The Shattered Land

Growing up in the small town of Valdez (vahl-DEEZ), Alaska, 13-year-old Tom Gilson had been through many earthquakes. Every few months, it seemed, the ground under Tom’s feet would shiver. The walls of his family’s small house would shake. Dishes would rattle on the shelves. 

But Tom never worried. To him and most people he knew, a little shaking was just part of life in Alaska, like the brown bears he’d spot by the river or the 30 feet of snow that fell every winter. 

Then came March 27, 1964. 

At 5:36 p.m., the ground in southern Alaska began to shake. And this time, it didn’t stop. As seconds passed, then minutes, the violent shaking continued. Up and down the coast, the land shattered. Cliffsides crashed into the sea. Giant waves smashed into towns and villages. 

Tom had no idea that he was caught in the middle of the Great Alaska Earthquake, the most powerful ever to strike the United States. 

All Tom was thinking was that the world was ending.

Growing up in the small town of Valdez (vahl-DEEZ), Alaska, 13-year-old Tom Gilson had been through many earthquakes. Every few months, the ground under Tom’s feet would shiver. The walls of his family’s small house would shake. Dishes would rattle on the shelves. 

But Tom never worried. To him, a little shaking was just part of life in Alaska. It was as normal as the brown bears he’d spot by the river. Or the 30 feet of snow that fell every winter. 

Then came March 27, 1964. 

At 5:36 p.m., the ground in southern Alaska began to shake. And this time, it didn’t stop. As seconds passed, then minutes, the rough shaking continued. Up and down the coast, the land shattered. Hills crashed into the sea. Giant waves smashed into towns. 

Tom had no idea that he was caught in the middle of the Great Alaska Earthquake. It was the most powerful quake ever to strike the United States. 

All Tom was thinking was that the world was ending.

That morning, there had been no hint of a coming disaster. Tom woke up in the small bedroom he shared with his two brothers. The sky was gray, but Tom’s mood was bright. It was the holiday of Good Friday. That meant there was no school. Tom had a whole day to do whatever he wanted!

Tom loved living in Valdez. But compared to larger cities, there wasn’t that much to do there. 

Alaska had become a state just five years earlier, in 1959. It replaced Texas as the biggest state in the U.S. But most of Alaska was (and still is) wilderness. Tiny villages and towns were scattered like freckles across about half-a-million square miles of land. Alaska has soaring mountains, rushing rivers, thick forests, and half-frozen, treeless ground called tundra. In 1964, only 263,000 people lived there—enough to fill just three football stadiums. 

Alaska’s largest city, Anchorage, had a bustling downtown, a bowling alley, and TV and radio stations. Kids living there could watch hit shows like Mister Ed, about a talking horse. They could sing along to popular songs by the Beatles and Stevie Wonder. 

That morning, there’d been no hint that a disaster was coming. Tom woke up in the small bedroom he shared with his two brothers. The sky was gray. But Tom’s mood was bright. There was no school because it was a holiday. Tom had a whole day to do whatever he wanted!

Tom loved living in Valdez. But there wasn’t that much to do there. 

Alaska had just become a state in 1959. It was the biggest state in the U.S. But most of Alaska was (and still is) wilderness. Tiny towns spread out across the vast land. Alaska has tall mountains, rushing rivers, and thick forests. It’s got half-frozen, treeless ground called tundra. In 1964, only 263,000 people lived there. That’s enough to fill just three football stadiums. 

Alaska’s largest city is Anchorage. It had a busy downtown, a bowling alley, and TV and radio stations. Kids living there could watch Mister Ed, a hit show about a talking horse. They could sing along to popular songs by the Beatles and Stevie Wonder. 

One hundred and twenty miles away, Valdez was nothing like Anchorage. True, it was bigger than most Alaska towns: 600 people lived there. And unlike kids in many other towns, Tom went to a lively public school. He played baseball in the summer and basketball in the winter. He could buy fresh doughnuts from his uncle George’s grocery store. 

But Valdez was isolated. When Tom walked half a mile outside of town, he was more likely to see a bear than another human being. There was no bowling alley. There wasn’t even a dentist. Tom had never seen Mister Ed because there was no TV service in Valdez. Most of the songs he heard were sung by birds. 

In fact, wildlife was everywhere. Glancing up at the sky, kids like Tom might spot an eagle with a salmon clutched in its claws. Sitting in the harbor, they could watch humpback whales flicking their tails in the water. A furry sea otter sometimes floated by, riding on a tiny raft made of seaweed. 

No wonder Tom loved Valdez. And his day off from school was going to be especially fun. That afternoon, a big ship was arriving in Valdez, the Chena. The ship’s cook was famous in town because he handed out candy and fresh fruit to kids waiting on the dock. Tom gobbled his breakfast, sure that a great day was ahead.  

Never could he have imagined the horror that was to come. 

Valdez was nothing like Anchorage. True, with 600 people, Valdez was bigger than most Alaska towns. Tom went to a lively public school. He played baseball in the summer and basketball in the winter. 

But Valdez was isolated. 

Half a mile outside of town, Tom was more likely to see a bear than another human being. There was no bowling alley. Tom had never seen Mister Ed because there was no TV service in Valdez. Most of the songs he heard were sung by birds. 

In fact, wildlife was everywhere. Looking up at the sky, kids like Tom might spot an eagle holding a fish in its claws. Sitting near the water, they could watch whales flicking their tails. 

No wonder Tom loved Valdez. And his day off from school was going to be extra fun. That afternoon, a big ship called the Chena was arriving in Valdez. The ship’s cook was famous in town because he handed out candy and fresh fruit to kids. Tom gobbled his breakfast. He felt sure that a great day was ahead.  

Never could he have imagined the horror that was to come. 

Few forces in nature are as destructive as a strong earthquake. Powerful quakes typically last between 10 and 30 seconds. The very strongest ones can last for several minutes. That’s enough time to turn a city into a ruin of twisted metal, shattered glass, and blazing fires. 

When earthquakes happen under an ocean, they often trigger monstrous waves called tsunamis. These waves can move at 400 miles an hour—twice as fast as a race car. They can stretch for hundreds of miles and reach towering heights.  

Today we know that earthquakes are caused by movements deep below Earth’s surface. Scientists have high-tech tools to study how and why earthquakes strike. 

But in 1964, scientists struggled to understand the causes of earthquakes and where the biggest disasters could hit. Everyone knew that Alaska could have earthquakes. But most scientists would have agreed with Tom—that a truly powerful earthquake was unlikely to happen in Alaska. 

They were wrong. 

Few things in nature are as destructive as a strong earthquake. Powerful quakes usually last between 10 and 30 seconds. The very strongest ones can last for several minutes. That’s enough time to turn a city into a mess of twisted metal, shattered glass, and blazing fires. 

When earthquakes happen under an ocean, they often cause huge waves called tsunamis. These waves can move at 400 miles an hour. That’s twice as fast as a race car. They can stretch for hundreds of miles and reach great heights.  

Today we know that earthquakes are caused by movements deep below Earth’s surface. Scientists have fancy tools to study how and why earthquakes strike. 

But in 1964, scientists struggled to understand earthquakes. Everyone knew that Alaska could have earthquakes. But most scientists would have agreed with Tom. A truly powerful earthquake seemed unlikely to happen in Alaska. 

They were wrong. 

Tom spent his free day with friends. One of the older boys, Ed, had a brand-new car. He took Tom and some other kids for a spin around town. At about 5:30 p.m., they all decided to head to the waterfront. That big ship, the Chena, had arrived. None of the boys wanted to miss out on the candy and fresh fruit. 

As they were heading over to the docks, Tom saw the Chena and a crowd of people—workers, families, kids. Then Ed stopped the car to talk with a friend who was standing in the street. 

That’s when the car started to bounce up and down. 

At first, Tom thought some joker was jumping up and down on the car’s bumper. What he didn’t know—what nobody knew—was what was happening about 56 miles from Valdez, below the Pacific Ocean. Deep underground, a sudden movement of the earth unleashed more energy than the most powerful bomb. The ground across southern Alaska shook violently. 

“It’s an earthquake!” Ed screamed. 

Tom spent his free day with friends. One of the older boys, Ed, had a new car. He took Tom and some other kids for a drive around town. At about 5:30 p.m., they all decided to head to the waterfront. That big ship had arrived. None of the boys wanted to miss out on the candy and fresh fruit. 

As they were heading over to the docks, Tom saw the ship and a crowd of people. Then Ed stopped the car to talk with a friend in the street. 

That’s when the car started to bounce up and down. 

At first, Tom thought somebody was jumping up and down on the car’s bumper. What he didn’t know—what nobody knew—was what was happening about 56 miles from Valdez. Below the Pacific Ocean, a sudden movement of the earth unleashed more energy than the most powerful bomb. The ground across southern Alaska shook fiercely. 

“It’s an earthquake!” Ed screamed. 

The ground rose and fell and split apart. Trees and telephone poles swayed. The harbor, usually glassy calm, looked like it was boiling. The huge Chena tossed and turned like a toy in a bathtub. 

The boys managed to get out of the car, but the street around them had broken apart. 

“We’re trapped!” Tom yelled. 

The shaking grew stronger with each passing minute. In Valdez and along Alaska’s coast, the land exploded. Highways tore open. Buildings, houses, and bridges collapsed. Railroad tracks twisted like snakes. Huge cracks opened in the ground like jagged-toothed smiles, swallowing houses, cars, and people. 

All Tom wanted was to get home to his family. His house was only a few blocks away, but it might as well have been on the moon. The shaking made walking almost impossible. 

Then came a moment worse than any nightmare. As Tom watched in wide-eyed horror, the entire Valdez waterfront—hundreds of yards of docks with warehouses and other buildings—crumbled into the sea. Dozens of people had been standing on the docks. In a blink, they had disappeared into the swirling wreckage.

This is the end of the world, Tom thought. 

The ground rose and fell and split apart. Trees and telephone poles swayed. The harbor looked like it was boiling. The huge Chena tossed and turned like a toy in a bathtub. 

The boys managed to get out of the car. But the street around them had broken apart. 

“We’re trapped!” Tom yelled. 

The shaking grew stronger each minute. In Valdez and along Alaska’s coast, the land exploded. Highways tore open. Buildings, houses, and bridges fell. Railroad tracks twisted like snakes. Huge cracks opened in the ground like crooked smiles. They swallowed houses, cars, and people. 

All Tom wanted was to get home to his family. His house was only a few blocks away. But it might as well have been on the moon. The shaking made walking almost impossible. 

Then came a moment worse than any nightmare. As Tom watched, the entire Valdez waterfront crumbled into the sea. Hundreds of yards of docks with warehouses and other buildings were gone. Dozens of people had been standing on the docks. In a blink, they had disappeared into the swirling wreckage.

This is the end of the world, Tom thought. 

One minute passed, then two. Then another. And another. Finally, after about four-and-a-half horrible minutes, the shaking stopped. 

But the terror continued. Within minutes, tsunamis began crashing into Valdez and other towns, pushing boats and debris into the streets. Oil and gas tanks exploded, sparking fires that burned for days. Emergency workers and neighbors worked frantically to free people from crumpled buildings and crushed cars. Desperate families searched for loved ones. 

It took days for people to truly understand how devastating the disaster had been. In some areas, including downtown Anchorage, the ground had dropped 20 or even 30 feet. Mountains had collapsed. Forests had been drowned by monster waves. 

The destruction wasn’t limited to Alaska. Tsunamis raced down the west coast of the U.S. Sixteen people died when the waves crashed ashore in Oregon and California. The waves even reached Japan, 5,000 miles away. 

Because so much of Alaska is wilderness, the death toll was miraculously low—115 people were lost. But Valdez was especially hard hit. Thirty-two people died there, all but four at the waterfront. And soon came another shock: Valdez was still in danger. 

Not long after the quake, scientists came to the town. They discovered that most of Valdez had been built on sand and tiny bits of rock mixed with water. When the shaking started, the ground melted away. That’s why the waterfront had crumbled into the sea. 

And it could happen again one day, experts warned. Valdez, some believed, was doomed. 

One minute passed, then two. Then another. And another. Finally, after about four-and-a-half awful minutes, the shaking stopped. 

But the terror kept going. In minutes, tsunamis began crashing into Valdez and other towns. They pushed boats and debris into the streets. Oil tanks exploded, sparking fires that burned for days. Many worked frantically to free people from broken buildings and crushed cars. Families searched for loved ones. 

It took days for people to understand how devastating the disaster had been. In some areas, including downtown Anchorage, the ground had dropped 20 or 30 feet. Mountains had caved in. Monster waves had drowned forests. 

The harm wasn’t limited to Alaska. Tsunamis raced down the west coast of the U.S. Sixteen people died when the waves crashed ashore in Oregon and California. 

The waves even reached Japan, 5,000 miles away. 

Because so much of Alaska is wilderness, only 115 people were lost. But Valdez was hit hard. Thirty-two people died there. All but four were at the waterfront. And soon came another shock. Valdez was still in danger. 

Not long after the quake, scientists came to the town. They discovered that most of Valdez had been built on soft land. When the shaking started, the ground melted away. That’s why the waterfront had crumbled into the sea. 

And it could happen again one day, experts warned. Valdez, some believed, was doomed. 

But people from Valdez banded together and made a plan to move the town 4 miles down the coast, where the ground was harder. Within two years, a new Valdez had been born.  

Today nearly 4,000 people live there. It’s a bustling town with great restaurants, a hospital, and a museum that celebrates the town’s unique history. Thousands of people visit every year. Some say it’s the most beautiful town in all of Alaska.

If you are lucky enough to travel there, perhaps you’ll meet a friendly man with bright-blue eyes—Tom Gilson. 

After the shaking stopped, Tom raced home. His parents and brothers were unhurt, and his house was still standing. He and his family remained in Valdez to help build the town in the new spot. 

Tom is in his early 70s now, and he’s proud that he’s spent almost his whole life in Valdez. He and his wife raised their family there. Their daughter is now a teacher at Valdez High School. 

Tom cherishes his childhood memories. And he knows how lucky he was that he and his family and friends all survived the most powerful earthquake in U.S. history. 

But the memory of that day remains deep in his heart. 

“Not a day goes by when I don’t think about the earthquake,” he says.

But people from Valdez came together and made a plan. They decided to move the town 4 miles down the coast. The ground was harder there. Within two years, a new Valdez had been born.  

Today nearly 4,000 people live there. It’s an active town with great restaurants, a hospital, and a museum that celebrates the town’s history. Thousands of people visit every year. Some say it’s the most beautiful town in all of Alaska.

If you are lucky enough to travel there, perhaps you’ll meet a friendly man with bright-blue eyes—Tom Gilson. 

After the shaking stopped, Tom raced home. His parents and brothers were unhurt. His house was still standing. He and his family remained in Valdez to help build the town in the new spot. 

Tom is in his early 70s now. He’s proud that he’s spent almost his whole life in Valdez. He and his wife raised their family there. Their daughter is now a teacher at Valdez High School. 

Tom cherishes his childhood memories. And he knows how lucky he was that he and his family and friends all survived the most powerful earthquake in U.S. history. 

But the memory of that day remains deep in his heart. 

“Not a day goes by when I don’t think about the earthquake,” he says.