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The
1900
Galveston Hurricane for kids: The City
The city of Galveston,
Texas in the late 1800's was a flourishing town with a population of
36,000 residents, a center of trade and the biggest city in the
state of Texas. Galveston was built on a low, flat island in a bay
along the along the Gulf of Mexico.
The
1900
Galveston Hurricane: Disaster in Texas
The devastating hurricane brought with it a storm surge of over 15
feet which washed over the entire island. A sea wall had never been
built so there was no protection from the destruction of the
hurricane and over 3,600 homes were destroyed. It is estimated that
20% (1 in 5) of the population, nearly 8000 people, were killed in
the deadly storm. So many people were killed by the Galveston
Hurricane that proper burials were impossible and the bodies were
piled into carts and buried at sea.
The
1900
Galveston Hurricane for kids:
Hurricane Ike
Just over 100 years after the tragedy on September 13, 2008,
the eye of Hurricane Ike hit the east end of Galveston Island with
another high storm surge. Hurricane Ike overtopped the Galveston
Seawall for the first time since it was built in 1902 after the
Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900.
Galveston Hurricane Facts for kids: The Path of the Hurricane
It began on August 27th as a tropical storm in the
central Atlantic followed a path to the West Indies reaching Cuba on
September 3rd and 4th. It intensified during September 5th and 6th
when it reached hurricane status as it passed just west of Florida
and it then moved towards the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the coast
of Texas.
Galveston Hurricane Facts for kids: Fact Sheet
Interesting description and facts about the Galveston Hurricane are detailed
in the Fact Sheet. The history of
Galveston Hurricane is told in a factual sequence consisting of
a series of short facts providing a simple method of relating the
history, events and effects of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane in
Texas, United States.
Galveston
Hurricane
Facts and History for kids
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 1: Dr. Isaac M. Cline, the meteorologist
in charge of the local Weather Bureau, lived on
Galveston Island sent a telegram to Washington, DC,
predicting that a large part of the city was going to be
flooded and would cause a major loss of life.
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 2: Dr. Cline rode a horse-drawn buggy to
warn people to move to safer, higher ground. Forty-eight
people took shelter in Dr. Cline's house but to no
avail. 32 of the 48 people drowned in the storm surge,
including the wife of Dr. Cline.
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 3: In the short space of just 4 hours
the entire site of the city was covered by water
destroying homes, businesses, warehouses, stores, public
buildings and churches. The gale lasted for a total of 8
hours
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 4: Railroad tracks, telegraphs,
telephone lines and bridges were also torn down and
debris was hurled around the city making it almost
impossible for people to pass.
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 5: The people were absolutely terrified.
A Black darkness fell on the city and the howls of the
winds of the hurricane, the crashing of buildings and
the screams and the cries of people filled the air.
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 6: People watched in helpless horror as
friends and family, including children, drowned in front
of their eyes.
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 7: After the devastation, there was a
delay in relief workers reaching the area -
transportation by train was not possible due to the
destruction of the railroad tracks.
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 8: To the horror of the residents there
were many instances of looting following the disaster
and government troops were called in. Looters found with
stolen items in their possession were lined them up
against a brick wall and shot without ceremony.
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 9: Thousands of dead animals and people
lay dead in the streets and in the shattered wreckage of
their homes. Decomposition set in giving rise to an
unbearable stench. The ground was water-logged making
burials difficult. Of all the fatalities only 500 people
were buried in the city, many were buried on the beach,
the majority of corpses were cremated or buried at sea.
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 10: Literally thousands of bodies were
thrown into carts, loaded on to barges, taken a few
miles out to sea where the corpses were weighted and
thrown into the water for a burial at sea.
Continued...
Galveston
Hurricane
Facts and History for kids
Galveston Hurricane Facts for kids
Interesting history and the Galveston Hurricane Facts for kids are
continued below.
Galveston
Hurricane
Facts and History for kids
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 11: The cremations were also conducted
without ceremony. The bodies were piled into heaps
consisting of 20 - 40 corpses, saturated with kerosene
and set on fire.
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 12: The burials at sea and the
unceremonious cremations were the only options.
There there was a genuine fear that disease and
pestilence would kill the remaining survivors of the
hurricane.
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 13: Refugees fled to Houston, Texas and
Texas City where they were fed and housed by people of
the cities or provided with Tents. A relief fund was set
up and donations were received from all over the United
States and other countries of the world.
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 14: Many eye witness reported that the
town was irreparably wrecked and beyond repair - 75% of
the buildings had been completely destroyed. The people
proved them all wrong.
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 15: Provisions, clothing, disinfectants
and medicines were sent to Galveston and the clean-up
and re-building process began
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 16: It was initially estimated that $2.5
million dollars would be needed for the relief work -
the cost came to over $20 million dollars in 1900 -
equivalent to billions in modern terms. It was the
second costliest hurricane in US history, second only to
Katrina.
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 17:
Hurricane Katrina in 2005 claimed
1,836 lives and cost $113.4 billion dollars. Ike in 2008
cost $ 29.5 billion dollars.
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 18: In April 1901, Galveston introduced
the commission system of government replacing the
mayor and city council. a major step in the
Progressive Movement
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 19: The Galveston Hurricane in Texas
remains the deadliest hurricane in United States
history. In April 1901, Galveston introduced the
commission system of government replacing the
mayor and city council.
Galveston Hurricane
Fact 20: Another terrible natural disaster
would America in 1906 - the
San Francisco Earthquake
Galveston
Hurricane
Facts and History for kids
Galveston Hurricane - President William McKinley Video
The article on the Galveston Hurricane provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following
William McKinley video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 25th American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1897 to September 14, 1901.
Galveston Hurricane History and Facts
●
Interesting Facts about Galveston Hurricane for kids and schools
●
Summary of the deadliest of all the hurricanes in US history
●
Description and effect of the Galveston Hurricane
●
William McKinley from March 4, 1897 to September 14, 1901
●
Fast, stats and facts about the disaster
●
Foreign & Domestic
policies of President William McKinley
● William McKinley Presidency and
the Galveston Hurricane for schools,
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