Trail Off Tuesdays: The Exploding Whale of Oregon

Send us a textEver wondered what happens when well-meaning bureaucrats tackle an eight-ton problem with half a ton of dynamite? Welcome to the legendary tale of Florence, Oregon's exploding whale disaster.November 9, 1970 started like any other day until a 45-foot sperm whale corpse appeared on the beach. As curious locals gathered, fascination quickly turned to disgust as the massive carcass rotted under the autumn sun, producing a stench so powerful it clung to clothing long after leaving. The Oregon Highway Division faced a colossal dilemma – how do you remove something so enormous from a public beach?This catastrophic failure became an unexpected gift to history – one of the internet's first viral videos and eventually a tourist attraction with its own memorial park. Join us for this wild ride through one of history's most spectacular public mistakes that reminds us what happens when big problems meet bold solutions without adequate planning. What strange piece of forgotten history should we uncover next?Support the show