East Grand Forks Five Years Later

East Grand Forks has come a long way since the flood. In 1997, nearly every home and business had flood damage. Many homes near the river and many downtown buildings were beyond repair. Now, the downtown is almost completely new. Homes that survived the flood have been repaired, and new homes built in the north end and the Point. The permanent dike system is under construction. East Grand Forks lost about a thousand residents after the flood, but the city is ready to grow.

Along the Riverwalk, Whitey's, Applebees, and the Blue Moose restaurants face the Red River. Whitey's rebuilt half a block from their original location. The Blue Moose moved their building to a new location on the Riverwalk. Applebee's is a newcomer to East Grand Forks. In the summer, the restaurants offer outdoor dining overlooking the river. At the left is the "invisible floodwall". The floodwall is assembled between the pillars when flooding threatens, and is left disassembled the rest of the year to allow a view of the river.

The Cabela's sporting goods retail store occupies the center of the new downtown East Grand Forks. Across Demers Avenue, the renovated Holiday Mall is now the Riverwalk Centre, with Crafts Direct and several specialty stores.

The new Campbell Library across from Sherlock Park replaces the library destroyed by the flood. East Grand Forks also has built a new middle school and two new elementary schools to replace flood damaged buildings. Sacred Heart School also built a new school to replace their flood damaged building.

East Grand Forks built a new City Hall on Demers Avenue east of downtown, to replace flood damaged city offices. The area around the new City Hall is being redeveloped with new businesses, homes, and apartments.

The former Sherlock Park neighborhood will become part of the Red River State Recreation Area. All the homes are gone. The Sunshine Terrace apartments will soon be gone, replaced by a new building near the new City Hall. By Labor Day, 2002, you should be able to camp in the State Recreation Area campground in the former Sherlock Park neighborhood.

Construction of the permanent flood protection dike is underway in East Grand Forks. One section of the dike will completely surround the Point. Another dike will protect the central and northern parts of East Grand Forks. The "invisible floodwall" in downtown East Grand Forks will become part of the permanent flood protection system.

Grand Forks Five Years Later

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