Historic Photograph Captured Aftermath of 1976 Disaster
A group of friends who gathered on a Rexburg street corner hours after the catastrophic Teton Dam collapse in 1976 will reunite this summer to recreate their now-famous photograph marking the 50th anniversary of the disaster.
Brothers Brian and Brent Gibson, along with nine of their friends, stood at the intersection of Main Street and North 2nd East around 3 p.m. on June 5, 1976, shortly after a massive wall of water devastated Rexburg following the dam’s failure. Photographer Steve Wasden captured the moment in what has become an iconic image of the disaster’s immediate aftermath.
The photograph shows the young men standing amid the destruction left by the floodwaters that swept through the Madison County community earlier that day. The Teton Dam, located on the Teton River in eastern Idaho, collapsed during its first filling, releasing approximately 80 billion gallons of water downstream.
Photographer Recalls Historic Day
Wasden, who now lives in Pocatello, happened to have a camera with him that day despite the era predating widespread cellphone photography. His father owned a business in Rexburg at the time, which brought Wasden to the community on the day of the collapse.
The circumstances that led the group to gather for the photograph were documented as part of a retrospective look at the disaster. Wasden has shared his memories of both the immediate aftermath and the extensive cleanup efforts that followed the dam failure.
Brothers Remember Witnessing the Disaster
The Gibson brothers have provided their recollections of witnessing the floodwaters surge through Rexburg and the events leading up to the photograph. Brian and Brent Gibson were among the group of eleven friends who came together at the intersection that afternoon as the community began to comprehend the scale of the disaster.
The Teton Dam collapse remains one of Idaho’s most significant engineering failures and natural disasters. The flood caused eleven deaths, destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses, and resulted in nearly $2 billion in property damage when adjusted for inflation. The communities of Rexburg, Sugar City, and other downstream areas faced extensive reconstruction efforts that took years to complete.
Reunion Planned for Anniversary
This summer’s planned reunion will bring together the original group to recreate the 1976 photograph at the same location. The event will mark half a century since the disaster that reshaped the region and tested the resilience of eastern Idaho communities.
Wasden expressed his anticipation about reconnecting with his former classmates five decades after the photograph was taken. The reunion represents both a commemoration of those affected by the disaster and an opportunity to reflect on how the region has recovered and rebuilt in the intervening years.
The Teton Dam site has never been rebuilt. Following the collapse, investigations revealed concerns about the dam’s design and construction. The dam had been built by the Bureau of Reclamation as part of an irrigation project intended to provide water storage for agricultural purposes in the Upper Snake River Valley.
What Comes Next
The 50th anniversary of the Teton Dam collapse will be observed throughout eastern Idaho this June with various commemorative events and remembrances. The recreation of the iconic photograph by Wasden and the group of friends will serve as a personal milestone within the broader community recognition of the disaster.
Rexburg and surrounding communities have transformed the memory of the disaster into an annual emphasis on community service and preparedness. Local officials and residents continue to share stories and lessons from the 1976 collapse with younger generations who have no personal memory of the event.
The original photograph and its planned recreation stand as visual testimony to both the destruction caused by the dam failure and the endurance of the friendships and community bonds formed during the recovery period.