On the Monday after the evacuation of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks, in temporary shelters from Mayville State University to the Grand Forks Air Force Base, people began their recovery from the flood by telling their story. These places were filled with a community of voices held together by shared experience and hope.

The stories continued to be told throughout the summer on the streets, in the stores, and through art, as in Keep the Faith and exhibits at the North Dakota Museum of Art. The stories may have tapered off a bit now, but the unity of shared experince and hope is still communicated through understanding looks while shopping for new furniture and through troubled glances when shoveling sixteen inches of snow.

• Voices of the Flood by Eliot Glassheim
• Leonard and Marilyn Kouba's Story
• Mark Hadlich's Story
• Pete Kvistad's Story
• Stories of students at Central High

Please share your experiences with others on this site by clicking here. You needn't be a flood survivor or even a resident of the Valley. Let us know how the 1997 Flood and the stories you have heard about it have affected you and, if you would like, send a message to the recovering comunities by posting it here.