Wyoming
Wyoming History: 1927 Kelly Flood Killed 6, Washed Out 75 Buildings
For years growing up in sight to the Grand Tetons to the west and Gros Ventre Range to her east, Dawn Kent kept her eye out on the landscape along the Gros Ventre River in Kelly, Wyoming, for a post office safe.
It washed away 98 years ago in the Kelly Flood, and her grandfather, Raymond C. Kent, was postmaster for the small Wyoming community at the time.
“There were two safes that were lost in the flood,” she said. “One at the Kneedy home and one at the post office. The Kneedy safe was found about 30 years ago, about 2 miles downstream in the river bottom.
“But the post office one was never found, although I was always told there really wasn’t much in it that mattered.”
It’s been a century since the rumble of collapsing boulders, dirt and shale created an estimated 50 million cubic yards of debris that formed a natural dam on the Gros Ventre River in Teton County on June 23, 1925.
Two years later, heavy rains and snowmelt collaborated to breach the barrier and unleash a flood, leaving behind memories and landscape scars.
Kent, 71, believes her family may be the sole remnant with blood links in Kelly to the pioneers who were around when the dam let loose and washed out about 75 buildings and killed six people May 18, 1927. That includes homes, outbuildings and much of the town.
“Gros Ventre River Flood Takes Huge Toll in Life and Property,” the Jackson’s Hole Courier newspaper headline reported Thursday, May 19, 1927. “Death and destruction came down the Gros Ventre River yesterday morning in a great wall of water that snuffed out at least six lives, wiped the town of Kelly off the map and swept away several hundred head of livestock.”
Kent said to understand the flood, one has to go back to the natural dam formed when a large part of the north side of Sheep Mountain in the Gros Ventre Range slid down into the valley below blocking the river.
Her grandmother, Anne Kent lived in Kelly in 1925, helping run the local store and post office with her husband, Raymond.
In 1940, Anne wrote an account of both the slide and the flood that her granddaughter keeps filed in a book.
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Anne Kent and her husband, Raymond, ran the store and post office in Kelly at the time of the flood. She wrote about the event in 1940 and her granddaughter, Dawn Kent, still has the original document. (Courtesy Dawn Kent) -
The location of the town of Kelly, Wyoming, prior to the 1927 flood. (Courtesy Wyoming State Archives) -
The scar on Sheep Mountain in the Gros Ventre Ranch on the east side of Jackson Hole still shows the scope of slide in May 1927. (Courtesy Google Earth) -
A Google Earth view of the current location of Kelly, Wyoming, and Lower Slide Lake, which was created in the 1925 by a slide of rock, shale, and debris off Sheep Mountain. (Courtesy Google Earth)
Written Remembrance
“There was a big landslide just four miles east of the settlement. That slide was an enormous thing, hundreds of tons of earth break off from the north hillside, filling the canyon for one-half mile, making a dam just that thick and 200-feet high,” Anne Kent wrote. “It shut off the river and backup up the water, taking about 12 or 15 days in making a lake seven miles long.”
Anne Kent wrote that “miraculously,” no one was caught in the slight and that only shortly before the slide, cowboys had put the last of their range cattle through the canyon.
“The last two riders were so close to the edge of that moving mass they were covered with dust,” she penned.
Jackson’s Hole Courier reported Thursday, June 25, 1927, that the Gill Huff ranch was almost totally inundated and that Huff lost a “fine new $10,000 home underwater.”
It also reported the Card ranches were lost and another rancher, Ed Russell, was also threatened.
The slide followed a similar event in 1909 that first created the original “Slide Lake,” which thereafter would be “Upper Slide Lake” while the new lake was dubbed “Lower Slide Lake.”
The newspaper reported that prior to the slide there had been a “number of light earth tremors” felt in the Jackson Hole region.
A visit by Wyoming State Engineer Frank Emerson in July 1925 found that things had settled down and the river was flowing through the center of the 180-foot-high dam. The lake behind the dam was about 5 feet from the top of the fill.
He estimated that water levels would eventually decrease below the fill to about 25 feet. The natural dam was holding, and people should not be afraid to enter Yellowstone National Park from the southern entrance.
“A person would probably be safer in any traveled region of the Jackson Hole region today than he would be upon the streets of any of our large cities,” Emerson wrote.
Floating Hayrack
However, in May 1927, with melting snows and rains feeding the lake, a ranger noticed an old hayrack that had been floating on the lake for two years suddenly floating down the river.
He realized the dam was weakening and water was topping it. He rode to Kelly to warn people to get out.
Dawn Kent said her father, who was 14 at the time, was in school. Her grandfather ran to the school and told all the students to go home.
Her grandfather instructed her dad to go home and let the horses out, but not to take any time collecting tack and just to head to high ground.
Her mother, who lived on a ranch north of town, was 7 years old at the time and witnessed the wall of water descend when the dam broke. Kent’s grandmother in her account of the flood wrote that the Gros Ventre River had become muddy and swollen.
“Sometime in the forenoon, the dam gave way and by 11:30 the town of Kelly was washed away,” Anne Kent recorded. “The residents had realized that a large amount of water was coming and most of them left for high ground.
“One family of three was caught and drowned, also three others who lived on the river below the town.”
Kent’s grandmother estimated that 75 buildings were washed away along with all the possessions and materials inside them, including bedsteads, kitchen ranges, ice boxes and two safes.
“A marriage certificate, Mr. Kent’s and mine, was afterwards found covered with mud,” Anne Kent wrote. “Several pieces of thin cut glass, a wedding gift to one couple, was later found with not a nick or a scratch.”
Flood waters went all the way to Wilson and ranch land, cattle and buildings along the river between Kelly and the junction of the Gros Ventre and Snake rivers were destroyed.
The destruction was estimated to be 3 miles as its widest point.
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The Star Valley Independent newspaper in Afton, Wyoming reported on the loss of lives and property in Kelly, Wyoming in its may 20, 1927 edition. Although the headline proclaims seven deaths, only six people died in the flood. (Newspapers.com) -
Jackson’s Hole Courier newspaper carried the Sheep Mountain slide on its front page in the June 25, 1925, edition. (Courtesy Newspapers.com) -
Jackson’s Hole Courier had the story of the Kelly flood the next day on its front page. (Courtesy Newspapers.com)
Casualties
In Kelly, the Kneedy family — Henry Milt Kneedy, his wife, and adopted son, Joe — died as did a pioneer schoolteacher, Maud Smith, and her sister, May Lovejoy.
Rancher Clint Stevens tried to ride a hayrack through the surging waters and drowned.
Many in the estimated 50-member community narrowly escaped death. The Jackson’s Hole Courier reported that Charles Rhinehart pulled himself to safety through a grove of aspen, that a Mrs. Almy and an unidentified man pulled themselves out of the surging water just below Kelly, and Chester Simpson lost his car in the flood as he was trying to start it.
“Henry Francis (carried) him to safety behind his saddle,” the newspaper reported May 19, 1927.
Only the Episcopal Church, its parsonage and the school were left standing in Kelly. Overall, an estimated 40 families in the region were displaced.
Dawn Kent said her grandparents moved the store and the post office to the church building. And the store continued to be operated by her family until 1971 when the building burned.
As a girl working at the family store in the 1960s, she said people would ask about the flood, and the family became adept at repeating the story for tourists and others.
One story from the flood is that a woman when she evacuated town right before the flood to higher ground took her wind-up victrola player and one record. The record was the “Wreck of Old ’97.”
“And so, they sat up there on the bench and listened to the ‘Wreck of Old ’97,’” Kent said.
In the years following the flood, debris that had sunk in the mud would surface.
Kent said as a girl she saw rusted cars along the river she assumes were from the flood. Old bottles, tin cans and other rusted debris once buried and sticking out of the ground in the river region were always suspected as remnants from the disaster.
A Safe
In 1999, fisherman Ernie Wampler Sr. saw a piece of metal poking out of the riverbank while fishing in late November.
Upon investigation, it turned out to be a safe. The safe was dug out and taken to the Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum for a public opening.
“Artifacts from inside the safe include a silver pocket watch, a pair of eyeglasses, a glass jar, many coins and tokens dating from 1920 and earlier, leather pouches, purses and wallets, wads of paper embedded in mud and other items,” the Jackson Hole News reported Dec. 8, 1999.
It was determined to have belonged to the Kneedy family.
Each year, Kent said Kelly residents gather in May to remember the flood and share photos and interesting articles. They just wrapped up their annual meeting earlier this month.
On June 7, Kent said that as part of National Trails Day, a commemoration of the 1925 slide is planned by the Friends of the Bridger-Teton nonprofit. The group is planning work at the Gros Ventre Slide Geological Area to rehab trails and pull invasive species plants from 9 a.m. to noon. A special commemoration of the slide with speakers is planned.
Kent said the slide and flood are important to remember for history’s sake as well as how it changed the landscape of the area and impacted so many lives.
Shaking continues in the region from time to time and other minor slides have happened over the years.
But Ken said she continues to watch for the piece of history that can be traced back to the post office her grandfather oversaw.
“I’ve always had my eyes open, hoping that someday I might find that other safe,” Kent said. “But of course I never have … but it still could happen. Everyone was surprised when Ernie found the other one.”
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.
This news report mentions suicide. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of harming themselves, please call 911. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or text “WYO” to 741-741 for the Crisis Text Line.
CASPER, Wyo. — Three Republican gubernatorial candidates shared their views on a myriad of topics spanning taxation, energy production, resource rights and more Wednesday at the third Politics in the Park forum.
The event at Casper’s Washington Park featured state Sen. Eric Barlow, retired Marine Corps Col. Brent Bien and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder. The candidates seek to replace Gov. Mark Gordon, who cannot run again due to term limits.
Fellow Republican candidate Curt Blake did not attend the forum, which was hosted by the Natrona County Republican Party and the Natrona County Republican Women. Other candidates in the race include Democrat Kenneth Castner and Constitution Party nominee Rebecca Bextel.
Taxes, budget and education
When asked about economic growth and budget strategies, the candidates offered different plans. Bien called for deep tax cuts and deregulation. He expressed support for a November ballot initiative that would exempt 50% of a primary residence’s assessed value from property taxes.
Barlow warned that broad tax cuts could hurt local public services.
“All your property taxes support local governments, your schools, your cities, towns, and counties and your special districts,” he said.
Degenfelder said the key to low taxes and maintaining services is increasing state energy production. She said the state must deliver public services efficiently without overspending, adding that the private sector is solely responsible for creating jobs and economic growth.
Elaborating on job creation and how to stimulate the economy, all three pointed to the state’s public education system as a primary workforce development driver. They stressed a need to shift focus toward trade schools and career-based learning to prepare students for current opportunities.
“We skipped an entire generation of teaching these kids [trades] when they were in school,” Bien said, emphasizing that electricians and welders can currently name their price.
Degenfelder said pushing too many students toward college caused a workforce disconnect and led young people to leave the state. She said Wyoming must prepare students for local job openings to keep them from moving away.
Barlow said educational institutions must partner directly with local industries to align training and secure the economy.
Energy and climate
Questions about uranium mining, rare earth minerals and oil and gas leasing on state lands drew unified support for ramping up extraction and streamlining the permitting process while avoiding federal overreach. Degenfelder spoke about the national security implications of domestic rare earth processing.
“Do you know who processes 90% of rare earths? It’s not another state. It’s China,” Degenfelder said. “I spent time in China. Trust me, we do not want China to be in control of who’s processing rare earth minerals.”
Bien urged the state to speed up leases and permits to generate employment. Barlow supported subsidizing and promoting rare earth processing.
Regarding climate change, Bien rejected the narrative of man-made climate shifts and favored legacy industries.
“I do believe that God controls the climate,” Bien said.
Degenfelder said climate policies have been weaponized against Wyoming’s legacy energy industries, and argued that Wyoming’s cleaner-burning coal should be used globally. Barlow advocated for an all-of-the-above approach where all energy sources compete without subsidies.
When asked about specific infrastructure projects, including an influx of data centers and a proposed pumped hydroelectric project at Seminoe Reservoir, the candidates saw things differently. Bien firmly opposed both. He said a 2010 state law unfairly granted tax waivers to multibillion-dollar corporations, creating a system of corporate favoritism that leaves local ranchers and small business owners empty-handed.
Degenfelder said she supports data centers only if they don’t deplete water resources or raise utility rates for residents. Barlow countered the negative premise of the question entirely, saying the state already has over two dozen data centers without widespread neighbor complaints or resource abuse.
All three candidates agreed the State Board of Land Commissioners has a fiduciary duty to balance energy development with long-term benefits for schools and communities, and that the state must push back against federal regulations that threaten Wyoming’s core industries.
Infrastructure, water and land access
The candidates answered questions about infrastructure, water rights and corner crossing. Degenfelder said keeping water is vital to Wyoming’s survival and pledged to work with the federal government to stop what she considered downstream theft.
“Without water, we don’t have life. Nothing else matters,” Degenfelder said. “And right now, for many, many years, we’ve allowed these downstream states to steal Wyoming’s water and now we’re in the fight for our life … for our water rights.”
2026 Politics in the Park coverage
Bien said he wouldn’t give up any more water rights beyond original compacts. He suggested investing state savings into local water storage and irrigation. Barlow acknowledged that the current multi-year drought has created natural and legal challenges, adding the Legislature is increasing its technical and legal expertise to defend water rights.
On the topic of corner crossing, the candidates noted recent court rulings that favor public access but offered different solutions. Bien said the Legislature should define a corner, Degenfelder favored case-by-case reviews, and Barlow proposed land exchanges to resolve disputes.
“If we want to have less conflict, less corner crossing, let’s work toward fewer corners,” Barlow said. “Let’s work toward consolidations within the current law. Let’s work toward things that make meaningful access available to those public land users and still protect all the private property rights.”
Healthcare and community services
The candidates expressed support for telehealth expansion, rural healthcare access and annual cancer scans for firefighters.
Degenfelder said emergency medical services should be an essential service. Bien said funding models need standardization before making a statewide EMS designation.
Barlow promised to create a healthcare strike team on Aug. 19 if he wins the primary election. He said the team would bring providers, payers and patients together to improve care.
The candidates supported protecting Medicaid for vulnerable people. Bien called for tort reform to lower insurance costs, while Degenfelder spoke about expanding the healthcare workforce pipeline.
On the state’s high veteran suicide rate, candidates supported wrap-around services, with Barlow citing local nonprofit partnerships and Bien pushing for robust VA hotline access. Degenfelder said Wyoming must make sure returning veterans are provided with strong community support and are made fully aware of the services available to them.
2026 Election Tracker
Regarding food insecurity, the candidates advocated for localized solutions, with Bien calling for ranchers to feed local schools and Barlow suggesting potential state support for school boards using their funds for nutrition programs. Degenfelder said her strategy focuses on creating more physical sites for food access and actual meals, rather than expanding government programs.
All three candidates opposed the decriminalization of marijuana.
They agreed the state’s pardon and expungement system needs reform to help nonviolent offenders restore their rights.
When asked what they would stop, Bien named corporate favoritism and regulation.
“Number one is to stop the exodus of young people from the state of Wyoming,” Degenfelder said. “You should not, if you’re a grandparent, have to get on an airplane just to see your kids and your grandchildren.”
Barlow pledged to protect public lands and reduce “the divisiveness, the ugliness that’s going on in our political climate.”
“I don’t believe it serves this nation,” he said.
Federal overreach and transparency
When asked how they would assert state authority, Bien cited the 10th Amendment and a Montana court case involving federal funds.
“So, it is one of those things to where, if it’s not in the best interest of Wyoming and it falls within the 10th Amendment and outside of those enumerated powers, I will definitely push back,” Bien said.
Degenfelder favored working with a sympathetic federal administration to return power to the states. Barlow said he would order the state attorney general to challenge unconstitutional federal mandates.
On transparency, Bien called for a state audit and an end to nondisclosure agreements in public–private partnerships. Barlow pointed to the need to update the Wyoming Public Records Act for the digital age, while Degenfelder focused on giving grassroots citizens direct access to the governor’s office rather than catering to special interests.
Closing thoughts and up next
In a lighter moment regarding daylight saving time, the candidates joked about the inconvenience, with Barlow suggesting moving the clock a half-hour permanently. He and Bien mentioned the possibility of working with governors from neighboring states to press the federal government to do away with the time change. Degenfelder said it’s an issue the Legislature is grappling with.
The evening wrapped up with a lightning round about the candidates’ favorite things about Wyoming. Barlow and Degenfelder praised the honest, hardworking people, while Bien celebrated the state’s wide, wild landscape.
Related
Warsaw, N.Y. — Speedy cow, a new community owned internet service is now online in Wyoming County.
The service will bring faster, more reliable internet to Wyoming County residents.
The county received $15 million in grant funding to build the broadband network.
Anyone living in Wyoming County can sign up on the Speedy Cow website.
With the network being community run, that means all customer service experiences will be locally based.
“At the end of the day we own the system, so if there’s an issue with the system, the service or anything like that, you call the county and we’ll take care of it,” a county official said. “We’ll reach out to community broadband networks necessary and resolve any issues that the residents might have and at the end of the day, the residents of the county, the taxpayers of the county, own this system.”
Net profits from the service will be returned to expand and improve the system.
$3.8 Million in funding awarded for Affordable Broadband in Genesee County
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One of the biggest auto and truck collections in Wyoming is about to go up for auction. You are not going to believe the size of this event. Chunks of old classics to working old cars and trucks will be on the block.
Watch the video below as they preview the Rick Knigge Collection up for auction in Evansville, Wyoming. This auction will feature many hot rod project bodies, muscle cars, old trucks, Jeeps, rock crawlers, and more. This will all be sold by VanDerBrink Auctions with online and live bidding.
The auction will be held Saturday, July 8th. Some of the auctions will be online, but some will be in person only.
According to the website, Rick passed away unexpectedly, and his family decided to offer this wild collection at auction. The auction will be live onsite with online bidding for vehicles, motors, bodies, and a few other items. There is a large assortment of 1932-35 Ford, MOPAR, Chevrolet parts, performance parts, Tri-Five, and more. These parts will be offered only to onsite bidders, so plan now to attend this wild auction.
Rick Knigge Liked to “Go Fast”! The louder, faster, the better! There are many 1932-40 Ford, Dodge, Plymouth, Chevrolet Cars and Bodies for Rods along with parts!
Here is a second video with more about Rick and the collection he loved.
The collection has muscle cars from a Plymouth GTX to Chevelles and Camaros, and more. 1970- 80s speed boats, Monster Trucks, just to name a few. There will be motors, high-performance, and vintage speed parts.
You are not going to believe the size of this event. Chunks of old classics to working old cars and trucks will be on the block.
SEE: 39 Hot Cars On Display In Wyoming
The goal of this gallery is not to provide every detail of every car, their modifications and their owners.
This was just a cool car show in Casper Wyoming.
Not matter if the people attending were into cars or not.
There was a lot of OHHH and AHHH’s heard up and down every street.
Gallery Credit: Glenn Woods
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