Longtime locals remember it all too well.

In February of 1986, the storm would just not stop, dropping 24 inches of rain over a 10-day period. The overflowing Russian River reached a record high water level of 49' 1" at the Guerneville Bridge, submerging the entire town and changing lives forever.Out of a house in Guerneville, a small-town publication called The Paper covered the flood, its damage, and its aftermath. The Paper would eventually turn into the Sonoma County Independent, and then the North Bay Bohemian, but the photos and reports from the flood remain in our archives, just as clear—or sometimes clearer—than the many memories still shared about that wet, wet week.

On the 25th Anniversary of what's commonly known as "The Great Valentine's Day Flood of 1986," we here at the Bohemian have decided to dip into those archives and share some memories of the tragedy, resolve and eventual triumph that Guerneville and its surrounding areas underwent in 1986.

Over the next week, we'll be posting dozens of flood photos from our files. Some of them have captions. Many do not. What we're looking for from you, the longtime local—to whom the very word "sandbags" evokes images of torrential downpour—is your stories.

Who are the people in these photos? Whatever became of them? How did they persevere? What is that building in the background? Who are those kids, and what did they grow up to become? Whose Volkswagen bus is that?

Please tell us in the comments of each photo. Tell us your stories. Your memories.We'll start with this one:

• Stephen Gross

At the end of the week, we'll compile our photos and your stories into a special feature. In the meantime, keep checking back to our BohoBlog to see more Guerneville Flood photos from 25 years ago.

—Gabe Meline, Editor, North Bay Bohemian

Look at all Guerneville Flood Photos here.

This is the photo that started it all, and inspired us to begin this project. Sitting on a mattress at the Santa Rosa Vets Building, with a newspaper, a bottle and some cots nearby, is a new mother holding her baby. Displaced from her Guerneville home by the flood and awaiting whatever future may come, the young mom looks undeterred; the baby, oblivious.This woman's name is Candy Turner, and we've tried to Google it—to no avail. She would be almost 50 by now, we're guessing. The baby would be 26 or 27. Does anyone remember Candy Turner? And where is that wide-eyed baby now?Let us know in the comments below.The Guerneville Flood Project is a week-long dive into the photo archives of the North Bay Bohemian. Read about the project here, and view more 1986 Guerneville Flood photos by clicking here.

Ah, a classic. VW buses are great for a many number of things—camping, hitchhiking, parking at inspiration point—but fording through water, not so much. I remember getting stuck in our VW bus and relying on strangers to help push us out of high water. Doesn't look like anyone was around to help this driver.Or was there? Is this your bus?Let us know in the comments below.The Guerneville Flood Project is a week-long dive into the photo archives of the North Bay Bohemian. Read about the project here, and view more 1986 Guerneville Flood photos by clicking here.

We couldn't believe it when we saw it either. Here's a photo of four people being rescued by a backhoe, riding in the loader of the tractor. And they actually look pretty excited! Well, except for the person on the right.Surely, someone remembers their mom or dad being pulled to safety on the loader of a backhoe. Who are these people? Where were they being rescued from that they needed a tractor to pull them to safety?Let us know in the comments below.The Guerneville Flood Project is a week-long dive into the photo archives of the North Bay Bohemian. Read about the project here, and view more 1986 Guerneville Flood photos by clicking here.

" He may or may not have lived in the vicinity of Reins Beach in Monte Rio. Google is no help. Anyone have any clues?What we're really dying to know is if Cal caught any fish.The Guerneville Flood Project is a week-long dive into the photo archives of the North Bay Bohemian. Read about the project here, and view more 1986 Guerneville Flood photos by clicking here.

Does anyone recognize the man in the wheelchair? Or the buildings in the background?Let us know in the comments below.The Guerneville Flood Project is a week-long dive into the photo archives of the North Bay Bohemian. Read about the project here, and view more 1986 Guerneville Flood photos by clicking here.

Here's a helicopter coming down at Redwood Memorial Gardens, the cemetery in Guerneville. A large group of  kids awaits on the ground below, pointing and gawking at something they'd only seen in the movies.Surely there must be someone from this group that remembers a helicopter this size taking them to safety! If you're one of these kids; or if one of these cars belonged to you; of if you remember waiting at the cemetery to be rescued, feel free to tell us. What was it like? What do you remember?Let us know in the comments below.The Guerneville Flood Project is a week-long dive into the photo archives of the North Bay Bohemian. Read about the project here, and view more 1986 Guerneville Flood photos by clicking here.

But where is her daughter?The woman's name is Mary Cervantes. She was briefly quoted in this Time magazine story about the 1986 flood, "We've Lost Everything." The back of our archival photo says something about her possibly moving to Healdsburg.Other than that, we're stumped. The wreckage in the background certainly implies that she had to pack up and move on, but where to? Does anyone know where Mary Cervantes, or the girl in the photo, is today?Let us know in the comments below.The Guerneville Flood Project is a week-long dive into the photo archives of the North Bay Bohemian. Read about the project here, and view more 1986 Guerneville Flood photos by clicking here.