On November 12, 1970, something truly bizarre happened in Oregon: a whale weighing 8 tons was blown up using half a ton of dynamite. That day, residents of a small town witnessed a highly unusual event—an explosion that sent chunks of blubber and meat flying over 30 meters into the air.

This surreal event, straight out of a movie, unfolded when a 14-meter, eight-ton sperm whale became stranded on the beach days earlier. Oregon’s Department of Transportation took charge of disposing of the smelly carcass, fearing people might climb onto the whale and fall into it.

Why did they blow up an 8-ton whale with dynamite?

Famed news anchor Paul Linnman reported for KATU on what he called Oregon’s “whale problem.” George Thornton, the district’s assistant highway engineer, decided to treat the carcass like a giant boulder—and blow it up.

The event was filmed and broadcast on television, and while some thought it was a joke, it was absolutely real. The explosion rained massive chunks of whale flesh onto spectators and their cars. Authorities had chosen to use half a ton of dynamite after consulting with U.S. Navy explosives experts.

The explosives were placed on the landward side of the whale, in hopes that most of the debris would be launched into the sea, leaving scavengers to clean up the rest.

Paul Linnman, the reporter, initially hesitated to cover the story but changed his mind when he heard dynamite would be involved. After the explosion, huge chunks of whale blubber began falling from the sky, even crushing a car.

Fortunately, no one was injured, but the scene left a lasting impression. The beach turned into a chaotic mess of sand and airborne whale meat, as spectators scrambled for cover.

The whale explosion

The incident haunted George Thornton for the rest of his life, though it eventually became a viral sensation. In 2020, residents of Florence voted to name a park “Exploding Whale Memorial Park” in honor of the bizarre event.

The stranded whale in Florence posed not only a public health hazard due to its foul odor and attraction of scavengers, but also a significant logistical challenge. With no precedent for handling such a large carcass, George Thornton believed dynamite was the most efficient solution.

The idea seemed simple: use explosives to disintegrate the whale so the remains could be carried off by the sea. However, the execution was far from perfect. With half a ton of dynamite strategically placed, most of the body was expected to be pulverized and scattered. But reality exceeded fiction in catastrophic and comical fashion.

The explosion was far more powerful than anticipated. Spectators, who had maintained what seemed like a safe distance, suddenly found themselves running for their lives as whale chunks rained down from the sky. Some pieces were so large they caused significant damage, including the aforementioned crushed car.

What was once a source of embarrassment for local authorities has now become a historic anecdote and a lesson in natural waste management. The explosion failed as a cleanup effort but succeeded in cementing its place in Oregon’s cultural history.

The naming of the “Exploding Whale Memorial Park” in 2020 reflects how Florence residents have embraced this odd chapter of their past. Beyond the explosion and chaos, the story is a blend of humor, human error, and community resilience.

Now you know how they blew up an 8-ton whale with dynamite in Oregon—one of those bizarre and unforgettable moments that continue to capture people’s imagination decades later. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most drastic solutions can lead to unexpected outcomes—and that even mistakes can be remembered with a smile and a lesson learned.

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