The city of Florence recently unveiled the “Exploding Whale Memorial Park” on the north side of the Siuslaw River. Visitors also enjoy grassy areas, picnic shelters, and views of the dunes across the river. Exploding Whale Memorial Park, Florence, Oregon. Now, the residents of Florence, Oregon, have decided to commemorate the event by christening their new local park "Exploding Whale Memorial Park". The Oregon Department of Transportation used 20 cases of dynamite to blow it up. "Exploding Whale Memorial Park" in Florence, Oregon, is named for the explosive event of Nov. 12, 1970, when local officials blew up a beached and decomposing sperm whale … Exploding Whale Memorial Park, Florence, Oregon. You will receive a verification email shortly. Stay up to date on the coronavirus outbreak by signing up to our newsletter today. More than half of the final tally — 439 out of 856 responses — voted for “Exploding Whale Memorial Park,” Ms. Messmer said. As it turns out, it’s being called as “Exploding Whale Memorial Park.” I was curious if you’d been out there or not. On June 13, the City of Florence hosted a low-key dedication ceremony to unveil the new sign for "Exploding Whale Memorial Park" situated on the sandy shores of the Siuslaw River. The explosion threw whale flesh over 80 ‘Exploding Whale’ Park Memorializes Blubber Blast 50 Years Later. This time the explosion resulted from the buildup of gas inside a decomposing sperm whale, which caused it to burst. 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. And while guidelines and perspectives have certainly changed over the years, Linnman remembers that day as if it were yesterday. The park is located along the Siuslaw River on Rhododendron Drive. Actual explosives have also been used to assist in disposing of whale carcasses, ordinarily after towing the carcass out to sea. City of Florence/Facebook The infamous sperm whale was already dead when it … The whale recently made headlines again when an English municipality took to Twitter to relate the COVID-19 pandemic to lessons learned from the exploding whale. After the park opened last May with a temporary name, the city asked residents for suggestions for a permanent title, later narrowing those to a few in an online survey. November would have marked the 50th anniversary of the whale's big bang, and the town, on the southern Oregon coast, planned to announce the park's new name in May at the 113th annual Florence Rhododendron Festival, which had a special theme this year: "Blast from the Past.". According to LiveScience, Exploding Whale Memorial Park in Florence, Oregon, is named for an explosive event that took place Nov. 12, 1970, when … Exploding Whale Memorial Park is now open to visitors, with various coronavirus restrictions in place. Current policy in the state of Oregon dictates that beached, dead whales must be buried and not blown up, according to the OHS. Exploding Whale Memorial Park. The park, as well as the 50th anniversary of the blast, was originally set to be celebrated at the city’s “Rhody Days” in May, but the Rhododendron Festival was canceled because of the coronavirus. Exploding Whale Memorial Park is now open to the public. Everyone nearby was drenched with dead whale, Linnman said. Florence has a new park and it’s named after one of Oregon’s greatest triumphs -- welcome to Exploding Whale Memorial Park. The park is the latest example of what the public can come up with when invited to choose the name for sites or vessels. City of Florence/Facebook The infamous sperm whale was already dead when it … This year’s theme was supposed to be “Blast From the Past.”. The blast is a point of contention for some residents, Ms. Messmer said, as the city is often blamed for the decision to blow up the carcass; the state highway division was responsible. One particularly hefty slab landed on an unoccupied parked car about a quarter-mile (0.4 kilometers) from the blast site, crushing the roof. "Exploding Whale Memorial Park" in Florence, Oregon, is named for the explosive event of Nov. 12, 1970, when local officials blew up a beached and decomposing sperm whale measuring 45 feet (14 meters) long and weighing about 8 tons (7 metric tons). Park amenities include a shelter with picnic tables and a nice grassy area to enjoy a picnic on a sunny day. By As it turns out, it’s being called as “Exploding Whale Memorial Park.” I was curious if you’d been out there or not. Almost 50 years ago, the Oregon Highway Division (now the Oregon DOT) blew up a dead sperm whale after it washed ashore. The park has a shelter with picnic tables, as well as an open grassy area. According […] The name was selected by the citizens of the town and the city government says that out of the 124 suggestions, Exploding Whale Memorial Park was the winner, blowing out the competition from other, more traditional names, like ‘Dune View Park’ or ‘Siuslaw River View Park.’ The ensuing disaster became a tale to be told for generations. Nov. 12, 1970 is an auspicious day in Oregon history. The story is legendary. The park … “I can still conjure it up 40 years later,” Linnman said in 2010. The residents have recently chosen to name a local recreational area “Exploding Whale Memorial Park.” On November 9, 1970, a 45-foot long, 8-ton whale, described variously as a gray or sperm whale, washed ashore at Florence on the central Oregon Coast. The name was selected by a poll of citizens, and commemorates the infamous 1970 incident in which Oregon authorities decided to get rid of the rotting carcass of a huge beached whale by blowing it up with a half-ton of dynamite. Most of the names on the list spoke to the site's natural beauty: "Rolling Tides Community Park," "Dune View Park" and "Little Tree Park" were several of the less gruesome options. Residents of a coastal Oregon city voted to name a park for a 1970 explosion that rained chunks of rotting whale flesh on curious bystanders. An Oregon town has named a park after a whale that the state blew up 50 years ago. But the festival had to be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the City of Florence unveiled the park's new sign in a dedication ceremony on June 13, the Siuslaw News reported today (June 17). Having A Blast in Oregon’s “Exploding Whale Memorial Park” In November of 1970, a sperm whale washed up on the beach near Florence, Oregon. A new park in Oregon has been given a rather odd moniker in honor of its home city's rather bizarre claim to fame. In a poll to determine the new park’s name, “Exploding Whale Memorial Park” garnered 439 out of 856 votes. More than half of the final tally — 439 out of 856 responses — voted for “Exploding Whale Memorial Park,” Ms. Messmer said. A local resident dressed up as “Flo the Whale” to highlight the new name of the park in Florence, Ore. Exploding Whale Memorial Park is nestled on the banks of the Siuslaw River, and has a nice walking path and put-in access for canoes and kayaks. Other ideas were “Bridge View Park” and “Siuslaw River View Park” for nearby landmarks. According to LiveScience, Exploding Whale Memorial Park in Florence, Oregon, is named for an explosive event that took place Nov. 12, 1970, when … Next to the park's new sign is "Flo the Whale," a mascot that a local community member created in anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the exploding whale event. “Exploding Whale Memorial Park” in Florence opened this week in honor of the 8-ton behemoth that was blasted to smithereens after state officials … Exploding Whale Memorial Park is now open to the public. Cutting and then burying it wasn’t an option because no one wanted to take on that task. What do you do with the carcass of a 45-foot, 8-ton whale on the beach? Head to Exploding Whale Memorial Park. Musician Dan Tanz further described the gruesome scene in 2016, in a haunting banjo tune, "The Exploding Whale Song.". Nov. 12, 1970 is an auspicious day in Oregon history. Exploding Whale Memorial Park. (Image credit: Courtesy of the City of Florence), Mysterious black spot in polar explorer's diary offers gruesome clue to his fate, Black holes may not exist, but fuzzballs might, wild theory suggests, These photos of the Arecibo Observatory telescope collapse are just heartbreaking, Biblical Goliath may not have been a giant, Chinese submarine reaches the deepest place on Earth, Mystery Settlers Reached 'Step to Americas' Before Vikings, Scientists just mapped 1 million new galaxies, in 300 hours. Rather than put the escapade behind them, Florence residents voted to dedicate a park after the 1970 blast, choosing “Exploding Whale Memorial Park” as the name for the recreational area in the city, which is about 130 miles southwest of Portland. The explosion instead spewed large chunks of decayed whale on curious bystanders, and even crushed a nearby parked car. 4. Head to Exploding Whale Memorial Park. She hopes the park can serve as a reminder that “we should celebrate our mistakes” and not be embarrassed. What was this incident? Nearly 50 years ago, a whale … The infamous exploding whale story from KATU News, circa 1970. What was this incident? “If you talk to people, it’s not necessarily a proud moment,” said Megan Messmer, Florence’s city project manager. Jun 17, 2020. https://boingboing.net/2020/07/02/exploding-whale-memorial-park.html “It’s a cute whale.”. The infamous exploding whale story from KATU News, circa 1970. FLORENCE, Ore. – Welcome to the newest park on the Oregon coast – Exploding Whale Memorial Park! The residents have recently chosen to name a local recreational area “Exploding Whale Memorial Park.” On November 9, 1970, a 45-foot long, 8-ton whale, described variously as a gray or sperm whale, washed ashore at Florence on the central Oregon Coast. A newly-named Oregon park commemorates an important (and gory) piece of local history: the dynamiting of a dead whale that took place 50 years ago. Fast-forward to last Saturday, when a dedication ceremony christened Florence’s new Exploding Whale Memorial Park, a grassy good-time getaway along the Siuslaw River. What do you do with the carcass of a 45-foot, 8-ton whale on the beach? Fifty years ago, a whale carcass washed ashore near Florence, Ore., and the authorities wrestled with how to get rid of it. (Facebook) A town in Oregon renamed one of its parks after a rotting beached whale carcass town officials exploded 50 years prior. For a limited time, you can take out a digital subscription to any of our best-selling science magazines for just $2.38 per month, or 45% off the standard price for the first three months.View Deal. Exploding Whale Memorial Park, in Florence, Oregon. Exploding Whale Memorial Park. The mascot for Exploding Whale Memorial Park is shown in Florence, Ore., in June 2020. Exploding Whale Memorial Park opens near site where that beached whale was blown up in 1970 . Exploding Whale Memorial Park is nestled on the banks of the Siuslaw River, and has a nice walking path and put-in access for canoes and kayaks. "Pieces of meat passed high over our heads, while others were falling at our feet.". The episode also found renewed relevance recently as a town in northern England used the blubber-coated bystanders in Oregon as a lesson to its residents about the coronavirus: “Sometimes, it’s better to just sit at home and do nothing than go outside and do something ridiculous,” it said on Twitter. The park is the latest example of what the public can come up with when invited to choose the name for sites or vessels. 18 June 2020, "The blast blasted blubber beyond all believable bounds.". The park … In June, it was commemorated with the opening of the Exploding Whale Memorial Park. The name was chosen after city officials asked the public for … "It covered the diner and laundromat, with bits of blood and bone; It covered the old Ben Franklin with a wash of rancid foam," Tanz sang. In 1970, a deceased 45 foot, eight ton whale washed ashore near Florence. A sign bearing the park’s new name was installed on June 13, with a rendering of a whale spouting water in the shape of a heart. A beauty spot in Oregon has been named 'Exploding Whale Memorial Park' after the infamous exploding whale incident of 1970, nearly 50 years ago. Still, Florence residents voted to commemorate the whale. Other ideas were “Bridge View Park” and “Siuslaw River View Park” for nearby landmarks. The naming of the park in Oregon, however, is not an internet-fueled fluke: Ms. Messmer said most residents are excited about the park’s name. Another whale explosion occurred on January 29, 2004, in Tainan City, Taiwan. So, state highway officials decided to use a half-ton of dynamite to blow up the 45-foot sperm whale, hoping its disintegrated matter would be whisked away by sea gulls. The park has a shelter with picnic tables, as well as an open grassy area. The coastal city of Florence has announced a name for its newest park, which references a literal blast from the past. The city of Florence, Oregon, has opened a new municipal park named Exploding Whale Memorial Park. Welcome to Exploding Whale Memorial Park! The Exploding Whale Memorial Park was funded by two grants: The Land Water Conservation Fund awarded $43,762 and Oregon State Park’s Local Government Grant Program gave $87,525. Thank you for signing up to Live Science. More than half of the final tally — 439 out of 856 responses — voted for “Exploding Whale Memorial Park,” Ms. Messmer said. Named after the famed and infamous incident in 1970, the park is actually a somewhat new park with an even newer name. The event has been local lore for years so this year, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the event, the city named a park “Exploding Whale Memorial Park.” You can see the news report on You Tube by looking for “exploding whale Oregon.” -0-Here’s a joke a high school buddy sent me: The whale recently made headlines again when an English municipality took to Twitter to relate the COVID-19 pandemic to lessons learned from the exploding whale. And so, this past weekend, the city of Florence officially announced that the previously-dubbed Siuslaw River Beach Access Park would forevermore be known as the Exploding Whale Memorial Park. Rusty Blazenhoff 5:30 am Thu Jul 2, 2020 . Last year, Florence residents voted from among nine options to name a new park on the Siuslaw River as Exploding Whale Memorial Park. “The blast blasted blubber beyond all believable bounds,” Paul Linnman, a journalist for the television station KATU, reported at the time. Visit our corporate site. The name was chosen after city officials asked the public for suggestions. Mindy Weisberger - Senior Writer Now, a half-century later they have named a park after that lesson. Local news stations filmed the spectacular explosion, which had the unfortunate aftermath of showering everything — and everyone — in the immediate vicinity with bits of dead whale. Visitors also enjoy grassy areas, picnic shelters, and views of the dunes across the river. (Image: © Courtesy of the City of Florence). OFFER: Save 45% on 'How It Works' 'All About Space' and 'All About History'! 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