Canby Our Town
7
1960
— The Molalla river went on a rampage Thanksgiv-
ing Day after a week of intermittent rain and 24 hours of
steady downpour, broke through a 20-year-old Army Engi-
neers’ dike north of Goods bridge, overflowed the Canby-
Marquam highway and Highway 99E at Seven Acres and
wrought considerable damage over its entire length. It
flooded Elmer Deetz’ Avalon Meadows dairy farm which was
directly below the dike break, forced evacuation of families
on Vale Garden Road, drowned 3,600 broilers at the Lloyd
Houge place and nine sheep at Island Park across the river.
Farther downstream it wrecked the chapel and dormitories at
the Christian and Missionary Alliance camp.
The flood struck the Canby section of the river after 4 p.m.
Thanksgiving day, Nov. 24, when most Thanksgiving dinners
were over. It was then that the old dike gave way releasing a
torrent which spread over some 200 acres between the
break and the Canby-Marquam road, finally topping the road
itself about 5 pm. and stopping all traffic there.
Old-timers agreed that it was the highest water ever
known on the Molalla, but it subsided rapidly and by Friday
noon the roads were clear and it was possible to assess the
damage. Carl Joehnk’s river gauge below Goods Bridge had
read 15 feet, which is rated an extreme flood, the highest
water recorded since 1943 when it also reached that stage.
But the gauge would not measure the torrent that flowed
over the Canby-Marquam road during the few hours of the
flood crest.
WOW, WHAT WEATHER!
Good’s Bridge over the Molalla south of Canby was closed to traffic
Tuesday and Wednesday (December 22nd and 23rd 1964) as the drift-
carrying river surged to the 17.5 foot level before cresting Tuesday at
6 p.m.
1937 — A snow-bound Canby
was not really a matter of news
Sunday. It was all over town (the
snow) long before night at a greater
depth than has been known in this
particular community for many
years. Some of the older inhabitants
claim they cannot recall a time in
Canby history when 22 inches of
snow covered the ground in eight
hours.
Great flakes of the “beautiful”
commenced falling early in the
morning, continuing at the same
rate until late in the evening. Traf-
fic on the Pacific highway was
abandoned before dark; however,
a few cars passed through town
north and south during the night.
Northbound stages could not
leave Salem at 4:30 p.m., and the
southbound stage leaving Portland
at 9:00 p.m. gave up the fight at
Oregon City at 11:30 p.m. Passen-
gers were given back their tickets
and left to provide such con-
veyances as were available.
Providing Quality Cost Efficient
Post Frame Buildings Since 1982
• Standard Designs
• Custom Designs
• Agricultural
• Commercial
• Residential
• Warehouses
Our Experienced Staff Can Help You With Your Project
3540 2nd Street • Hubbard • 503-981-0890
www.parkerbuildings.com
445099.072413.C-OT
445275.072413.C-OT
601 First, Canby •
503-266-3321
Ernie buys Union Oil changing the name to
Ernie Graham Oil. Starting a major chapter in a
life of commitment to business and community!
Ernie buys Union Oil from
Virgil Giger in 1971 and it now
becomes Ernie Graham Oil.
Back Row: Harry Kletzok, Bud Oh; Front row left to
right: Hal Fish, Paul Carrol, Bill Stevens,
Fred Egger, Ernie Graham, Granddaughter
Jena Gardner, Howard Lowrie and Ed Steiner.
1,2,3,4,5,6 8