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The Night the Sky Collapsed: The 1976 Big Thompson Canyon Flood
By David Schmidt, Military Heritage Advisor, Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs | July 31, 2026
On the eve of Colorado’s Centennial celebration, July 31, 1976, Big Thompson Canyon was teeming with life. An estimated 3,500 people, locals and weekend visitors alike, had gathered in the picturesque mountains of Larimer County, west of Loveland. They were camping, fishing, and preparing for a festive three-day weekend to mark 100 years of Colorado statehood.