The Galveston, Texas Hurricane of September 1900
By Erica Campbell on September 5, 2012, 11:16am
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The hurricane that hit Galveston, Texas on September 8, 1900 is considered to be the single greatest weather disaster in the history of the United States. The death toll of this single hurricane is estimated to be between 6,000 and 12,000 people. The number most accepted, however, is approximately 8,000 lives.
Around the end of the 19th century, the city of Galveston had approximately 37,000 residents. Its location on the Gulf of Mexico was considered prime real estate and it quickly became the largest city in Texas. However, Galveston was built on a low, flat island. At the time the hurricane hit, the highest point in Galveston was a mere 8 feet above sea level.
The hurricane approached from across Key West, Florida, striking the coasts of Louisiana and Mississippi. It arrived in Galveston on the afternoon of September 8th, pummeling Galveston with winds that were approximately 145 miles per hour and created a storm surge well over 15 feet. Some estimates have the storm surge at a startling 20 feet. Scientists have placed the Galveston Hurricane at a Category 4. When morning arrived on September 9th, Galveston was gone. The city was completely destroyed and a wall of debris clogged the shoreline.
Survivors were faced with the daunting task of rebuilding. The greatest effort was to raise the entire city by almost 17 feet above where it once stood. Next, construction of a giant sea wall would be built to surround the city. This construction began in 1902, and when finished, a 16 foot thick, 17 foot high sea wall would stand to protect approximately 3 miles of oceanfront. Today, this seawall has been extended to over 10 miles.
The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 is a tragic tale of the power of hurricanes. We are reminded over and over again that hurricanes of that power and fury can and will strike. Andrew in 1992 and Katrina in 2005 are further reminders that we need to be prepared and ready, just in case.
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