The Buffalo Creek Disaster

50 Years From Flooding

“A bridge collapses. An airplane crashes. A coal mine explodes – and a dam fails. And people die. Such are the methods by which tragedy has, in recent years, traced a pattern of human misery and suffering in West Virginia’s history.” - Governor's Ad Hoc Commission Report

Early on the morning of February 26, 1972, a coal slurry impoundment on Buffalo Creek collapsed, sending millions of gallons of wastewater rushing into the valley below. Hundreds died or were injured, and thousands were left homeless. The cleanup, investigations, and lawsuits that followed further strained the community. On the 50th anniversary of the disaster, this exhibit explores its history and implications for the present. 


Copy of a newspaper article discussing the Aberfan disaster

Located in Logan County, West Virginia, the Buffalo Creek Valley is a series of communities built upon the coal mining industry along the banks of a small stream known as Buffalo Creek. West Virginia coal mining flourished between the mid-1800s and early 1900s, and Logan County coal became easily transportable in 1904 after the completion of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad line from Charleston, WV. By the 1970s, the Buffalo Mining Company, a child corporation of the Pittston Coal Company, owned the mines and mining operations along Buffalo Creek. The Buffalo Mining Company had a series of dams along the middle fork of Buffalo Creek. The dams along Buffalo Creek, called coal refuse dams or coal slurry impoundments, were created by using the coal mining waste and sludge that came off of good coal as it was washed, giving the dam face the possibility of slipping. In October of 1966, a coal refuse bank in Aberfan, Wales, slipped, creating a tide of coal sludge that killed 144 people, most of whom were school children. This disaster prompted the U.S. Bureau of Mines to inspect 38 coal waste dams in the state of West Virginia in 1966, including the one on Buffalo Creek. The Bureau concluded that the dam could be breached and would cause damage.

Letter from the Buffalo Mining Company to the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources regarding dam maintenance

Buffalo Creek's Dam No. 3 had a history of problems. Citizens of Buffalo Creek were worried about the potential failure of the dams on Middle Fork. On February 5, 1968, Pearl Woodrum of Saunders wrote a letter to Governor Hulett Smith expressing the growing concerns over a potential disaster. “Every time it rains it scares everyone to death. We are all afraid we will be washed away and drowned... please for God’s sake have the dump and water destroyed. Our lives are in danger.” In March of 1971, an inspection of Dam No. 3 was completed by the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources. This inspection stated that the dam was deficient because of its “...lack of emergency spillway or overflow system from upper impoundment.” As late as February 23, 1972--three days before the disaster--the mining company knew that their dams were not considered safe by the Division of Water Resources, acknowledging that Dam No. 3’s overflow pipe was blocked. As the water began to rise overnight on February 26, officials failed to alert the people in Buffalo Creek Valley.

Sketch map of the dams along Buffalo Creek before dam broke

Disaster Strikes

At 8 o'clock in the morning on February 26, 1972, Dam No. 3 failed, sending 132 million gallons of water careening down the Buffalo Creek Valley. It traveled in a twenty- to thirty-foot-high flood wave that moved at about seven feet per second. Within three hours, the wall of water had traveled over seventeen miles, and seventeen communities were partially or totally destroyed by the flood. 


1

Saunders

At 8:02 AM, Saunders was the first town to be struck by the flood waters of Buffalo Creek, just 4,500 feet downstream from the dam. Eighteen people were killed from this town.

2

Pardee

By 8:15 AM, all water held by Dam No. 3 had emptied into Buffalo Creek. The town of Pardee lost four citizens during the flood.

3

Lorado

At 7:00 AM, the sheriff was seen in Lorado and told that Dam NO. 3 was going to be alright. This town lost 22 people. The poem was written for those who survived the flood.

4

Lundale

The area around Lundale suffered a loss of 58 individuals throughout the disaster.

5

Stowe

Four individuals from the town of Stowe were killed by the water, which had entirely passed through the town by 9:00 AM.

6

Crites

Five people from Crites lost their lives in the flood.

7

Latrobe

Latrobe lost seven individuals to the floodwater that had engulfed the town by 8:25 AM.

8

Robinette

At 8:30 AM, the wall of water entered Robinette. The town lost three community members to the disaster. In September of 1973, two families were finally able to move into the model home site in Robinette.

9

Amherstdale

Seven people were lost from the community of Amherstdale. In the photo, a large amount of debris was burned after the flood.

10

Accoville

Just after 9 AM, the flood reached Accoville, where the Buffalo Elementary School became a center for recovery and victim assistance.

11

Man

By 11:00 AM, the water had reached the town of Man, where it took approximately two hours to drain into the Guyandotte River. Man became the headquarters of recovery for the valley. People, like Frankie who is pictured, were sheltered at Man High School before homes were secured.

"We've worked long and hard for the big coal operators and they're thanking us by killing us." - Big John Bailey, killed by floodwaters on February 26, 1972

In total, 118 people were killed in the flood, while seven were never accounted for after the disaster. There were 1,119 people who were physically injured by the floodwaters. Approximately 4,000 people were left homeless when 507 homes were destroyed, 273 homes were left with major damage, and 44 mobile homes were completely destroyed. Ten bridges were destroyed in the flood, as well as hundreds of miles of roads and highways. The destruction left behind in the valley after the water receded would take years to recover from, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Photographs showing damage caused by the flood to the communities along Buffalo Creek

Immediately after the flood, the work of taking care of the victims began. Those who survived needed places to stay, food to eat, medical care, and clothing to wear. Many had lost everything they owned in the flood. The dead needed to be identified and buried. The Salvation Army provided over 190,000 meals, set up five different food and clothing distribution centers, arranged shelters out of grade schools, and gave assistance to almost 4,000 families.

Document stating the services provided by the Salvation Army (left) and newspaper article discussing the psychological effects of the flood on the children of the Buffalo Creek Valley (right)

Victims also faced psychological trauma, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and survivor’s guilt. These impacts frequently made themselves known in the children who survived. In some cases, children disappeared inside of themselves, staring off into space; while in other situations, the children were so terrified that they had to be given a sedative to calm them. The psychological impacts of surviving an event like the Buffalo Creek flood stayed with its victims for the rest of their lives.

Outpouring of Support

Newspaper article from February 1972 discussing the needs of the flood victims

Following the disaster, Logan County residents received support from across the nation. Whether offering help, homes, provisions, or prayers, families and individuals sent their support to the people of the Buffalo Creek Valley in an attempt to alleviate some of the burden. A sense of community arose out of the nightmare, with people sending so much clothing to the destroyed communities that they actually had to ask people to stop. Governors and dignitaries wrote letters expressing their concern for the people of Logan County. Organizations offered what they could provide for those who were suffering, from generators to medical supplies. Even the youngest Americans were doing what they could to help the Buffalo Creek communities, raising money through scouts or asking Governor Moore what they could do to help.

Letters of Support

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Audio of Governor Arch A. Moore on March 4, 1972, talking about the support of different organizations and the response of the American people

The West Virginia state government provided supportive services to the people of Buffalo Creek immediately following the disaster. The State Police moved in and set up a temporary morgue, protected damaged property from looters, and photographically documented the damage seen in the valley. The National Guard commenced search and rescue operations, conducted aerial evacuations, and built emergency bridges and showers. The Department of Natural Resources established a communication system within the heavily damaged Buffalo Creek Area. The Department of Highways surveyed the roads and organized cleanup equipment in the area. The West Virginia Health Council staffed a clinic to give out typhoid vaccines, handled flood-related medical emergencies, and arranged for hospital transportation when needed. The state of West Virginia's offices dealing with emergencies reacted quickly to the events that unfolded in Logan County.

Page one of a document discussing some of the different organizations and agencies that responded to the Buffalo Creek flood

On February 27, President Richard Nixon, while on a trip to Shanghai, China, declared the Buffalo Creek flood a Major Disaster, clearing the way for Federal Government assistance. The U.S. Bureau of Mines immediately began an investigation into the causes of the dam failure. The Federal Office of Civil Defense helped to obtain helicopters from Fort Belvoir and Fort Mead for search and rescue operations as well as attaining pumps to finish draining the impoundments of water on Middle Fork. The Department of Housing and Urban Development provided trailers to serve as living spaces for victims. The Corps of Engineers handled water purification, search and rescue, and aftermath cleanup. The Office of Emergency Preparedness helped to regulate the various relief efforts, as well as created a source for victims to have information on those relief programs. 

Office of Emergency Preparedness pamphlet outlining the services available to victims of the Buffalo Creek flood

Newspaper article from February 1972 that discusses Pittston's views on the cause of the flood

The Pittston Coal Company allowed the Buffalo Creek Mining Headquarters to be used for recovery operations, but just three days after the flood, the company absolved itself of responsibility for the disaster, calling it an “act of God.”


Recovery and Redevelopment

Map of recovery operations and redevelopment sites along the Buffalo Creek Valley

After immediate needs were met, housing and employment took priority. Without housing, families were forced to stay even longer in the shelters provided in the schools, further delaying the restart of education. Without an income, people could not begin the process of rebuilding their homes and lives. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provided trailers to the flood victims. After some of the communities in the Buffalo Creek Valley had been cleared of debris, small neighborhoods of these trailers were put in to move people out of the schools that they had been staying in right after the flood. The rent for these homes was covered by the West Virginia government, and eventually, disaster victims who lost their homes could purchase the trailer they were living in.

HUD Support

Governor Arch Moore meets with people of the Buffalo Creek Valley in one of the HUD communities

Letter to Governor Moore from a resident of Buffalo Creek about employment opportunities in the valley

People in the Buffalo Creek Valley were anxious to get back to living on their own and providing for themselves. However, because so many people were looking for jobs in a place with limited options, the job market became saturated, and it necessitated the creation of an office that could help people regain employment. The West Virginia Department of Employment set up offices to help victims find jobs, such as working in new highway construction.

A petition from Buffalo Creek residents about a recreational swimming complex in the valley

Recreation projects in the valley were undertaken, often at the suggestion of the youth living in the area. A petition was signed to create a public swimming pool for the people of the area. Local kids also expressed an interest in having tennis courts to enjoy, and a committee was established to raise money. Fundraisers were held, and local businesses were eager to help out in ways that they could. The communities of the Buffalo Creek Valley were excited to see the younger people interested in something constructive and wanted to help make the area a more enjoyable place to be.

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Audio of Governor Arch A. Moore on March 4, 1972, discussing the challenges of rebuilding the Buffalo Creek Valley following the disastrous flood


In March 1972, Governor Moore created the Ad Hoc Commission of Inquiry into the Buffalo Creek Flood to investigate the reasons for the failure of Dam No. 3. The commission was charged with determining who was at fault for the collapse of the dam and the resulting loss of life and the destruction of property. The Commission gathered witnesses, heard testimonies, and talked to experts in the field of coal mining operations to best figure out why the tragedy occurred, who was responsible for it, and how it could be avoided in the future.

The Executive Order that established the Commission of Inquiry

Members of the Ad Hoc Commission listen to a hearing into the cause of the Buffalo Creek disaster

The members of the Commission each held positions directly related to the coal industry or another aspect of Buffalo Creek. The Commission offered variety of knowledge on topics related to mining floods that allowed commissioners to make informed decisions regarding the investigative process and the information provided around the Buffalo Creek disaster. There were five representatives of the state government, two representatives of the federal government, and two private citizens. 

In its conclusion, the Commission placed the blame on the parent company of Buffalo Mining Company but acknowledged that the lack of laws and regulations by the state and federal governments contributed to the failure of the dam. It cited four main conditions that led to the failure of the dam: improper construction, weak foundation, inadequate overflow, and lack of monitoring. It wrote, “The Pittston Company as owner of Dam No. 3 was responsible for its safety and the safety of the people in Buffalo Creek Valley as far as the dam was concerned. It failed to meet these responsibilities in several ways...” The commission concluded that “No evidence of an act of God was found by the Commission.” 


A Citizens Commission was also formed to look into the causes of the disaster. Concerned that the state-sponsored commission might attempt to cater to the coal industry, a Citizen’s Commission formed to investigate the causes of the disaster and hear testimonies from any of the people of the valley who wanted to provide one. They held their own hearings regarding the flood and its causes within the bounds of the valley, at the Buffalo Grade School in Accoville.

A flyer announcing the hearing for the Buffalo Creek Citizens Commission

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Audio from a March 25, 1972 protest meeting against Pittston Coal Company, from the oral history collections at the West Virginia & Regional History Center

Lawsuits Filed

Newspaper article from March 1972 discussing a lawsuit filed against Pittston Coal Company

Approximately 125 families, nearly 600 individuals, signed up to be a part of a lawsuit against the Pittston Coal Company, represented by Arnold & Porter. This suit broke new ground, as it attempted to address the psychological and communal losses that had been suffered in the disaster, rather than just property losses. Dennis Prince, a 52-year-old mine electrician, was the chief plaintiff of the case, Prince v. Pittston. He managed to survive the disaster experience, watching his wife perish in the flood. According to a New York Times article from April 18, 1973, more than a year after the disaster, the people of the Buffalo Creek Valley were still dealing with the mental and psychological effects. All plaintiffs over the age of six provided a statement about their experiences. Each person involved in the case was examined by both physicians and psychologists, and the effects of “survivor syndrome” and PTSD were observed in both children and adults. Pittston Coal Company filed a motion to dismiss the cases brought forward by people who were not present in Buffalo Creek at the time of the flood; however, Arnold and Porter defeated the motion.  

Copy of newspaper article from October 1972 discussing the psychological effect of the flood on its victims

According to the argument made by Arnold and Porter, the victims of the Buffalo Creek flood were affected psychologically by the things that they lived through. When faced and coping with death, a continuity of the other parts of a person's life is what keeps people going, which is something that the victims didn’t have. Their lives had been halted; they had no homes, no belongings, and lost loved ones. The plaintiffs of this case suffered extraordinarily, having lived through unspeakable horrors and having seen awful sights.

A cash settlement was reached before the case went to trial. The plaintiffs received $13.5 million, and $2 million of it was set aside for victims under the age of eighteen. Done as pro bono work, Arnold and Porter’s firm put in thousands of hours of work, and with some of the money from the settlement created a foundation to help rebuild the Buffalo Creek Valley. That foundation eventually helped build a community center, equipped the first fire station, and created a new health clinic in the valley. 

In 1974, the state of West Virginia sued Pittston Coal Company in state and federal courts for $50 million compensation for the state’s damaged and destroyed bridges, roads, and schools, as well as $50 million for punitive damages. Hundreds of miles of roads and highways were completely destroyed and entirely impassable, which initially made the clean-up along Buffalo Creek much more difficult. In 1977, a settlement in the case was reached. However, Governor Moore settled the suit for just $1 million three days before he left office.   

A memo from July 5, 1985, discussing the petition to the Supreme Court to rehear the case about West Virginia's repayment of debts to the federal government

In 1986, the Federal Government brought the state of West Virginia to court to recover funds owed for recovery efforts, particularly for the land cleared by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to place the Department of Housing and Urban Development trailers. The Federal Government argued that West Virginia had just sued the Pittston Coal company and “reaped the benefit...” Thus, the state had to be brought to the Supreme Court and ordered to repay the federal government. West Virginia owed $5,783,098.09 through October 18, 1982, plus $2,841.26 for every day thereafter until judgment was entered. 


Refuse Dams and Buffalo Creek Today

Photograph of the Buffalo Creek victims memorial taken by Mary Hufford in 1997. Courtesy of the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.  https://www.loc.gov/item/cmns001037/ 

A memorial was created and dedicated to the victims of the disastrous flood in 1973. A small park containing a small wooden picnic shelter, benches, a podium containing inside a Bible and visitor register, and the victim’s monument now stand in honor of those who lost their lives in the tragic flood of 1972. The Buffalo Creek Memorial Library, the nation’s first “instant” library, was dedicated on February 26, 1973 in Man, West Virginia. Originally designed as a single carousel building, the building has since grown to house a large children's room and a collection of over 25,000 written, audio and video items, including documents about the flood in 1972.

In 1977, Congress passed, and President Jimmy Carter signed, the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act in order to create a federally mandated balance between coal mining and environmental protection. This came just five years after the tragic events at Buffalo Creek and attempted to limit the ways in which impoundment dams could be constructed in order to prevent another disaster.

Cover page of the Buffalo Creek Environmental Impact Statement

Unfortunately, the Buffalo Creek disaster was not the last of its kind. Several other flood disasters have resulted from coal mining dams and have caused damage to the Appalachian region. In Martin County, Kentucky, a coal slurry spill occurred on October 11, 2000. A coal refuse impoundment failure resulted in approximately 250 million gallons of coal sludge and poisonous heavy metals. Along the Kentucky-West Virginia border, coal sludge, mercury, arsenic, and lead flooded into an underground mine next to the 72-acre impoundment. This spill affected more than 75 miles of water downstream of the impoundment. This forced several towns in Kentucky and West Virginia to look for other means of clean water.  Officials have called the spill one of the worst environmental disasters in the Southeastern United States. There was no loss of human life, but the water contamination and pollution greatly affected the environment and the water system of the Appalachian region. A state of emergency was declared in the area, and the Environmental Protection Agency began to clean up the area. 

In November 2012, another coal slurry impoundment, this one owned by Consol Energy, suffered a partial failure in Harrison County, WV. The partial failure occurred when part of a refuse embankment collapsed, leaving the dam unstable and shifting. According to a report from the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, Consol was attempting to expand the impoundment quicker than was considered safe and without a pressure gauge to monitor stability. Upon its partial collapse, two pickup trucks and one bulldozer fell into the coal sludge pond with their operators. The pickup truck drivers managed to escape the pond; however, the operator of the bulldozer did not. His was the only death that resulted from the collapse of the refuse bank, the same type of dam that led to the destruction of the Buffalo Creek Valley.  

In 2013, it was reported that there were still 114 coal slurry impoundments in the state of West Virginia. Of the almost 600 coal slurry impoundments in the United States, a majority of them are located in the coal-mining counties of Appalachia. There were also many coal-related dam safety laws that were enacted in the years since these various disasters. The West Virginia Surface Mining Reclamation Rule was passed in the state and last amended in 2019. These rules contain specific regulations regarding coal refuse impoundments. These regulations require detailed inspections after an in-depth subsurface investigation is made of the area in which the impoundment was to be created. It also requires plans and instruments that ensure the safety of the dam.  

The Buffalo Creek watershed covers about 20 miles of stream. Today, it is known as one of southern West Virginia’s most popular trout fishing spots. Improved water quality, angler access, and good fish habitats have all changed since the 1972 flood, encouraging visiting fisherman to come to the area and showcasing the improved quality of the water in the area. 


Learn more about the response to the Buffalo Creek Flood disaster in the Governor Arch A. Moore Jr.  archives  at the West Virginia & Regional History Center, WVU Libraries. Visit the  Buffalo Creek Memorial Library  and the Marshall University Oral History Collection to learn more about the survivors' stories.

Curated by WVU Public History Graduate Assistant Crystal Coon with advisement from Danielle Emerling, Associate Curator and Congressional and Political Papers Archivist, and Dr. William Hal Gorby, Teaching Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Advising. Additional archival processing was conducted by Public History Graduate Assistant MaryAnn Steinmiller. Documents and photographs were digitized by Research Apprenticeship Program student Noah Boylen. The Buffalo Creek Disaster 50th Anniversary project has been made possible by a grant from the WVU Humanities Center.

Copy of a newspaper article discussing the Aberfan disaster

Letter from the Buffalo Mining Company to the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources regarding dam maintenance

Sketch map of the dams along Buffalo Creek before dam broke

Newspaper article from February 1972 discussing the needs of the flood victims

Page one of a document discussing some of the different organizations and agencies that responded to the Buffalo Creek flood

Newspaper article from February 1972 that discusses Pittston's views on the cause of the flood

Map of recovery operations and redevelopment sites along the Buffalo Creek Valley

Letter to Governor Moore from a resident of Buffalo Creek about employment opportunities in the valley

A petition from Buffalo Creek residents about a recreational swimming complex in the valley

The Executive Order that established the Commission of Inquiry

Members of the Ad Hoc Commission listen to a hearing into the cause of the Buffalo Creek disaster

Newspaper article from March 1972 discussing a lawsuit filed against Pittston Coal Company

Copy of newspaper article from October 1972 discussing the psychological effect of the flood on its victims

A memo from July 5, 1985, discussing the petition to the Supreme Court to rehear the case about West Virginia's repayment of debts to the federal government

Photograph of the Buffalo Creek victims memorial taken by Mary Hufford in 1997. Courtesy of the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.  https://www.loc.gov/item/cmns001037/ 

Cover page of the Buffalo Creek Environmental Impact Statement