Galveston 1900 (historical archive)

[JenyEliza]

Found this link while reading up on Galveston Storm of 1900.

This link is an EXCELLENT historical archive of (hundreds and hundreds of photographs), oral histories from survivors, personal manuscripts from survivors, as well as pre-storm records. Additionally, there are sections devoted to the 1909 Hurricane and the 1915 Hurricane which hit AFTER the seawall was placed and the town raised above sea level.

I have become thoroughly engrossed in Galveston 1900 research (from historical perspectve moreso than meteorological perspective), and thought I'd share my find.

Here's the link:

http://www.gthcenter.org/exhibits/storm ... index.html

Also, in my research, I found that there are SEVERAL pre-Storm homes still standing, and three or four of them are actually listed for sale on http://www.realtor.com

Very interesting stuff. I am hooked on studying this historic and tragic event in our nation's history.

Jeny

[Cookiely]

I watched the movie the other night and found it fascinating. Forecasting has come such a long way in a short period of time.

[GalvestonDuck]

You ought to try to come here for a visit and see some of the surviving homes in person (many have a commemorative 1900 plaque on the outside). Plus, you can go to the Galveston Room at the Rosenberg Library, which is an experience all by itself (Due to the delicate nature of a lot of the artifacts and manuscripts preserved there, you can't bring anything to drink, chew gum, take pictures, use a pen, etc.).

Here's (sort of) where I work. People joke a lot about the "ghosts" of the nuns who perished at the orphanage. Since they were all St. Mary's sisters, many believe they haunt our building since the orphanage is gone. (You HAVE read about the orphanage, right?)

http://www.gthcenter.org/exhibits/zenit ... /AW-33.htm

The Bolivar Lighthouse still stands. My favorite actress Patty Duke filmed a movie there.
http://www.gthcenter.org/exhibits/zenit ... 19/AW-45(r).htm

Trinity Episcopal still looks the same
http://www.gthcenter.org/exhibits/zenit ... 19/AW-50(b).htm

The Cotton Exchange building is definitely still here.
http://www.gthcenter.org/exhibits/zenit ... /AW-11.htm

Bishop's Palace (as it's known now) is definitely standing tall...and one of these days, I need to go on the tour
http://www.gthcenter.org/exhibits/zenit ... -19/AW-3(b).htm

This one is now property of UTMB (so, a free tour for me when we have conferences there ). Very cool with all sorts of staircases, passageways, dark corners, and dumbwaiters.
http://www.gthcenter.org/exhibits/zenit ... -19/AW-5(b).htm

The Customs House is now UTMB's HR headquarters
http://www.gthcenter.org/exhibits/zenit ... 9/AW-2.htm

Good ole Old Red at UTMB.
http://www.gthcenter.org/exhibits/zenit ... /AW-38.htm

The Tremont still stands also
http://www.gthcenter.org/exhibits/zenit ... /AW-58.htm

Gosh, I could post all day! I hope you get to visit to see the sites one day.

[cajungal]

I would love to go. My cousin's dad's family is from Galveston. Maybe she will take me with her when they go visit.

[HoumaLa]

can you just put your self in the place of the people then what they must have thought does anyone know what the winds and the waves were like

[Portastorm]

Duckie, your work is on the site where the orphanage was?

Wow ....

[BLHutch]

Thanks for posting those links. I specialize in 19th Century Legal History, BUT as an area resident, I also have a healthy interest in the history of this storm in particular.

How about a field trip for those of us that live in the Houston/Galveston area?

Brady

[ROCK]

thought the orphanage was located where the seawall Walmart was?? hmmm...Need to go to this library. I heard they make you wear gloves....

[GalvestonDuck]

thought the orphanage was located where the seawall Walmart was?? hmmm...Need to go to this library. I heard they make you wear gloves....

Yup, you have to wear gloves if you want to touch any of the photos or manuscripts. And *they* are the only ones who can photocopy anything (if you're lucky enough to find something that they'll allow to be photocopied).

Yeah, Porta -- sorry, I must have worded it wrong. I work in the building that used to be known as St. Mary's Infirmary. Like Rock says, the orphanage is where Wal-Mart is now (good memory, Rock! http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=42822 )

Forgot to mention "The Great Storm" movie on Pier 21, along with a handful of 1900 Storm museums. And if you're ever in San Antonio at Ripley's Believe It Or Not, they have a room where they attempt to reenact the experience of being in a hurricane and they make mention of the 1900 Storm. You walk in and it's dark and there's a house and a fence (movie set style). There are warning signs about how if you're pregnant or have seizures, you shouldn't go in. But it's really not all that severe. Definitely not the 1900 Storm. For one thing, you stay dry. But they have really strong fans that blow the "wind" and sound effects for added effect. Neat, but I'm sure it's not even close.

[Downdraft]

When I look at Galveston I am reminded of the quote by Georg Santyana ..."Those that do not remember history will be forever condemned to repeat it." I look at all the coastal building and development and the indifference to hurricane warnings and I see another Galveston someday.....somewhere.

[JenyEliza]

can you just put your self in the place of the people then what they must have thought does anyone know what the winds and the waves were like

Read some of the first-hand accounts from survivors (who were just children during the storm)

Link ---> http://www.gthcenter.org/exhibits/storm ... bject.html

and

http://www.gthcenter.org/exhibits/storm ... index.html

FASCINATING....

And Galveston Duck...we always go to Texas for our "vacation" every year (our familly is in Brazos Cty), so I'm going to work Galveston into our plans.

Just seems I'm always in a hurry to get there or to get home, since it's a 15 hour drive each way--but NEXT summer (we just got back from our trip this year), I fully plan to devote a couple of days to Galveston either on the front end or tail end of our trip.

Probably will do it on the front end (since kids will be visiting with family and I'd be on my own to explore what I want without all the whining "are we done yet"?)

I was dumbfounded to find pre-Storm houses on realtor.com. Amazing. One day I'd love to own one of them...and live there. Perfect for me. Near a beach and near family.

The first hand accounts are shocking. What these people went through and the courage and strength they showed in the face of death and destruction, is almost superhuman.

One thing that kind of gives me the shudders (and I couldn't help noticing)....is reading accounts of the aftermath dated September 11, 1900. Who would have thought 101 years later--almost to the day--we'd lose 3,000 Americans to another tragedy that blindsided the country?

Seems this time in September is our month for unfathomable devastation and destruction in the US.

[JenyEliza]

Thanks for posting those links. I specialize in 19th Century Legal History, BUT as an area resident, I also have a healthy interest in the history of this storm in particular.

How about a field trip for those of us that live in the Houston/Galveston area?

Brady

If you can wait till next summer, I'll drive the 984 miles to be there too!

Jeny

[JenyEliza]

thought the orphanage was located where the seawall Walmart was?? hmmm...Need to go to this library. I heard they make you wear gloves....

Yeah, Porta -- sorry, I must have worded it wrong. I work in the building that used to be known as St. Mary's Infirmary. Like Rock says, the orphanage is where Wal-Mart is now (good memory, Rock! http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=42822 )

There's a (expletive deleted) Wal*Mart where the orphanage used to be?

That just doesn't seem right to me. Innocent children and the Nuns who looked after them lost their lives there. Would seem to be sacred ground...but then, I guess there's not a square inch in Galveston where someone didn't lose their life in the 1900 Storm so you can't go making every site a monument or memorial.

Geez, though. I'd have thought Wal*Mart would have been classier than that. Maybe not.

Jeny

[GalvestonDuck]

Yup, I was surprised when I found out too. I went to the 100-year anniversary memorial a few years ago and asked someone where the orphanage *was* and they told me that. But then, you read about how there were so many bodies and they had to build the funeral pyres and how they burned dozens of bodies at a time. I can't help but think, "Some of this sand, some of this dirt in my yard, some part of the ground beneath my feet may contain the ashes of someone who died in the storm." Others I work with have mentioned it too. You can't help but feel like there's a part of those 8000 or so victims almost everywhere you go here, because it's possible. Eerie, but calming. I don't believe in ghosts, but I do believe in angels. I guess it just sort of feels like they're trying to cover the island and protect it from ever having anything like that happen again.

Speaking of the September connection, I wrote this on 9/15/01. It's not that great, but I was feeling the connection and had to write it:

MONSTERS
It is early September. Dark clouds cover the sky.
A beautiful seaport, known for commerce, trade,
immigration, and prosperity, has been attacked by a terrible
monster. Devastation and havoc have been wreaked upon this
great city. Thousands of people dig through the debris,
desperately searching for thousands of others, lost in this
great tragedy. They grieve, they mourn, they pray. And
then, they rebuild. Nothing will stop them.

One hundred and one years ago, the monster was a hurricane
and the city, of course, was Galveston. This year,
the monster is more evil than any storm we could ever
imagine.

But I have faith that the city will rebuild.

[JenyEliza]

Yup, I was surprised when I found out too. I went to the 100-year anniversary memorial a few years ago and asked someone where the orphanage *was* and they told me that. But then, you read about how there were so many bodies and they had to build the funeral pyres and how they burned dozens of bodies at a time. I can't help but think, "Some of this sand, some of this dirt in my yard, some part of the ground beneath my feet may contain the ashes of someone who died in the storm." Others I work with have mentioned it too. You can't help but feel like there's a part of those 8000 or so victims almost everywhere you go here, because it's possible. Eerie, but calming. I don't believe in ghosts, but I do believe in angels. I guess it just sort of feels like they're trying to cover the island and protect it from ever having anything like that happen again.

Speaking of the September connection, I wrote this on 9/15/01. It's not that great, but I was feeling the connection and had to write it:

MONSTERS
It is early September. Dark clouds cover the sky.
A beautiful seaport, known for commerce, trade,
immigration, and prosperity, has been attacked by a terrible
monster. Devastation and havoc have been wreaked upon this
great city. Thousands of people dig through the debris,
desperately searching for thousands of others, lost in this
great tragedy. They grieve, they mourn, they pray. And
then, they rebuild. Nothing will stop them.

One hundred and one years ago, the monster was a hurricane
and the city, of course, was Galveston. This year,
the monster is more evil than any storm we could ever
imagine.

But I have faith that the city will rebuild.

Your piece is excellent...and it exactly draws the same parallel(s) I've been drawing.

When you go through the pictures of the aftermath of 1900, and read the first hand accounts, and imagine the same beautiful sunny late summer weather then (1900) and (2001), as people desperately searched for their loved ones, it's difficult not to grasp the parallel.

Both were losses of mammoth proportions that came out of nowwhere. In both cases, people got up that morning and went about their business--never dreaming that when (if) they woke the next day, the world would be turned on it's head.

The main difference in the searches is that the 1900 people didn't have color photo flyers to paste with pictures of their loved ones, while the 2001 people did. Their pain, their agony, their absolute devastation and shock registered in much the same way though.

I used to LOVE the late summer September weather. It was a welcome break from the dog days of August's oppressive heat and humidity (in Atlanta it's bad....), but now....now....I dread September. Truly dread it. Hurricanes. Terror attacks. Death. Destruction. Devastation. These are the things I now associate with the month of September. The cooler nice weather--which should be enjoyed to its fullest--is difficult to enjoy anymore. It is such a stark contrast to the dark things that are now (for me) forever associated with September weather.

Hmmmm.

[Swimdude]

Yeah, if I was in that orphanage, I probably would've thought that the world was ending... Really.

[JenyEliza]

Yeah, if I was in that orphanage, I probably would've thought that the world was ending... Really.

It did for all 10 nuns and all but 3 children.

[Galvestongirl]

Ahhh old red....have recently had many classes there.....

alos, i think part of the history states that thy had to make people carry the bodies out...they would hold a gun to them amd literally make them help.....alot of wiskey was drank just to get the folks through the terror.

However, i may be wrong, so, please feel free to correct me.

[JenyEliza]

Ahhh old red....have recently had many classes there.....

alos, i think part of the history states that thy had to make people carry the bodies out...they would hold a gun to them amd literally make them help.....alot of wiskey was drank just to get the folks through the terror.

However, i may be wrong, so, please feel free to correct me.

That was confirmed in several of the Oral Histories I read. They also shot looters on sight...especially the ghouls robbing the dead of their jewelry and other valuables.

Jeny

[ROCK]

You mentioned the mass burnings and I have something you might find strange but maybe even sad. July 4th there was a grass fire from fire works on the west end near Terramar subdivision. Very large grass fire so my parents decided to take pictures of it. IN the pictures are hundreds of ORBS floating around the fire. Very strange to see so many of them some large, some small. Only could be caught by digital camera. After the fire was out they all disappeared. Could these balls of light be people who were burned in mass graves??.....

Pretty creepy....pics alone gave my the willies......