There are many things to celebrate this week—including, of course, the 50th anniversary of Oregon’s whale explosion.
In honor of the occasion, the Oregon Historical Society has released newly restored footage of the bizarre, and kind of disgusting, event.
On Nov. 12, 1970, the Oregon Highway Division decided to remove an 8-ton sperm whale from a Florence beach by blowing it up with dynamite. The idea was that rotting whale would be easier to dispose of if it was first blasted into smaller bits.
Of course, it didn’t go as planned.
Huge chunks of blubber were blown into the air, scattering screaming onlookers and crushing a car.
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