Named by residents to memorialize the notorious "exploding whale" incident that took place on the Oregon Coast in the 70s, this beautiful wayside park offers sandy beach and views of the Siuslaw River Bridge. The story is legendary. Bud Pierce Declares His Candidacy. Actual explosives have also been used to assist in disposing of whale carcasses, ordinarily after towing the carcass out to sea. More information on the park can be found here. Terms of Use Residents of Florence voted on the name last year, and anointed the park with a new sign yesterday, the Siuslaw News first reported. The city of Florence recently unveiled the “Exploding Whale Memorial Park” on the north side of the Siuslaw River. We'll send you a newsletter with what you need to know every week. A widely reported case of an exploding whale occurred in Florence, Oregon, in November 1970, when the Oregon Highway Division (now the Oregon Department of Transport… Will Oregon Decriminalizing Drug Possession Make Street Drugs Cheaper? So to prevent carcass climbers, and thinking it would be easier to dispose of the sea mammal if it was in smaller pieces, state officials decided to blow it up using dynamite. Built in 2019, the park oversees scenic views of the Siuslaw River … It was too big to simply bury and posed a public health risk. Clearly, the residents of Florence have a sense of humor and pride about the debacle. Oregon Expected to Receive 228,400 COVID-19 Vaccine Doses by Month’s End, A Dozen Oregon Republican Lawmakers Urged the Attorney General to Support Texas Lawsuit Undermining U.S. Election Results. Experts determined the best method would be to blow it up using dynamite. “All of a sudden, we realized blubber is coming down … There was that momentary ‘Oh … This stuff is landing.’ And it could have hit us,” Linnman recalled. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — If you’re in Florence, Oregon anytime soon, you might want to stop to visit the Exploding Whale Memorial Park. Thanks for contacting us. The park is named in honor of the 1970 explosion of a rotting sperm whale on the Oregon Coast just outside of the city's limits. The Oregon Department of Transportation used 20 cases of dynamite to … Florence, Oregon's newest park is named after an actual event that happened there in 1970. Oregon State, meanwhile, has since implemented a policy to bury carcasses that can’t be easily removed. In a public poll, "Exploding Whale Memorial Park" won a landslide victory over more picturesque names like "Dune View Park" and "Little Tree Park." "The humor of the situation suddenly gave way to a run for survival," KATU reporter Paul Linnman said in an on-the-scene news broadcast. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. According to the Oregon Historical Society, "In addition to the stench and the possibility that the body would burst, local officials were concerned that people curious about the carcass might climb on it and fall in.". Photo courtesy city of Florence. 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Shannon Gormley is originally from Baltimore, Maryland. 69,796, This story has been shared 62,897 times. Exploding Whale Park had simply been undeveloped land owned by … The coastal city of Florence has announced a name for its newest park, which references a literal blast from the past. An Oregon town has named a park after a whale that the state blew up 50 years ago. Your California Privacy Rights "Huge chunks of whale blubber fell everywhere." It includes Linnman’s iconic closing line: “It might be concluded that should a whale ever wash ashore in Lane County again, those in charge will not only remember what to do, they’ll certainly remember what not to do.”. This story has been shared 69,796 times. The mascot for Exploding Whale Memorial Park is shown in Florence, Ore., in June 2020. PORTLAND NEEDS WILLAMETTE WEEK. On Nov. 12, 1970, Linnman and his cameraman Doug Brazil were just 23 when they were assigned to capture the blubber blast on a beach in Florence, Ore. The Oregon Highway Division had decided the best way to remove the dead 8-ton sperm whale that had washed ashore was to stuff it with 24 cases of dynamite and blow it up. Oregon Coast's Exploding Whale 50th Celebrated in Florence, Online . Florence has a new park and it’s named after one of Oregon’s greatest triumphs -- welcome to Exploding Whale Memorial Park. Published 11/05/20 at 4:45 AM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff The need for strong, independent local journalism is more urgent than ever. It has bike racks, picnic tables, kayak access and views of the Siuslaw Dunes. In July 2020 — half a century after the explosion — Florence residents voted to dedicate a park to the incident. She covers local and non-local music in Portland, and writes for Baltimore City Paper whenever she's visiting her hometown. Park amenities include a shelter with picnic tables and a nice grassy area to enjoy a picnic on a sunny day. On the 50th anniversary of the “Florence whale explosion” Thursday, a former Oregon TV newsman recalled what it was like to cover the infamous event — where authorities used half a ton of dynamite to blow up a beached whale. Its carcass was "dealt with" with dynamite by city officials, causing the blubber to fly! On the 50th anniversary of the “Florence whale explosion” Thursday, a former Oregon TV newsman recalled what it was like to cover the infamous event —… WW NEEDS YOU. On November 12, 1970, a dead beached whale in Oregon needed to be disposed of. For the uninitiated: Nearly 50 years ago, a gigantic, dead whale washed up onto a Pacific Northwest shore and really stunk up the joint. Clearly, the residents of Florence have a sense of humor and pride about what's been dubbed a "fateful day in 1970 that changed the world forever" by TheExplodingWhale.com, an entire website dedicated to the event. Megan Messmer / City of Florence A beauty spot in Oregon has been named 'Exploding Whale Memorial Park' after the infamous exploding whale incident of … There have been several cases of whale carcasses bursting due to a buildup of gas in the decomposition process. The Register-Guard wrote of "a 100-foot-high column of sand and whale," and that "chunks of the animal flew in every direction, and spectators began to scream and run for cover when they glimpsed large pieces soaring directly overhead. An outdoor recreation site along the Siuslaw River is now named Exploding Whale Memorial Park. The most absurd and gory piece of Oregon history has been commemorated by the residents of Florence, Ore.: An outdoor recreation site along the Siuslaw River is now named Exploding Whale Memorial Park. In November 1970, the Oregon Highway Division attempted to dispose of a rotting sperm whale that had washed up out of the Pacific onto a beach in Florence by blowing it up with dynamite. 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