Rexburg Crowns 2026 Teton Dam Flood Queen as 50th Anniversary Commemoration Begins
REXBURG, Idaho — A week of events marking the 50th anniversary of the catastrophic Teton Dam collapse got underway this week, opening with a ceremony that crowned a flood survivor as the 2026 Teton Dam Flood Queen.
Verla Archibald, who lived through the June 1976 disaster firsthand, received the honor at the kickoff event. The ceremony included a musical performance reflecting on the grueling work of clearing the mud and debris left behind after the floodwaters receded across the Upper Snake River Plain.
A Survivor’s Memory
Archibald shared some of the stranger moments from the cleanup that followed the dam’s failure. She recalled her husband repeatedly returning with an unusual find — cowboy boots, all for the left foot, accumulating into a large pile.
“He said, surely there’s got to be a right foot somewhere,” Archibald recounted. The mystery was eventually solved when the family learned the boots had come from an Army surplus store, where the matching right-foot boots had remained on the shelf.
It is exactly those kinds of small, human details — odd, sometimes darkly humorous — that community members say capture the spirit of resilience that defined the recovery effort five decades ago.
A Full Week of Events Planned
Organizers have scheduled activities throughout the coming week to honor both the gravity of the disaster and the community that rebuilt in its aftermath. Planned events include a 1970s fashion show, a car show, and a float trip along the Teton River from the site of the former dam.
The Teton Dam failed on June 5, 1976, sending an estimated 80 billion gallons of water rushing through the Teton River canyon and into communities across Fremont and Madison counties. The disaster destroyed thousands of homes and caused widespread agricultural losses, though evacuation warnings helped prevent a far higher death toll.
The anniversary commemoration reflects a regional tradition of honoring both the loss and the recovery — and the communities that endured one of Idaho’s most significant natural disasters of the 20th century.
For readers interested in other upcoming community events across Southeast Idaho, the Junior High State Rodeo Finals are currently underway in Pocatello, and the Annual Thunder Run in Pocatello recently brought together community members for a respectful flag retirement ceremony.
What Comes Next
The full slate of 50th anniversary events continues through next week in the Rexburg area. Residents and visitors interested in participating in the Teton River float trip or other commemorations are encouraged to follow local announcements for details on times and locations. The week is expected to draw attendees from across the region, including many whose families were directly affected by the 1976 flood.