Historian John Alexander Williams once wrote: "In West Virginia, history often repeats itself. Perhaps the fact that our history is so painful explains why it is so poorly understood." Taking these words to heart, we set out to remember and re-examine the 1972 Buffalo Creek disaster on its 25th anniversary. The disaster had such far-reaching effects, we wanted to approach it from several different angles. Choosing a victim, a lawyer, a psychologist, an environmental inspector, and a rescue worker, the staff unlocked important lessons, vivid memories and a lot of tears. In addition, we wanted to examine the chances of history repeating itself. Coal-waste impoundments several times larger than Buffalo Creek still dot Appalachia, particular West Virginia. The experts say the people in the coalfields are safe, but for many years prior to the flood, those same words rang through the hollow known to history books, law journals and environmental studies as Buffalo Creek. To read this series, click here.