Thistle
This April will mark the 36th anniversary of the Thistle Disaster of 1983-1984. Thistle was originally the name of a town located at the junction of Highway 89 and Highway 6 up Spanish Fork Canyon. It became the name used to describe a massive mudslide which created a natural dam across the Spanish Fork River and destroyed the town of Thistle (along with large sections of railroad lines and highways).
The story began in April 1983 when, after unusually heavy precipitation, Utah Department of Transportation crews responded to reports that shifting earth had left huge cracks in U.S. Highway 6. Not long after a giant mudslide, moving at 6-18 inches an hour, dumped more than one million cubic yards of earth over the highway and destroyed the Denver and Rio Grande western railroad line through Thistle. Highway crews were unable to save either the road or the tracks as the mud mountain continued its descent from early April into May.
The massive slide created a natural dam across the Spanish Fork River, and the dam in turn created Thistle Lake, which completely submerged and destroyed the town of Thistle. The U.S. Corp of Engineers, the Utah National Guard, and construction workers from many companies joined UDOT workers in response to the Thistle slide. Efforts to control the slide turned to reconstruction of rail and roadways, and creation of a drainage tunnel to help bring down Thistle Lake.
Several years back I had the opportunity to participate in a collaborative effort with fellow archivists from USU and SUU to build an online exhibit of various records and record collections relating to the history along Highway 89. One of my contributions was a collection of photographs of the Thistle disaster, taken in real time by the Utah Department of Transportation’s staff photographer. Recently I revisited that online exhibit and curated some photos that document the disaster as it was unfolding. Enjoy!
Historic Thistle when it served as a stop along the D&RG rail line. Photo courtesy of the Utah State Archives and Records Service.
Aerial photo of the mudslide, and Thistle Lake, at its inception in April 1983. Photo courtesy of the Utah State Archives and Records Service.
Thistle slowly being submerged by Thistle Lake in April 1983. Photo courtesy of the Utah State Archives and Records Service.
Thistle Lake rising in April 1983. Photo courtesy of the Utah State Archives and Records Service.
Submerged buildings and American patriots on Thistle Lake in May 1983. Photo courtesy of the Utah State Archives and Records Service.
Water diversion projects to drain Thistle Lake in June 1983. Photo courtesy of the Utah State Archives and Records Service.
Creation of the new Highway 6 (left side of the photo) and new D&RG rail line in August 1983. Photo courtesy of the Utah State Archives and Records Service.
Fall above Thistle Lake in September 1983. Photo courtesy of the Utah State Archives and Records Service.
Workers digging out a new rail line at Thistle in November 1983. Photo courtesy of the Utah State Archives and Records Service.
Outside the new railroad tunnels near Thistle in November 1983. Photo courtesy of the Utah State Archives and Records Service.
Winter comes to Thistle Lake in December 1983. Photo courtesy of the Utah State Archives and Records Service.
The historic Thistle school house emerges from the waters in December 1983. Photo courtesy of the Utah State Archives and Records Service.
More buildings emerge as Thistle Lake is drained in December 1983. Photo courtesy of the Utah State Archives and Records Service.
Unnamed youngster taking in the full scope of the Thistle mudslide (and new corresponding infrastructure) in May 1984. Photo courtesy of the Utah State Archives and Records Service.