The park plays host to the unholy volcano Yellowstone – a supervolcano that gets its name because of its ability to cause untold destruction in the event of an eruption. Located below the states of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, the area is constantly monitored by the USGS (Geological Survey of the United States) for signs that such an eruption is underway. But geologists were furious on the evening of August 17, 1959, during the earthquake of Hebgen Lake, which would inevitably create a new lake on the Madison River to a land wall.
The devastating 7.3 magnitude quake killed 28 people and caused more than £ 9million (£ 200million today) in damage, and the stories of the survivors are nothing short of sober.
Historian Larry Morris recalls the gripping minute-by-minute saga in his book ‘The 1959 Yellowstone Earthquake Disaster’.
He writes: ‘It was a warm night in the mountains.
‘Like many of the others, Tootie Greene and her husband, Ray, and their son, Steve, had arrived the previous evening.
The Hebgen Lake earthquake caused panic in Yellowstone (Image: GETTY / USGS)
The earthquake caused destruction in the park (Image: USGS)
“Steve had plans to sleep in his own room – at the opposite end of the 18ft tent – but Ray and Tootie had him living with them when he was not feeling well.
‘They were barely asleep when they woke up to the ground rolling beneath them like an ocean wave and when Tootie said’ a sound you could not believe ‘.
“Ray compared roaring to a train: ‘It was like an old steam engine locomotive on full throttle, but a hundred times louder.'”
Mr. Morris went through in detail how one of the campers got inches from death.
He added: ‘Tootie opened the tent door and saw water, rocks and trees running towards her.
Read more: ‘Ground could blow up every minute’ How huge Yellowstone earthquake puts USGS on alert
The roads in the park were destroyed (Image: USGS)
‘She yelled at Ray’ let’s get out of here ‘.
‘Most of the tent had collapsed, and Ray could barely make out Steve’s head and arms in the tangled cloth.
‘He grabbed Steve and pulled him free, out of the tent.
‘The next thing Tootie knew, they had Steve in the front seat of the station wagon.
“Ray started the car and tried to drive to the road, but the same tree that had fallen through the tent had fallen under the car and left mobile behind.”
Many were trapped at their campsites (Image: USGS)
A trained nurse, Tootie laid all hands on deck to help out.
Mr. Morris explained: ‘The tree had gone straight through the part of the tents where Steve normally slept.
‘She said later’ if he had been there, he would have been a goner ‘.
“The air was full of the smell of sulfur, people were calling for help in the dark and soon more injured victims began to arrive.
‘Tootie recalled’ we were busy helping everyone we could, I used towels and sheets and whatever I could for bandaging ‘.
“‘I knew about shock from my nursing experience, but my first-aid training came in very handy for connecting these people.'”
The park hosts the Yellowstone supervolcano (Image: GETTY)
But the family was not alone.
Mr. Morris detailed another shocking memoir.
He added: ‘Grover, 71, and his wife Lillian, 68, from Temple City, California, were awakened after their trailer rocking back and forth.
‘Grover yelled,’ What the hell was that? It must be a bear trying to come ‘.
‘But Lillian shouted’ no, it’s an earthquake ‘.
‘Next thing Grover knew,’ everything was upside down ‘the trailer was hit at the end and landed right up in the river.’
The couple had to shake desperately to get themselves out of their sinking garage.
Mr. Morris wrote: “Grover fumbled in the dark for some clothes to take to Lillian, but then realized that her house had collapsed.
‘The water was up to his chin until the time he came out and crawled on top of the trailer.
“He grabbed some pants and a shirt and sweater and grabbed another dress around Lillian.”
After only three weeks, the damned river made it a little over 50 meters deep, which now covers an area five miles long and a third of a mile wide.
Today, tourists to the area can stop by the Earthquake Lake Visitor Center, located 27 miles north of West Yellowstone to experience the horrors of more than half a century ago.
‘The 1959 Yellowstone Earthquake Disaster’ was published by The History Press in 2016 and is on sale here.
