Some of the most significant events of the 1900s were the fierce blizzards that rolled through the state of North Dakota but few were a match to the blizzard of 1966.
In the Sunday Morning Devils Lake Journal of March 6, 1966 the top headline stated ‘Crawl-Out’ Begins After Savage Blizzard; 13 Dead’ and the AP story accompanying it came with the headline ‘11 Still Missing In Upper Midwest; Storm Sets Record’
Fargo, N.D. (AP) – A deadly and devastating blizzard eased in some sectors Saturday but raged for the fourth day in other parts of Minnesota and the Dakotas.
The Weather Bureau called it one of the most savage blizzards in recorded history.
A “crawl-out” began in Western North and South Dakota, where cities and towns were benumbed and isolated by the combination of heavy snow and winds up to 100 miles an hour.
As reports came in from isolated areas of the three states, 13 persons died in storm-related incidents. Minnesota and South Dakota each counted five and North Dakota, three.
Authorities feared the poll would rise. At least 11 others were unaccounted for.
Searchers found the frozen body of Betty Diede, 13, a North Dakot farm girl who never returned home after she went to a chicken coop 100 feet away to close a banging door.
The body was located about one-half mile from the house. Swirling snow was so tretcherous and visibility so poor that searchers feared to separate. Groups of six men tied themselves together with roe, and fanned out over the snow drifts.
Searchers said the storm was “terrible” as they hunted.
The tales of those who survived in stalled cars were harrowing.
For the full account of this story see the March 6, 1966 edition of the Devils Lake Daily Journal.