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1968 I was in 2nd grade and had just moved to Villa Park, Ca.
In October 1968 I moved from Santa Ana, Ca. to Villa Park, Ca. I was in 2nd grade and was 7 years old. In and around Jan. 1969 the bridge that connected villa park and orange had washed out and I heard the most loudest explosion going back to class from using the bathroom. The Broken Bridge. These girls in the picture are most likely girlfriends I had in korea in 1982-83...Keep Up The Fire Sir! |
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| New found information about the Bridge and the flood in 1969 Summer and fall of 1968 were dry, and it looked as though the dry spell would continue through winter. Hillsides, denuded by the fire, were parched and nearly barren. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they saw rain on January 18, 1969. It continued for nine days. Most of the water soaked into the dry, parched earth. Some minor flooding occurred but no major damage in Orange. Many old timers said they had never seen a storm like it, but no-one knew what was ahead in just a few weeks - a more violent, destructive storm that had ever been seen in Orange. Friday night, February 21st, showers began to fall. Most people said, "Good, we need it." It kept raining. The ground was saturated from the previous storm but no one realized how much. On Sunday, blinding sheets of rain roared into the city. Streets became miniature rivers hindering the movement of apparatus responding to fires and hot wires down. Monday morning, the Orange County Flood Control District notified Orange they would be releasing water from the Villa Park Dam into Santiago Creek. Fire and police kept a watchful eye on the rising waters, wondering how long the hard rain would continue. Then at around noon, the SANTIAGO BOULEVARD BRIDGE collapsed into the raging current. Reports of the impending disaster trickled in. Santiago Creek bank erosion was reported on North Mallard Street. Villa Park Dam revealed four times as much water was coming in as could be released. Evacuations began. Water was soon up to the baseball diamond in Hart Park. It kept raining. Cambridge Street Bridge over the creek was closed. By Tuesday morning, the waters were overflowing the walls of Hart Park and nearing the Armory. The downpour didn't let up. All off-duty fire and police personnel were placed on alert. Fairway Drive had to be evacuated and so did five apartment buildings on Mallard. A mudslide crushed the Silverado Volunteer Fire Station killing five people. More mud slides occurred in Santiago Canyon. Soon the creek had cut its banks at Handy and Fern. Radio and television were advising residents to evacuate. Seven evacuation teams were in service. Water broke through the Armory dike. Houses were sliding into the creek. The Santa Ana River was close to flood stage. More bridges were down. Chapman General Hospital and the nearby apartment houses, creaking and crackling, slid into churning waters. The railroad trestle near Walnut was out. By Wednesday, the rain eased but the problems remained. Windes Drive was washed out. The savage storm, which broke an 85-year-old rainfall record, had come and gone. JUST RECENTLY I BOUGHT A 1905 Smith & Wesson .38 Special from the Orange Armory. Sgt. Nicholson at 1/9th arms room gave me a footlocker filled with ignition devices for the Freedom bridge in Korea over the Imjin River, during an alert and I was to demonstrate the procedure of preparing for demolition of the bridge, to the New major of the 1/9th infantry. There was a lot of mosquitoes that night as I waited for the combat engineers to arrive and take over. J. Karanikolaou |
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Beautiful Waterfall, Isn't It?
I've always loved this waterfall! You can see ones just like it near my house, just a couple of miles away! |
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This is one of my favorite images
I took it when he wasn't looking. I took it when he wasn't looking. I took it when he wasn't looking. I took it when he wasn't looking. I took it when he wasn't looking. |
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Beautiful Waterfall, Isn't It?
I've always loved this waterfall! You can see ones just like it near my house, just a couple of miles away! |
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