Mount St. Helens is most famous for its catastrophic eruption on May 18, 1980, at 8:32 am, which was the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States. Fifty-seven people were killed; 250 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles (24 km) of railways, and 185 miles (298 km) of highway were destroyed. The eruption caused a massive debris avalanche, reducing the elevation of the mountain's summit from 9,677 feet (2,950 m) to 8,365 feet (2,550 m) and replacing it with a 1 mile (1.6 km) wide horseshoe-shaped crater.
On an average day, thousands would have been killed. David Johnston saved so many lives, as a scientist, by his expressed concern over the bulge on the volcano, and how it would create a lateral blast. Something many disagreed with.
Of all the legend that is Mt. St. Helens, one man, one character stands out more than any for the average person. Harry Truman.
He was caretaker of St. Helens Lodge on Spirit Lake for many years. It was an amazing place.
Elvis gave Harry a Pink Cadillac that was buried in the eruption. Don't think you will find it. Authorities tried to talk Harry into leaving. He refused. His statement was, he had buried his wife there, made his life there, and he was going to stay there "Till hell freezes over".
Harry was 83. And a hero in our book.
From WiKipedia....
Harry Randall Truman (October 30, 1896 - May 18, 1980) was a resident of the U.S. state of Washington who lived on Mount St. Helens and came to brief fame in the months preceding in the 1980 eruption after stubbornly refusing to leave. He was the owner of Mount St. Helens Lodge at Spirit Lake. The lodge was located at the foot of the mountain, and was in the danger zone at the time of the eruption.
Truman was born in Ivydale, Clay County, West Virginia, to Newberry Truman and Rosa Belle Hardman; the family settled in Chehalis, Washington only several years later. Truman enlisted in the 100th Aero Squadron 7th Squad of United States Army as a private on August 4, 1917. He survived the torpedoing of the Tuscania on February 5, 1918, off the coast of Ireland. He was honorably discharged on June 12, 1919, from military service. He had lived in Riffe, Washington, until around 1926, when he became caretaker of the Mount St. Helens Lodge, located at the foot of Mount St. Helens beside Spirit Lake. He had operated the lodge for 52 years.
He became a minor celebrity during the two months of volcanic activity preceding the eruption, giving interviews to reporters and expressing his opinion that the danger from the volcano was "overexaggerated". Truman discarded all of his concerns about the volcano and his situation, at one point stating, "If the mountain goes, I'm going with it." From March until May, Truman was the subject of many songs and poems by children.
Truman is presumed to have died in the eruption on May 18. A pyroclastic flow engulfed the Spirit Lake area, destroying the lake, and burying the site of his lodge under 150 feet (46 m) of volcanic landslide debris. A new lake eventually formed on a much raised bed.
He was the subject of the book Truman of St. Helens: The Man & His Mountain written by Shirley Rosen and was portrayed by Art Carney in the 1981 docu-drama film St. Helens. He is the subject of the song "Harry Truman" written and recorded by Irish band Headgear, which features the refrain, "You can move the mountain but I'm never coming down". The modern day Truman Trail and Harry's Ridge in the Mount St. Helens region are named after him. He was also famous for owning 16 cats whom he referred to in almost all statements he made and regarded them as family.
