Grand Forks in Grand Forks County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

The Flood Fight Begins

Photographed by Ruth VanSteenwyk, July 26, 2020

1. The Flood Fight Begins Marker

Inscription.
Remembering the record flood of 1979, when the Red River crested at 48.8 feet - more than 20 feet above its 28 foot flood stage - Grand Forks and East Grand Forks started raising the levees on both sides of the river.

By March, thousands volunteered for duty at the Grand Forks Public Works building, which had been transformed into Sandbag Central. When they weren't filling sandbags, residents took measures to protect their own homes. Soon it became clear there weren't enough volunteers to man Sandbag Central and personnel from the Grand Forks Air Force Base provided additional assistance. Hand in hand with the volunteer corps, they filled 3.5 million sandbags. The levees were ready. It looked like the Red River would be contained. No one could have prepared for what happened next.

Erected by City of Grand Forks.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Environment. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1997.

Location. 47° 55.556′ N, 97° 1.916′ W. Marker is in Grand Forks, North Dakota, in Grand Forks County. It is at the intersection of North 3rd Street and 1st Avenue North on North 3rd Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 50 North 3rd Street, Grand Forks ND 58203, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Dakota’s Red River Valley.

It is also in the American Lewis & Clark Corridor,

on the prairies,

and on the Northern Plains.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other

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markers are within walking distance of this marker: The River Wins (here, next to this marker); A Brutal Winter (here, next to this marker); Evacuating Two Cities (here, next to this marker); Blizzard "Hannah" (here, next to this marker); Security Trust Company (a few steps from this marker); Welcome to Memorial Park (a few steps from this marker); New Hampshire Apartments (within shouting distance of this marker); Dinnie Block (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Grand Forks.

Also see . . . The Flood of 1997. The Greenway website entry (Submitted on April 20, 2026, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Photographed by Ruth VanSteenwyk, July 26, 2020

2. The Flood Fight Begins Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on April 20, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 29, 2021, by Ruth VanSteenwyk of Aberdeen, South Dakota. This page has been viewed 431 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 29, 2021, by Ruth VanSteenwyk of Aberdeen, South Dakota. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.