December 22, 1964 dawned on the Rogue River with heavy rain and unseasonably warm temperatures. As the day passed, townsfolk cast nervous glances at the rising turbid river water. They began moving their belongings to upper floors and vacated their homes for higher ground.
The whims of rain, snow, and temperature in these mountains can create unpredictable river levels. That winter, excessive rains and warm temperatures increased the rate of melting snow, and the Rogue River began to rise.
Throughout the night, the river rose and by 4:00 am on December 23, it was four feet above the previous flood record. Water poured down streets and sidewalks, inundated buildings, and crashed against the deck and trusses of the Depot Street Bridge.
When the floodwaters subsided, scores of residents returned to find badly damaged homes and businesses swamped with mud. The "Christmas Flood" of 1964 was one of the worst Rogue River floods on record, but it was nothing new.
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