Smithsonian Shares Footage of Mt. St. Helens Eruption [VIDEO]

40 Years ago this morning at just after 8:30 a.m. something would happen that would change the landscape for a good chunk of Washington state forever. It's our local 'where were you' story when talking about it. In Yakima, the sky turned black as midnight as ash was raining down all over the valley. If this happened today, we'd have views from all angles on video, satellite footage and more. Unfortunately, 1980 was a different time than the digital age we're living in now. There is some footage out there, however, and Smithsonian shares what there is as well as why it blew up the way it did, outward instead of upward.

I was too young to remember this, but I do remember the aftermath very well. I remember people selling vials of ash, which I thought was funny as it was free just about everywhere on the ground, but I kind of wish I kept some now.