It happened in Florence, Oregon , on the central coast, near the mouth of the Siuslaw River. The whale washed ashore there in 1970 and was blown up on the beach.

Quick scoop

  • Location: Florence beach, Oregon, near the Siuslaw River.
  • Date: November 12, 1970, after the whale washed ashore on November 9.
  • Why it happened: Officials used dynamite to try to break up the carcass and remove it from the beach.

Why people still talk about it

The plan backfired spectacularly, scattering whale pieces across the beach and into the crowd area instead of neatly disposing of the carcass.

Extra context

Florence has turned the incident into local lore, including naming a site Exploding Whale Memorial Park.