By Cosmos Mariner, June 29, 2010
	1. Hebgen Lake and Quake Lake

This area contains many historical interests: Hebgen Lake and dam, Quake Lake and the Madison River Earthquake Visitor's Center at the site of the August 17, 1959 mountain slide.

Near here was the Grayling Post Office that served from 1989 to 1951. Missouri Flats (Madison County) was homesteaded by people from Missouri in 1911. Still standing in the ghost town of Cliff Lake in Madison county (2002) are the school, teacherage, store and post office. The Fir Ridge Cemetery overlooks Hebgen Lake.
 
Erected 2002 by Montana Cultural Trust and Gallatin County Historical Society.
 
Location. 44° 48.104′ N, 111° 10.031′ W. Marker is near West Yellowstone, Montana, in Gallatin County. Marker is on Hebgen Lake Road (U.S. 287) 3.5 miles west of U.S. 191, on the right when traveling west. Click for map. There are two other signs at this location: a large US National Forest Sign: "Madison River Canyon Earthquake Area, Gallatin National Forest", and a "geological phenomenon" placard atop a rock pedestal. These signs are located with the historical marker in a pull-out alongside the road. Marker is at or near this postal address: 19002 Hebgen Lake Road, West Yellowstone MT 59758, United States of America.

	By Cosmos Mariner, June 29, 2010
	2. Madison River Canyon Earthquake Area
	Three signs along US Highway 287 mark the east entrance to the Madison Canyon Earthquake Area. This area includes Hebgen Lake, Earthquake Lake, the Ghost Town of Cliff Lake, the Refuge Point memorial marker, the Madison Canyon Landslide Dam (created by the earthquake), and the Madison River Earthquake Visitor's Center.

 
More about this marker. The marker is in good condition, although a bit faded after many years in the Montana sunshine. The US National Forest sign and the "geological phenomenon" sign are also looking a bit aged.
 
Regarding Hebgen Lake and Quake Lake. On the night of August 17, 1959, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake in Madison River Canyon caused a massive landslide. The landslide created a dam that sealed the west end of the canyon, blocking the flow of the river and creating a new lake overnight. The earthquake caused over 28 fatalities and changed Madison Canyon forever.
 
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. To better understand the relationship, study each marker in the order shown.
 
Also see . . .
1. The Montana Traveler: Madison River Canyon Earthquake Area. This article, from Montana The Magazine of Western History, presents historic pictures, diagrams and a detailed description of the Madison River Canyon Earthquake. (Submitted on August 20, 2012, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.) 

2. The 1959 Yellowstone earthquake, also known as the Hebgen Lake earthquake. This Wikipedia link has detailed information and more historical pictures of the Madison River Canyon earthquake. (Submitted on August 20, 2012, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.) 

3. Madison River Canyon Earthquake: Where life and land changed in an instant. This article describes some of the earthquake events and also the road through Madison Canyon as you see it today. (Submitted on August 20, 2012, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)