Yellowstone Earthquake

 Here is another story from my "Grandma's Stories" book.  This is one of my earliest memories.

Yellowstone Earthquake 1959

When I was just three-years-old, our family went to Yellowstone National Park with my Grandpa- Lyman Conrad Gabrielsen, Sr.  His wife had passed away just a year before and he was very lonely. He loved to go to Yellowstone and fish.  So, we all went camping.  I don’t remember the camping trip, but I was told about it many times as I was growing up.  It was a frustrating time for my mom as she tried to keep me, aged three and my sister Joan, aged one, clean.  She would heat water over the fire and bathe us.  As soon as we were clean, we would get right back in the dirt.

Anyway, we went home on, I think Sunday.  My grandpa planned to stay there a few more days and fish.  The next night, on Monday, we were awakened by a terrible shaking.  It is one of my earliest memories- waking up and seeing my dad jump out of bed down the hall.  When my dad found out it was an earthquake centered in Yellowstone National Park, he was, of course, very concerned.  He called my grandpa and was so relieved when he answered the phone.  He had planned to stay for several more days, but he said that after we left, he felt lonely and felt he should just go home.  What a blessing!  Had he stayed, he would probably have been killed in that earthquake that destroyed the campground.

This picture was taken on Grandpa's back patio several years later.  Front row:  Grandma Libby Peterson (my mom's mom), Dorothy Gabrielsen (my mom), Grandpa Gabrielsen, Joan, Me,  

Back Row:  John, Lyman Gabrielsen, jr (my dad), Aunt Nedra (Dad's sister), Beena Gabrielsen ( my step-grandma, Grandpa's 2nd wife)