenacity! That store in Newhall still exists at the corner of Market & Railroad.
Fabulous history. Thank you Jeff and Sarah 👋🍀
You remain the Best 💐
Thank you Jeff. I enjoy learning about historic events in California.
Another great presentation about a sad time in our past. I love history, and learn something new through every video from the channel.
Your videos are great. This was a horrific disaster. You explain how it happened and the suffering it caused very well.
Thank you Brian! Happy to know you liked the lesson!
Such an unbelievable story! How amazing Mulholland took the blame without hesitation! You won't find that today! Thanks for the CA history lesson, history isn't boring by any means, but the things you show and all makes it even more exciting! Thank you for that!
It's a tragic story anyway you slice it! I actually feel sorry for Mulholland as what a horrible thing that he didn't anticipate occurring. Thanks for leaving the comment!
Born and raised in California and never heard this story, thank you for making this video! As a retired construction professional and ‘concrete guy’, I sure didn’t see much rebar in the concrete!
Thank you again!
Glad you enjoyed it! No rebar, you’re right!
So sad to hear and know this piece of history, my consolation on watching this is the acceptance of responsibility and accountability deep in their hearts of those people involved. May all those who perished in this tragedy Rest In Peace.
Mulholland accepted his responsibility, but many others who approved the dam (even knowing it's shortcomings) never did accept their part of the blame. Letting Mulholland fall on his sword diverted attention away from them and let them continue with their careers (and fortunes) without blame. One guy I knew in the Air Force talked about the fact he had to join the Service (back in the 60's) as his family had difficulties maintaining the farms as LA had taken all their water for the city. They went from being prosperous in the late 1890's thru the late 1920's. After all that water got diverted, they could barely turn a profit many years after that time and to this day.
@@marks1638 The dam was properly constructed using the engineering standards at the time.
Since you did this, would you please do a history of the aqueduct that mulholland built. It’s a fascinating story to learn and I’d love to hear your take on it. The Owens river valley still hates LA!
I bet they do! Let me see if we can work a visit into our schedule this year! Thanks for watching and leaving us a comment!
About the Owens Valley, back in the late 1950's my dad, a friend of his and his son went for a High Sierra pack trip out of Bishop CA. Our car had a LA Dept of water & Power decal on it from the previous owners. I remember my dad saying that he had better remove that decal for fear of reprisals from the Bishop locals.
@@georgeb1364 I think it's still true. There are lots of DWP trucks up and down the OV, though.
I'm so glad you finally did the st. Francis disaster video since I knew you would do an amazing job. It's so sad but we all need to realize that because this now we need to have proper inspection and multiple engineers involved so this never happens again. I never thought about the tombstone being destroyed to hide the evidence of the bad design. I love that Sarah is wise to stay in the car since it looked like you reenacting a scene from cool hand Luke jail break LOL. GREAT MOVIE. I loved that you honored the heroes from the disaster and bravery they must have found in themselves. Keep these videos coming.
It's really sad knowing that some of this ppl who lost their lifes in the flood...Some of the bodys that were washed away were NEVER found STILL till this day!! 😔
Yes very tragic. They are still out there somewhere. Thanks for watching and leaving us a comment, Horrorfan Rikki!
Wow,I had no idea that this happened. All the Lost Life because of a faulty dam. Stolen water to boot from Keeler, what a terrible combination. Thanks for the video.
That was a home run ! Your detail is great, Thank you again Jeff great job.
Great video as always. I knew about this part of our history, too bad our mistakes like this get lost with time. I am so glad for your history interest and investigation of the facts. Looking forward for your next lesson in History. Thank You.
Omg I can’t imagine what they thought hearing that rumbling and wham! It’s all over. Terrifying
thanks for sharing the story and for braving the elements for us !!!
Awesome stuff!! Gave me the chills😒 thank you sir👍🏼
Nice work Jeff.
I learn so much from you both! Thanks for helping me learn some history!! Keep it up!!
Just found your channel by UA-cam recommendations as it knows I enjoy history and catastrophic failure analysis. Wow very well done! You seem like exactly the same kind of person as me who gets so excited exploring old relics of long forgotten sites. I usually look for abandoned railroad stuff but old bridges and structures fascinate me as well. I could relate all too well to how your family had little interest in exploring alongside you. 😅
I definitely subscribed with notifications right away.
I strongly recommend anyone who enjoys this check the Playlist on my Channel for the San Andreas Fault 4-part news special someone did a while back. They didn’t have a playlist so it was difficult to find all 4 parts so I made one myself. It’s absolutely GRIPPING. It’s a very similar style to this video. But they walk, drive, and fly over the San Andreas Fault and I was shocked to learn it’s a very clearly visible line in many places you can straddle with 1 foot on the Pacific Plate and the other on North American Plate. They tour a winery that straddles the fault and show the building literally splitting in two. Collapsed door frames etc!
They also show historical rural photos of farm fences, stand in the same place today, and compare identical shots then vs now, where the straight farm fence has clearly had a major sever that moved the western part 6 FEET to the north!!! So the fence is now sort of “Z-shaped”!
They just keep getting better and better Jeff. I am especially fond of the opening with dramatic music. Very moving. Nice to see Sarah and Aden!
Thank you very much! I liked how the intro came out, too! Hope you're doing well, friend!
Excellent video Jeff. Oh such a tragedy😔Thank you for keeping this story alive and remembering the souls that perished that morning😚
I remember as a kid in the seventies when In Search Of had a video on this tragic accident. Thank you for your wonderful video as usual.
I really enjoy the way you have gone to the places that you talk about, and the way you do your history and get the facts right. Thank you for keeping our past known.
Thank you very much!
Excellent. I've seen other videos that didn't go into this depth of history. Thanks for all your work on this!
Love all your videos, but this one I found particularly interesting. I had never heard of this tragedy and your programme was so informative with the historical photos etc. Very well done.
Thank you very much, Chris! We appreciate your nice comments! What country are you from (I noticed your spelling of program)?
@@jbenziggy I was born in England, and now live in Scotland, but try and spend most of my vacations in the US. as I love your country as much as my own.