Lessons from Historic Hurricanes: The Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900

By: Dona DeZube
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Although hurricanes will always be a reminder that nature is more powerful than man, improvements in storm forecasting and emergency alert technology let home owners better prepare for the worst. Here’s a look back at the U.S.’s most devastating hurricanes and tips for home owners in the path of one.

Lacking modern forecasting technology, the residents of Galveston, Texas, didn’t have advance warning of the great hurricane of 1900, which killed 8,000 people. Take advantage of today’s technology, including smartphone apps, weather updates, emergency distress beacons, emergency radio broadcasts, and texting trees.

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-USZ62-56436
Many people died during the Miami hurricane of 1926 because they didn’t know about the winds that follow the calm eye of the hurricane. This Category 4 hurricane ranks among the top 10 most intense U.S. hurricanes. You can help keep winds from damaging your house by hurricane-proofing your garage doors.

Credit: Florida Photographic Collection/PC2129
The winds hit 200 mph when the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 swept across the Florida Keys. While most homes couldn’t withstand that kind of force, your home can better handle high winds if you hurricane-proof the windows.

Credit: Monroe County Library Collection
The New England Hurricane of 1938 headed for New York, earning the nickname The Long Island Express. New York residents had no warning of the Category 5 storm, which pulled patrons of a movie theater miles out to sea. With modern-day warnings, you have time to put together a home emergency preparedness kit.

Credit: Steve Nicklas, NOS, NGS, NWS Historic Collection
This rare Connecticut hurricane arrived at high tide, causing storm surges of up to 15 feet that nearly wiped out coastal towns and blew the roofs off homes in Rhode Island. Strengthen your roof with hurricane clips to help limit damage.

Credit: NOAA’s National Weather Service Collection
Category 4 Hurricane Donna created the only hurricane-force winds ever recorded across the whole East Coast from Florida to New England. If a hurricane is forecast to knock on your front door, follow these tips to shield it with plywood.

Credit: Florida Photographic Collection/RC17033
In 1969 Hurricane Camille devastated the Mississippi coast with 190 mph winds and tides 30 feet above normal before dumping more than two feet of rain on the Blue Ridge Mountains causing floods and landslides. Protect your home from flood damage by clearing gutters now, moving expensive items to the second floor or attic, and buying a battery-powered sump pump.

Credit: NOAA’s National Weather Service Collection
Hurricane Floyd produced 15-20 inches of rain across the eastern half of North Carolina (pictured, Pactolus, just north of Greenville, N.C.) in 1999, causing rivers and streams to overflow and leaving communities underwater for days. If a hurricane creates a disaster in your community, you’ll need to know how to file a disaster insurance claim.

Credit: Dave Gatley/FEMA
Hurricane Katrina’s storm surge overwhelmed levees in New Orleans, leading to destructive flooding, lost lives, and billions of dollars in cleanup — cleanup not covered by standard home owners policies. Storm surge damage falls under flood insurance, which is only available from the federal government or a handful of private insurers.

Credit: Petty Officer 2nd Class NyxoLyno Cangemi/U.S. Coast Guard
Hurricane Ike blasted the Texas coast in 2008, causing $3.4 billion in housing damage alone, making it the second-costliest hurricane. Of those losses, an average of 27% of wind damages and 61% of flooding damages were uninsured, Texas officials estimate. Be sure you pick the right disaster insurance for your region.

Credit: NOAA’s National Weather Service Collection
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