Introducing Here Is Oregon, a sister site to The Oregonian, where we focus on the 'good news' in our communities. We started #HereisOregon as a way to celebrate the people, places and experiences that make Oregon unique. Today we're featuring a look at #ExplodingWhale Park in Florence, a park that honors a strange little bit of Oregon's history. This park in Florence, Oregon is near the spot where, on Nov. 12, 1970, engineers blew up a sperm whale carcass, hoping to clear it from the beach. Inst

Happy Exploding Whale Anniversary Day, Oregon. On Nov. 12, 1970 with bystanders lined up on the dunes to watch the spectacle, ODOT engineers packed 20 cases of dynamite under the dead whale and set a charge. Chunks as big as three feet square descended from the sky, forcing everyone to evacuate the area. One piece landed on a car, caving in its roof. | The Oregonian