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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSeptember 8, 1900 -The Galveston Hurricane
On September 8, 1900, Galveston, Texas was hit by a hurricane that it's residents and visitors were not expecting. The estimated death toll was 8 to 12 thousand people and the residents were still finding the deceased months later after this devastating storm.
The residents who decided to stay wanted to make their city safer and came up with a 2 step plan. The plan was to build a giant concrete seawall and raise the elevation by pumping in sand from the ocean bottom. They began work on the seawall in 1902 and it was completed in 1904.
During the construction of the seawall
The seawall completed
After completing the seawall, the structures were lifted before the pumping of sand began.
The pumping of sand to raise the elevation
The Weather Channel aired an educational piece last year about the hurricane and the rebuild. I'm going to include the video since it explains more in depth and it's 42 minutes long. It's worth watching if anyone has the time to watch.
This bronze sculpture is the 1900 Storm Memorial, installed in 2000 and created by David W. Moore. It's dedicated to the victims and survivors of the 1900 hurricane.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)dweller
(23,562 posts)will scare you seriously...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac's_Storm
✌🏼
Niagara
(7,407 posts)I will see if my public library has it.
eppur_se_muova
(36,227 posts)... ship-to-shore radio *almost* provided the needed warning at the time. Once most ships had radio, it became extremely unlikely that anyone could lose track of a hurricane ever again, even before weather radar and satellites. Just bad luck that it struck when it did.
Crafty Girl
(28 posts)Really good book. There was a bit of arrogance involved in not accepting the Cuban predictions.
Lisa0825
(14,487 posts)The history of the storm and aftermath is embedded in the island. The 1900 storm and also Ike are defining moments in our history. We are always at the mercy of nature.
Niagara
(7,407 posts)I'm hoping one day to visit so that I can experience Galveston. I hear that they make downright incredible taffy to boot.
Lisa0825
(14,487 posts)Super fun place for candy-lovers!
malaise
(267,824 posts)Someone suggested that the Glen Campbell song Galveston was about that hurricane - that song was the first time I'd heard of Galveston.
It wasn't about the hurricane but it mentions the wind as the writer was on the beach
Thanks for the thread
Rowdyag
(104 posts)Niagara
(7,407 posts)I've never heard of Glean Campbell until you shared this. The only country music I listen to is Johnny Cash.
littlemissmartypants
(22,418 posts)pansypoo53219
(20,906 posts)i did read the galveston chapter. talked of the rummage people donated + one woman whose hair was entangled in a chandelier. read it eons ago. now i wish i hadn't ebayed it.
Niagara
(7,407 posts)Thank you.
pansypoo53219
(20,906 posts)very cool estate sale. books were free. i took as many as i could carry home.
pecosbob
(7,511 posts)It was a real baddy and at the time there were no plans for evacuation or coastal defense.
Another quick history lesson...settlers founded the town of Indianola on the edge of Matagorda Bay (near present Corpus Christi). The town was hit by a serious hurricane a few years later and was totally wiped out. These settlers were determined though, so they rebuilt the town...and it was again destroyed by another hurricane some years later. They persevered and rebuilt the town a third time. When it was again destroyed by a hurricane they gave up and moved somewhere else. All that remains now is a sign that marks the location. I think there's a lesson somewhere here.
Niagara
(7,407 posts)Thank you
I would have given up after the first hurricane and gotten the heck out of dodge. It was more difficult for the settlers to move, so I understand why they would want to stay and to rebuild.