Archives West Finding Aid
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Mount Saint Helens Eruption Moving Image Collection, March-May 1980
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- KATU-TV (Television Station : Portland, Or.)
- Title
- Mount Saint Helens Eruption Moving Image Collection
- Dates
- March-May 1980 (inclusive)1980-031980-05
- Quantity
- 18 videocassettes
- Collection Number
- Mic 1
- Summary
- The collection consists of copies of field tapes and studio reporting of the series of eruptions at Mount Saint Helens in Washington state which began in March 1980 and culminated in the eruption of May 18, 1980.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public for reference viewing.
- Additional Reference Guides
-
The guide prepared by KATU-TV has been cataloged as Ref. 016.55121 M141 KATU 1980.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Funding for preparing this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Mount St. Helens, about 50 miles northeast of Portland, Oregon, is a composite volcano with a steep-sided, somewhat symmetrical cone made up of ash and lava in alternating layers. It has been active many times during the last two centuries, including a possible eruption in 1800, intermittent eruptions between 1831 and 1857, and possible minor eruptions in 1898, 1903, and 1921. The 1980 eruptions were the first major volcanic eruptions in the conterminous United States since Lassen Peak (Calif.) in 1914.
March and April 1980 were months of intense activity, including more than 10,000 earthquakes, hundreds of small steam explosions and the distension of the north side of the mountain. On May 18, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake triggered the largest landslide in recorded history on the north side of the volcano. The resulting eruption lasted 9 hours and sent ash over several states. The lateral blast leveled miles of forest, and mudflows devastated the Toutle River Valley.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
After 1980, the mountain entered a period of dome-building, constructing a new lava dome in the crater left by the 1980 eruption.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
Preview videotapes are available for all material.
Restrictions on Use
The material has been copyrighted. Requests for reproductions must be sent to KATU-TV, Portland, Oregon.
Preferred Citation
Mount Saint Helens Eruption Moving Image Collection, Oregon Historical Society Research Library. Individual items should be cited by archive number and title.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The videotapes are individually numbered.
Location of Collection
Preview videotapes are available at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.Location of Originals
Originals are at KATU television station, Portland, Oregon.
Custodial History
All of the materials were created by the News Department of KATU-TV.
Acquisition Information
Gift of KATU-TV, 1980.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
| Description | Dates |
|---|---|
| 04864: [Mt. St. Helens, no. 1]
Hopkins, Tom
Keiter, Jim
Zinman, Henry (photographer)
1 videocassette (viewing
tape available). : (U-matic)(62
min.), sd., col. ¾ in.
Field tape: aerial views of the mountain and crater, eruptions,
road blocks, interview with geologist, steam plumes, Swift Creek reservoir,
ash, interview with Cougar store owner, evacuation.
|
March 20-April 2, 1980 |
| 04865: [Mt. St. Helens, no. 2]
Keiter, Jim
Philbin, Bill
Stapleton, Don
Zinman, Henry
ABC News
KOMO-TV (Television Station : Seattle, Wash.)
(photographer)
1 videocassette (viewing
tape available). : (U-matic)(49
min.), sd., col. ¾ in.
Field tape: sampling ash, aerials of mountain, crater, and
surrounding areas, eruptions, spectators along the highway, aviation around the
mountain, road blocks, evacuation, Pearson Airpark, ash for sale.
|
April 2-5, 1980 |
| 04866: [Mt. St. Helens, no. 3]
1 videocassette (viewing
tape available). : (U-matic)(59
min.), sd., col. ¾ in.
Field tape: still photos of the mountain before the eruptions
began, aerials of crater and cracks in ice, Spirit Lake, interview with
geologist, traffic and road blocks, eruptions.
|
March 27-April 3, 1980 |
| 04867: [Mt. St. Helens, no. 4]
1 videocassette (viewing
tape available). : (U-matic)(28
min.), sd., col. ¾ in.
Field tape: paintings and drawings of earlier eruptions, aerial of
steam eruption, landslides, Cascade Mountains, airplanes.
|
April 2-6, 1980 |
| 04868: [Mt. St. Helens, no. 5]
1 videocassette (viewing
tape available). : (U-matic)(32
min.), sd., col. ¾ in.
Field tape: snowman, eruptions, aerial of crater.
|
April 7-10, 1980 |
| 04869: [Mt. St. Helens, no. 6]
1 videocassette (viewing
tape available). : (U-matic)(32
min.), sd., col. ¾ in.
Field tape: aerials of eruptions, crater, rockslides, ash
clouds.
|
April 10, 1980 |
| 04870: [Mt. St. Helens, no. 7]
1 videocassette (viewing
tape available). : (U-matic)(32
min.), sd., col. ¾ in.
Field tape: aerials of crater, eruption, mountain range.
|
April 10-14, 1980 |
| 04871: [Mt. St. Helens, no. 8]
1 videocassette (viewing
tape available). : (U-matic)(32
min.), sd., col. ¾ in.
Field tape: aerials of mountain, interviews with geologist and
evacuee, Toutle River.
|
May 1-14, 1980 |
| 04872: [Mt. St. Helens, no. 9]
1 videocassette (viewing
tape available). : (U-matic)(29
min.), sd., col. ¾ in.
Field tape: interview with geologist, aerials of crater and
eruptions.
|
May 6-14, 1980 |
| 04873: [Mt. St. Helens, no.
10]
1 videocassette (viewing
tape available). : (U-matic)(32
min.), sd., col. ¾ in.
Field tape: aerials of Mt. St. Helens Lodge, crater, north side
bulge, convoys of property owners going into restricted area, interviews with
property owners, eruption.
|
May 15-18, 1980 |
| 04874: [Mt. St. Helens, no.
11]
Don Stapleton
KATU-TV (Television Station : Portland, Or.)
KOMO-TV (Television Station : Seattle, Wash.)
(photographer)
4 videocassettes (viewing
tapes available). : (U-matic)(121
min.), sd., col. ¾ in.
Field tapes. Tape 1: eruption, aerials of mountain and Toutle
River, news personnel, debris, ash plume. Tape 2: eruption, Toutle River,
Trojan nuclear power plant, news conference, studio report. Tape 3: eruption,
spectators, David Crockett film, airlifting burn victims. Tape 4: interview
with geologist, Camp Baker, Toutle River, eruption. Appearing: David Jackson,
Richard Ross, Robin Anderson, Tom Bentson, Bob Christensen, Tim Storrs.
|
May 18, 1980 |
| 04875: [KATU Evening News]
Anderson, Alan
Olsen, Jeff
Stapleton, Don
Wikman, Carl (photographer)
2 videocassettes (viewing
tapes available). : (U-matic)(53
min.), sd., col. ¾ in.
The tape includes a long excerpt from the local evening news
broadcast from the day of the main eruption, a short piece from ABC national
news broadcast, and a piece from the next day showing the demolished forests.
Includes many scenes of the Toutle River. Reporters: KATU: Stan Wilson, Robin
Anderson, Essex Porter, Bill Van Amburg, Paul Magers, Tim Storrs, Ken Crockett,
Paul Hanson, Fred Jenkins, Jim Hyde; ABC: Tom Jarrel, Tom Schell. Appearing:
Bob Christensen, USGS; Jim Unterwagner, USFS; Mike Cairns, air rescue; Bud
Graves, NWS; Lois Rasmussen; Harry Truman.
|
May 18, 1980 |
| 04876:
Mt. St. Helens: the return of fire
mountain
Beard, Phil
Dargan, Richard
Etheridge, Ray
Hopkins, Tom
Keiter, Jim
Killingsworth, Stanford
Lacher, Gary
Olsen, Jeff
Stapleton, Don
Strobeck, Ken
Weaver, Bill
Zinman, Henry (photographer)
2 videocassettes (viewing
tapes available). : (U-matic)(55
min.), sd., col. ¾ in.
The tape includes a long excerpt from the local evening news
broadcast from the day of the main eruption, a short piece from ABC national
news broadcast, and a piece from the next day showing the demolished forests.
Includes many scenes of the Toutle River. Reporters: Bill Van Amburg, Essex
Porter, Kim Gilbert, Carl Wikman, David Crockett. Appearing: Bob Christensen,
USGS; Jim Unterwagner, USFS; Mike Cairns, air rescue; Bud Graves, NWS; Lois
Rasmussen; Harry Truman.
|
1980 |
| 04877:
The Eruption of Mt. St. Helens
Blodgette, Caleb
Strobeck, Ken
Fisher Broadcasting, Inc.
KATU-TV (Television Station : Portland, Or.)
KOMO-TV (Television Station : Seattle, Wash.)
(editor)
1 videocassette (viewing
tape available). : (U-matic)(27
min.), sd., col. ¾ in.
Documentary on the eruption of Mt. St. Helens. Includes a history
of the area, and shows the sequence of eruptions leading up to the major blast
of May 18, 1980. Includes President Carter's visit to the area and Harry
Truman's sister, Mrs. Gerry Whiting, leaving a wreath on the mountain at the
site of Spirit Lake. Also appearing: Harry Truman, Robin Anderson.
|
1980 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Roadblocks (Police methods)
- Survival after airplane accidents, shipwrecks, etc.
- Volcanic ash, tuff, etc.
- Volcanoes—Washington (State)—Saint Helens, Mount
Personal Names
- Truman, Harry, 1896-1980
Geographical Names
- Camp Baker (Wash.)
- Cascade Range
- Cougar (Wash.)
- Lassen Peak (Calif.)—Eruption, 1914
- Saint Helens, Mount (Wash.)—Eruption, 1980
- Spirit Lake (Wash.)
- Swift Creek Reservoir (Wash.)
- Toutle River (Wash.)
Form or Genre Terms
- Documentary
- News
