Galveston Hurricane of Galveston Hurricane of 19001900

September 8, 1900September 8, 1900

Importance of GalvestonImportance of Galveston

• Galveston was an important port city Galveston was an important port city before the hurricane.before the hurricane.

• Had a population of 36,000Had a population of 36,000

• One of the wealthiest cities per capita One of the wealthiest cities per capita (income per person) in the U.S. and in (income per person) in the U.S. and in TXTX

• Was going to become the “New York Was going to become the “New York City” of the South.City” of the South.

Galveston FirstsGalveston Firsts

•First electric lighting in TexasFirst electric lighting in Texas

•First telephone call in TexasFirst telephone call in Texas

•First organized baseball game First organized baseball game in Texasin Texas

Isaac ClineIsaac Cline

• Headed the Weather Bureau in Headed the Weather Bureau in Galveston during the 1900 hurricane. Galveston during the 1900 hurricane.

Cline’s FamilyCline’s Family

Galveston At Risk for Galveston At Risk for HurricanesHurricanes

• Galveston is on an island, which is the Galveston is on an island, which is the barrier island that protects the Texas coast barrier island that protects the Texas coast from the tides of the Gulf of Mexico.from the tides of the Gulf of Mexico.

• Barrier IslandBarrier Island:: an island that protects the an island that protects the coast from the damaging effects of tides coast from the damaging effects of tides

• HurricanesHurricanes: : a tropical storm with a tropical storm with sustained winds of at least 74 miles per sustained winds of at least 74 miles per hour hour

Galveston HurricaneGalveston HurricaneSeptember 8, 1900September 8, 1900

•Galveston Island was at sea Galveston Island was at sea level. Highest point in the city level. Highest point in the city was 8-9 feet above sea level.was 8-9 feet above sea level.

•Winds blew more than 130 miles Winds blew more than 130 miles per hourper hour

•Winds created storm surges 15-Winds created storm surges 15-20 feet high20 feet high

Storm SurgeStorm Surge

• http://3dnature.com/anim/Galveston_http://3dnature.com/anim/Galveston_TX-20ft-high.mp4TX-20ft-high.mp4

• http://everydayexplorers.nationalgeohttp://everydayexplorers.nationalgeographic.com/individual-video.php?megraphic.com/individual-video.php?mediaid=325827diaid=325827

GalvestonGalveston

GalvestonGalveston

Damage to GalvestonDamage to Galveston

• More than 6,000 people died in Galveston More than 6,000 people died in Galveston (1/6 of the population)(1/6 of the population)

• More than 3,600 homes were destroyed More than 3,600 homes were destroyed along with commercial structures causing along with commercial structures causing $30 million dollars in damage ($700 $30 million dollars in damage ($700 million in today’s dollars).million in today’s dollars).

• Galveston Hurricane reigns today as the Galveston Hurricane reigns today as the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history.deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history.

• Galveston fell behind as a leading port city Galveston fell behind as a leading port city and the city of Houston became the New and the city of Houston became the New York City of the South.York City of the South.

Factors That Contributed to Factors That Contributed to the High Number of Deathsthe High Number of Deaths

• Timbers, bricks, slate and entire roofs Timbers, bricks, slate and entire roofs flew into the streets, killing and injuring flew into the streets, killing and injuring people as they fled. people as they fled.

• The water level rose and a storm surge The water level rose and a storm surge lifted homes from their foundations and lifted homes from their foundations and drowned countless people.drowned countless people.• Rubble crashed into other buildings and Rubble crashed into other buildings and knocked them down as well. knocked them down as well.

Time to RebuildTime to Rebuild

• The people of Galveston knew their The people of Galveston knew their old form of government would not be old form of government would not be able to handle this huge task so they able to handle this huge task so they formed a new one.formed a new one.

• The new government they chose was The new government they chose was called a city commission.called a city commission.

• Commission- group of government Commission- group of government officials elected to perform certain officials elected to perform certain duties.duties.

Time to Rebuild, cont.Time to Rebuild, cont.

• Voters elected five commissioners to Voters elected five commissioners to run the city.run the city.

• The commissioners were chosen for The commissioners were chosen for their knowledge of certain city their knowledge of certain city development.development.

• The new government proved so The new government proved so effective that hundreds of other TX effective that hundreds of other TX and U.S. cities adopted it.and U.S. cities adopted it.

Steps Taken by Galveston Steps Taken by Galveston to Prevent Future Damageto Prevent Future Damage

• They built a seawall to prevent future floods. They built a seawall to prevent future floods. It was a three-mile, concrete wall along the It was a three-mile, concrete wall along the coast and was 16 ft. high and 17 ft. wide. coast and was 16 ft. high and 17 ft. wide. Today it stretches more than 10 miles. Today it stretches more than 10 miles.

• They raised much of the city. They pumped They raised much of the city. They pumped sand from the sea floor of the Gulf of sand from the sea floor of the Gulf of

Mexico and lifted buildings to put the sand Mexico and lifted buildings to put the sand underneath those buildings.underneath those buildings.

Galveston Homes Lifted While Galveston Homes Lifted While Awaiting Sand From the GulfAwaiting Sand From the Gulf

Building of the SeawallBuilding of the Seawall

Construction of Seawall Construction of Seawall 19051905

Galveston SeawallGalveston Seawall

Seawall During Hurricane Seawall During Hurricane IkeIke

Saint Mary’s OrphanageSaint Mary’s Orphanage

• All 10 nuns and 90 of 93 orphans are All 10 nuns and 90 of 93 orphans are killed in the hurricane.killed in the hurricane.

High School and Beach High School and Beach HotelHotel

Tremont Hotel & Galveston Tremont Hotel & Galveston HomeHome

AftermathAftermath

AftermathAftermath

AftermathAftermath

GalvestonGalveston

Aftermath Photographs & Aftermath Photographs & FilmFilm

• http://www.1900storm.com/photograhttp://www.1900storm.com/photographs/index.lassophs/index.lasso

• http://www.1900storm.com/film/indehttp://www.1900storm.com/film/index.lassox.lasso

• http://http://www.galveston.com/seawallcam/www.galveston.com/seawallcam/