This June, South Suburban invites the community to reflect, remember, and rediscover during a weekend of activities commemorating the 60th anniversary of the 1965 South Platte River flood. This devastating flood drastically shaped the future of Littleton and ultimately led to the creation of South Platte Park – the nation’s first floodplain park. Join us to learn more about this historic flood and South Platte Park from June 14-16.
Anniversary Weekend Highlights:

• Carson Nature Center Exhibit
  Visit the Carson Nature Center to view a collection of historic photos and video footage capturing the 1965 flood and the aftermath.
• Watch for Pop-up Trailside Booths
  While you’re exploring the park, keep an eye out for educational booths about floods and flood safety.
• Commemorative Sunset Walk: Monday, June 16
  Join neighbors and naturalists for a reflective walk at sunset – marking the time the flood crest reached Littleton in 1965. Register here.
• “Visions of the Flood”
  Pick up a copy of Visions of the Flood, a moving collection of local photos and personal accounts, now available at the Carson Nature Center gift shop.

History of the South Platte Flood
After a cool, wet spring left the ground saturated and reservoirs full, a weather system stalled over the Palmer Divide. Torrential rains followed – at one point, 14 inches fell in just four hours! Plum Creek, usually a gentle stream, surged into a raging torrent that tore through Castle Rock, Sedalia, and Louviers.

Littleton received only a few hours’ warning before the crest hit around sunset on June 16, 1965. The South Platte swelled to nearly a mile wide in places and surged at an estimated 110,000 cubic feet per second. In just a few hours, the flood caused more than $325 million in damage (in 1965 dollars), destroyed or closed 13 of the 27 bridges over the river, and swept away dozens of homes. Though 21 lives were lost across the nation due to the weather system, remarkably, there were no fatalities in Littleton or Denver.

After the Flood
The flood swept away homes and dreams, but it left behind more than destruction – it also created possibility. It altered lives, businesses, and ecosystems. In response, the Army Corps of Engineers began construction of Chatfield Dam. However, their plan for a rock-lined flood channel didn’t reflect Littleton’s connection to the river. Local leaders rallied the community and successfully lobbied Congress to authorize the land purchase that would become South Platte Park – an unprecedented effort to transform a floodplain into a sanctuary for both wildlife and people.