Thanks for this. I live in a 1900 storm survivor house. It was also raised up during the raising of the island. The floors are extremely crooked, due to the technology at the time. We were fortunate for the crooked floors during Ike as we had no water in our home.

@lordgarion514

5 жыл бұрын

I've been flipping houses for almost 7 years, and we get nothing older than 1978. Trust me, they still make crooked floors. 😡😠 LOL

@vmbrister3278

5 жыл бұрын

@@KLRJUNE that is cool

@dragonsword7370

5 жыл бұрын

@@KLRJUNE and I bet that crooked house felt level and normal to his equilibrium!

@keptinkaos6384

5 жыл бұрын

@@KLRJUNE havent heard that one for many years thanks

@jamesdeery5377

5 жыл бұрын

@uncletigger not gambling debts. Just massive ponzi scheme that got the Scots to invest in project called the Darrien scheme. Which would make an intersting project in forgotten history.

My great-grandmother was across from Galveston island on Bolivar peninsula. They took refuge in fort Crockett. She was swept out and swum until finding a dead cow to keep her afloat for the next two days until she landed at Smith's point on the north side of east bay in Galveston bay. She was one of only a handful swept out of the fort to survive.

@seanworkman431

5 жыл бұрын

That's history in itself, she must have been quite a woman.

@bradbutcher3984

5 жыл бұрын

@@seanworkman431 I come from working class people. I doubt an upperclass woman in those times would have had the perseverance to keep going. She didn't want anything to do with the coast after that and moved 25 miles north of Galveston bay to Dayton afterwards.

@allen_p

5 жыл бұрын

I worked for the American Red Cross during Hurricane Ike. I met a man in a shelter who was washed out of his Bolivar Peninsula home and swam in East Bay until reaching the Anahuac area beach. National Weather Service had issued a hurricane evacuation warning, " Evacuate or face certain death"

@jeez3838

5 жыл бұрын

Brad Butcher My grandma, born in 1900, wrote in her recollections, of a cousin who was swept out to sea during that storm and rescued but shortly thereafter, died from complications. I haven’t researched beyond that info but this is a good video.

@jeez3838

5 жыл бұрын

Forgot to add that we enjoyed staying at the old Galveston Hotel on the island in 1986. Beautiful area and beaches!

My great grandmother lost alot of her family during the storm. She was just a little girl at the time. I'm glad she survived so I could be born 68 years later. She was an amazing woman.

My grandfather, Andrew L DeGuire, who was 24 at the time was one of the first people to reach the island after the the 1900 hurricane. He worked for a utility company and swam from pier to pier of the destroyed bridge pulling a a communication line across. He didn’t talk to me about it (I was eleven when he died) but read it in a Dallas newspaper account published with his picture. It said that when he stepped out of the water onto something soft it turned out to be a deceased baby. Later my father lived in one of the historic Galveston houses which had been raised during this time. History worth remembering for me. Thanks.

@Beardwhip

5 жыл бұрын

He stepped on a soggy wet dead baby, dear God

@ThePzrLdr

3 жыл бұрын

Family history is worth remembering and saving!

@garyclark3843

3 жыл бұрын

The part about the baby would definitely explain not talking about it.

A few years back when I was working for Sam's Limousine and Transportation as an MCI tour bus driver, my Saturday run was from Hobby Airport to the Royal Caribbean cruise line. I would tell this story to my passengers over the intercom on the bus. I'd also point out some other facts about the island as well. This story got me LOTS of tips! I could point out the sea wall from certain streets along my way. Certain parts of the fill behind the sea wall have settled over the years, so parts of the project can be seen from some streets. I also had fun showing how the "new" pier was built over the beach along the back side of Galveston as part of the project to encourage businesses to rebuild in Galveston. The one thing I could not emphasize enough was the STENCH of all that rotting marine biomass from all the dredging and how it persisted for years. Thanks THG for sharing!!!! Bus #37 Sam's Limousine, Houston, Texas.

@shawngilliland243

5 жыл бұрын

@B B - That's great that your telling the story got you lots of tips! Thanks for sharing it with us.

@dragonsword7370

5 жыл бұрын

You sir, are cool.

@kathycaldwell7126

Жыл бұрын

May God bless your Grandfather, B B

@ScottyKirk1

Жыл бұрын

Hats off to the tippers! Great stuff. I hope this story never dies.

@MrEliasdl

Жыл бұрын

Keep the history going. Our family is just finishing our vacation on Galveston and going to learn/see as much as we can before going home. We might have to return to learn some more.

Daily we hear how bad America is, how our history proves only the bad. But in this videos (as in others in this series), the History Guy makes us remember, or learn what makes America so special in this world. This just one story out of millions, of Americans faced terrible catastrophes & hardships, only to find solutions and rebuild even better. Thank You Mr. History Guy for all you do.

@AGDinCA

5 жыл бұрын

Excellent point.

@moncorp1

5 жыл бұрын

You only hear how bad it is from leftists.

@AGDinCA

5 жыл бұрын

@@moncorp1 I am what I would suppose you might call a "leftist."

@JarrodFrates

5 жыл бұрын

It's not that the US is or was all bad nor is history taught that way, but we certainly have our dark spots, many of which we're only recently facing up to (with much resistance from some quarters). The US has always been a place of technological marvels, but these marvels have come side-by-side with social ills and in some cases led to them. One of those technological marvels, the cotton gin, helped make slavery profitable by reducing the labor required to remove seeds from certain kinds of cotton. Slavery grew rapidly in the years that followed.

@Genesis1313

5 жыл бұрын

@Tangerine Sky333 Thank you for taking my comments out of context..but as a leftist, I know you can't help yourself. As far as your unbalanced comments on "America being guilty of many atrocities", how many other major countries around the world, have no history of "atrocities"? While this country has indeed made many mistakes in the past, few countries have as good a record of attempting to right, wrongs. I do stand against what this country did to the American Indians and still do. There is NO race in America, more historically abused, than the America Indian nations, to this day. So please explain to me, if America is this terrible country that is bridled with so much historical atrocities, why does the rest of the world seek to come to America? Try going back to school sober and not high as a kie.. you might learn the truth and PERSPECTIVE!

I am a Galveston resident, and I've learned more about this small island in this video than the last 4 years. The Rosenberg library is a lovely place that also doubles as a small museum of sorts.

Isaac Cline made a terrible mistake. It's impressive to me that he didn't retire in shame and grief but spent the rest of his life learning how to minimize the cost of future events like this one. There's a special strength in continuing on and making a contribution.

@weneedhopethankyou1513

5 жыл бұрын

Yes, Isaac Cline's hoisted the hurricane flag too late for anyone to evacuate. The book by Erik Larson, Isaac's Storm gives a look into Cline's hubris.

@gardensofthegods

4 жыл бұрын

I don't know , that would imply history guy made a mistake when he said a number of people's lives were saved by Cline hoisting the flag

@santaclauslagrange

3 жыл бұрын

@@gardensofthegods perhaps History Guy got from other source because the book certainly has Isaac assuring folks a hurricane could not hit Galveston and that folks were safe. He did try and raise an alarm the day the storm hit, much too late.

@matthewpoplawski8740

2 жыл бұрын

We need hope Thank You, I agree with your comments. I was wondering if anyone was going to mention that book . I'm glad you did. It helped me remember the name of the author(Erik Larson). I read the book a long time ago, and, now, I have to get my own copy( I,originally, was lent the book ).✌✌✌✌

@beanoneya

2 жыл бұрын

I bet he'd be amazed at the honor given his name, now.

An absolutely tragic snippet in terms of lives lost, especially those poor Nuns and children, but the engineering work afterwards was absolutely amazing.

@dinascharnhorst6590

5 жыл бұрын

Weather Channel did an excellent documentary on The Storm.

@evensgrey

5 жыл бұрын

If I'm remembering correctly, he skipped over one of the more horrific things, too. There was, as you would expect, a large mass of debris that was left by the storm. This debris was known to contain survivors, because they could be heard. So could their screams as things started shifting when people tried to dig them out. Without any kind of lifting equipment, it was nearly impossible to rescue anyone without killing others, and most people trapped in the wreckage died there and were cremated by burning the whole mass later on.

@dragonsword7370

5 жыл бұрын

Any story about kids dying in a storm is tragic. There was a nor'Easter in the 20's that hit the east coast near... Maine or more south. A bus driver with kids drove across a bridge or water causeway. Got stuck halfway there, left to get help when a storm swell took the whole vehicle away into the water killing nearly all the children.

To do that at the beginning of the 20th century...amazing! Everyone talks about the storm and immediate aftermath, not what was done to hopefully prevent future loss. Thank you!

@AGDinCA

5 жыл бұрын

To think what they accomplished, including raising all of the utility lines without disrupting service, for an adjusted cost of only $94m, that is an absolute marvel. That is history that deserves to be remembered but should also be replicated.

@IntrepidFraidyCat

5 жыл бұрын

@@AGDinCA Well said.👍

I became intimate with these Galveston's structures when I was performing windstorm inspections around 2005-2007. You could clearly see where these buildings were raised and not all were elevated on pilings, many were raised with brick and stone and with some the lower open floor was almost completely filled with sand. Keep in mind that many of these homes had very high ceilings with windows and doors that were very tall. This construction was utilized mostly to keep the rooms cooler because there was no air-conditioning in this time. This is where I learned of "heartwood" a board so dense you could not easily drive a nail in it and a 2x4 weighed about three times as much as a normal 2x4. These houses and buildings were built well. Be sure to visit some of the historical buildings when you come to Galveston. (The bishop's Palace and Ashton Villa)

@joycebowen8958

5 жыл бұрын

Ashton Villa chose not to clear out the 1st floor (it was filled with sand and mud during the storm.)

@gardensofthegods

4 жыл бұрын

When I was driving around down there back in 2008 I could not believe all the beautiful old architecture.... it was wonderful

@beanoneya

2 жыл бұрын

The homes and architecture could be its own episode.

To The History Guy: As a resident of Houston, Texas I want to Thank You for this video. Very well done. The history of Galveston, Texas is certainly History That Deserves to Be Remembered .

When I was young we would visit Galveston several times every summer, and my father or grandfather would point out the seawall, _every...single...time,_ extolling the accomplishment without ever explaining the reason for its construction. (Edit - as an adult I tease my dad by never failing to point it out on subsequent trips. Usually eliciting an annoyed grunt from him an a chuckle from my mom.)

@MrEliasdl

Жыл бұрын

As a civil engineer I can say I'm amazed. Also the can do spirit of humanity to rebuild and learn is pretty cool. I have a big respect for the spirit to stay alive and learn that happened in Galveston.

You’d have to live here to know the blessing this seawall and raising has been to us. Thank you for bringing attention to this and also the damage to life and property these storms can bring.

Amazing that they made a committee that actually had people with experience and expertise on it. It's inspiring to see what people with vision can accomplish.

As I write this at my home a few blocks from the Seawall, we remember the Great Storm and the grade raising every day, as we live this history. Hurricane Ike in 2008 flooded the island and did severe damage, as it pushed water from Galveston Bay rather than over the Seawall. Fortunately the great wealth generated in the 1800s continues to support Galveston even today through the many charitable foundations left behind. Some say it's crazy to live on a barrier island exposed to hurricanes and the effects of climate change, but it's hard to beat a beautiful day at the beach on a warm day in winter! As a real BOI (born on the island) Galvestonian, I salute you for doing a great job with this video! You obviously did your research, as you got all the main facts down right! (Are you doing videos on other local events such as Galveston's immigration history - The Galveston Plan/Rabbi Henry Cohen/Ellis Island of the Southwest, the legacy of Henry Rosenberg, the Open era of gambling, and the Texas City Disaster?)

@CallieMasters5000

5 жыл бұрын

FYI: The current naming system of hurricanes was introduced later, so this is why the 1900 storm is called "The Great Storm" or the "1900 Storm." Hurricane Ike in 2008 was so destructive that I notice we use it today as a reference point, to date things as being before or after "The Storm". All the worst storms occurred in the same week of September (1900: Sept 8th, 2008: Sept 13th).

@jusmeinia7

5 жыл бұрын

Last October I was blessed to be able to visit your beautiful island and enjoy the beach for awhile. The water was so warm and the sand so incredibly soft! My friends who live in Alvin TX told me all about the history of Galveston and enjoyed walking the Strand and downtown to see all the historic buildings. I hope to come back again some day.

@gardensofthegods

4 жыл бұрын

@P Hawthorne about when did this happen... what era ? I'm trying to visualize what you're talkin about .

@beanoneya

2 жыл бұрын

Ooh or when the Texas Rangers came in and shut the gambling down, dumping all the slot machines in the Bay!

great video and subject. i used to live in the Galveston area and was a member of the Galveston Historical Foundation many years ago. Galveston is a beautiful place with so much character and diversity and i miss it. I will never forget riding out Hurricane Alicia in August 1983 and how nervous i was as a midwestern boy far from home. thanks for another great history lesson.

I drive down 146 then 45 to Galveston all the time working on ships the place still has a huge amount of history. Always fun going there for some reason . If your ever in Houston take I45 to Galveston there is a lot of stuff to do and my favorite thing EAT 😁👍 Just be warned 45 can be a nerve wrecking experience lmfao 😂 BTW I love this channel and I'm going to be that nerd who ask thumbs up if you like Houston 👍

@jeremysmith3760

5 жыл бұрын

Galveston is awesome to mill around and do history stuff, Elissa, the forts etc. And I'll gladly stuff my face at Miller's

@ElmoUnk1953

5 жыл бұрын

👍🚀

Sure'nuff a history that deserves to be remembered.

I would love to see an episode about the Texas City explosion.

@allen_p

5 жыл бұрын

There are some Texas Department of Public Saftey videos on KZread that are extremely graffic (not for children), but give a very good explanation of they Texas City Disaster.

@jackprier7727

5 жыл бұрын

Speaking of hurricanes, all of the piers and wharves and fish and bait stores and boats of Texas City were wiped-out by Ike in 2008. Even islands I swam to were removed-

@larrytischler570

3 жыл бұрын

It is well documented on YT. I was a young kid living 200 miles away. I remember, after several days of explosions and their resulting densely smoking petroleum products tank fires, a day when the radio reporters, it was before TV, were confused because a new kind of light dawned. It was the sun! And they did not recognize it. But today, few reporters recognize the light of day (the truth) anyway .

@oldcrafttraditions668

3 жыл бұрын

It's one on the history channel

@mwright_boomer

2 жыл бұрын

I was in Galveston at the time and felt the ground shake when it happened. Had no idea what it was until seeing the cloud develop and turning on the news.

Coincidentally I was talking to a client on the phone who lives in Houston and I mentioned that I would love to visit Galveston, and he had to think a minute to remember it was a city but didn't know where it was or what it's fame was. He's in his 40's. Couldn't believe it. People can get so isolated in their minds sometimes. Actually, his whole attitude reminds me of a history teacher I had in the 1970's who refused to teach any incident that involved "war". We spent most of the class gossiping while he sat at his desk reading novels or showing us slides of his family vacations (all tax deductible because it was business because he was showing us slides). Didn't learn anything that year from him. Luckily I know how to read and had a county library card.

I live in Galveston about 200 feet from the seawall in the 7300 block. Being so close to the ocean, I can literally hear its roar, and watch the waves crashing in. When Hurricane Ike hit about a decade ago, nothing happened to the condos. Im so greatful the Seawall exists! Thank you for a very informative video.

As a storm spotter for the National Weather Service, this storm has been of interest to me in learning about the earlier days of severe weather prediction. However, I never really followed the herculean efforts of rebuilding in The Storm's aftermath: an accomplishment achieved in the early days of the twentieth century which today we would shake our heads at and say is nigh on impossible!

Weather u realize it, or not. You sir, are a national treasure!!! Our history is our greatest asset!! Few nations have faced the trials and tribulations of our nation and lived to tell about it. Men and women like u keep that fire stoked and rolling. And i for one cannot thank u enough!!!!

I live only 75 miles from Galveston Island. We have made the short trip at least a half dozen times each year for the 38 years we have lived in the Houston area. I have read a number of articles and historical facts about the Great Storm of 1900. I have never learned as much about the hurricane as I did with your excellent short story. Thank you History Guy for such a splendid report! The major loss of life and the massive devastation suffered 120 years ago clearly deserves to be remembered.

In my research on this I was flipping through a book that has reprints of various Texas newspapers and in this book I came across one that had a list of all the people who died in the storm

@amc401nash6

5 жыл бұрын

I remember reading the list, a very chilling experience indeed. Many German immigrants praised in the storm as I remember. Sadly many lost were never identified and some not found.

@clancywoodard310

5 жыл бұрын

@P Hawthorne yeah I live over in baytown and I haven't been out that way in years

@lkbarrett39

9 ай бұрын

With all due respect, it wasn't a complete list. There were so many bodies that they had to be burned before they were identified or even counted.

Great recounting of this tragedy, thank you! Two of my great-grandparents' families lived in Galveston at the time of this storm. Fortunately, all survived and my grandfather was born two months later!

@MrEliasdl

Жыл бұрын

They had the will and blessing to survive so you can be here. That's way cool

I live in Galveston!!!! I ride my bike on that Seawall everyday! I've done so many school projects on the 1900 storm

@eppursimuove6426

5 жыл бұрын

I live in Houston and I have also ridden a bike on the Seawall.

@helensmith333

5 жыл бұрын

I live in Galveston and I've never ridden a bike anywhere though I do live by the Seawall.

@justmepenz2576

5 жыл бұрын

I live and was born in galveston, never rode a bike in seawall

“I hope you enjoyed this...” That ends each episode is an understatement as each one of your carefully researched episodes are such a joy. Some days I wish you could churn out more but you are a man; not a machine. Lol. Thank you again for a thoroughly enlightening and enjoyable snippet of time and history.

My paternal great grandfather was a boy of 12 when Issac`s Storm wiped all those folks away. My father was just a boy himself when his Grandpa Sumners told him how they managed to get on to the roof of a house after the worst of it. They watched many corpses just float on by... Surreal. The old fella said that many folks were snake bit too, on account of all the water moccasins that were stirred up in the debris. Sweet episode, Mr Guy. Thanx JP LeMaire Abbeville, Louisiana

I remember playing on that sea wall as a little boy when visiting Galveston in the 1970s. By then, there was an enormous hotel built out over the gulf beyond the sea wall on a massive pier. When first learning about the Great Storm in school, it seemed strange to me that there would remain so few visible signs of the destruction of that storm over 70 years later. But, the human spirit is "as tough as old tree roots" as the saying goes, and the strength and tenacity to overcome adversity drives people to incredible feats of ingenuity and sheer determination to go on and rebuild. Thanks for another great video. Cheers, Russ

Further, it’s amazing to me that you have yet to produce an episode that was not intensely interesting! My Grandchildren whom I am raising alone (Widower) know not to bother Poppy when he’s listening to the History Guy ( And Wife) ! My 9 year old Grandson recites your opening Perfectly! Thank You and the Mrs. for THE MOST ENGAGING AND IMPORTANT CONTENT ON THE inter web!! Best Regards as always! And Thank You so much! Side note, my Grandaughter had been failing Social Studies but is now approaching Honor Role because of you! Again, Thank You!

@dinascharnhorst6590

5 жыл бұрын

Outstanding news! And this is why many want to teach. Congratulations to your granddaughter!

As a native Houstonian, Well Done! I may add. When they pumped the sand slurre under the homes and buildings it contained fish and other sea life. As they died and rotted the stentch covered the Island making it a miserable place to live. The elevated wooden planks allowed residents to walk above the sandy-sluree. You mentioned the oleander bushes, but they also planted many Live Oak trees that survived until Hurricane Ike flooded the Island. The salt water killed most of the Live Oak trees and many oleander bushes. Replanting efforts started after Hurricane Ike.

Since you're in Galveston, could ya do a bit on the Texas City explosion across the bay? I talked to a number of people when I lived in Galveston who were there when it happened. The most common thing people said was, they thought we were at war. The entire island shook, and those looking saw a mushroom cloud rising into the sky. I couldn't possibly imagine how terrifying that would have been.

@johnspikes8102

3 жыл бұрын

I put in a request for this some time ago. Hopefully, sometime soon.

@Bayou_Russ

3 жыл бұрын

House I grew up in Santa Fe, TX had all the windows knocked out due to the explosion.

@beanoneya

2 жыл бұрын

@@Bayou_Russ whoa, I grew up in Santa Fe, my mom's house didn't have this happen, but she said she felt and heard it.

@kevinxxx8093

Жыл бұрын

kzread.info/dash/bejne/dpuij5h9oLi9Zs4.html

Thank you for sharing this as a person from Southeast Texas the 1900 storm is a tale of legendary proportions down here

Hi, History Guy! Wow, my first day in months that I’m well enough to tune in and comment, and it’s the day you do a show on a topic I suggested! Thank you, kind sir, for a superb episode! As always, you were very thorough, and I especially enjoyed learning about the engineering specifics of the building of the seawall. Galveston is a lovely city, and is the port where my ancestors arrived in Texas from Prussia. Thank you again for covering this fascinating part of history, and especially for doing it so well! I’m sorry I haven’t been up to commenting for a while, I had a very unpleasant spinal injury and subsequent surgery, but recovery is going very well, and I’m back! You’re amazing, History Guy! ❤️

The raising of the city plus the seawall totaling $94million in today's dollars seems only a fraction of what it would cost to do the same now. I'm sure it would be in the billions. Fascinating history.

@JarrodFrates

5 жыл бұрын

That's due to many factors: changes in population density (including tourist facilities), building size, and infrastructure that would have to be accommodated; different safety and environmental requirements; and the fact that, adjusted for inflation, average wages then were much smaller, around $9000, compared to modern median wages of around $61,000. (I'm aware that average and median aren't directly comparable, but I can't find median for 1900 or average for modern times and it gives a rough scale.)

@Drosera420

5 жыл бұрын

This is a bit dark.. but.. it made it cheaper in that entire families who owned seafront property were dead.. so there was no one to contest land ownership. And as for the cost of raising the island, again, so much of the city was destroyed it was fairly simple to have people rebuild on stilts.

@JarrodFrates

5 жыл бұрын

@@Drosera420 The raising of Galveston isn't about stilts but actually adding land elevation after the buildings were jacked up. THG talks about that material coming from the harbor and channel dredging.

@stevebengel1346

5 жыл бұрын

@@JarrodFrates you're way off on the annual salary for 1900; this caught my eye because my parents were making 9K in 1970. Annual salary for 1900 according to the US census was $ 450

@LcdDrmr

5 жыл бұрын

@Steve Bengel Yes, and that $450 would be about $13,500 in today's money. This seems low, but consider how many things nowadays are regarded as necessities that would have been thought of as fantastical luxuries back then, from cars to appliances to electronics. Simply, we are a much wealthier nation than we were then, so spending nearly a 100 million dollars on a project like this must have been considered enormous. But I still suspect that it would not happen now. Certainly, nothing like this happened in New Orleans before or after Katrina, and I hardly think rising oceans are going to result in us sinking hundreds of billions into seawalls, either. People faced reality back then rather than denying it.

I had no idea Galveston under went such a massive civil engineering over haul. thanks history guy!

I lived in southeast Texas for a few years in the 1980s. I witnessed that the storm in Galveston still had an impact on Texans & especially residents of Galveston. It was as if the devastation had happened the day before; it was that alive in the region's collective emotional memory. Every hurricane season brought a special focus on Galveston. The city was also treasured as a weekend vacation spot for hardworking Houston residents, in spite of the oily surface of the beach waters due to numerous oil spills. Thank you for your video ♥️

Despite living between Houston and Galveston for half a century, I didn't know of the raising of the city. Thanks for making me slightly more informed.

Thank you for all your wonderful information that you supply us. I love this program and can’t stop playing the videos that you supply. Please keep up the good work, once again thanks mate.

Speaking of the Galveston area, did you ever do one on the Texas City Explosion. A real tragedy

@dickfitswell3437

5 жыл бұрын

Oh yea. The other day I was working in the Texas City Port and right before the huge flood wall is a chunk of steel from that explosion. I forget how far it flew to land there.

@joycebowen8958

5 жыл бұрын

My uncle lost a leg in the blast.one woman i knew lost her husband at the port and all 3 of her children who were walking home from school.

@jackprier7727

5 жыл бұрын

When we shrimped the Bay (before Ike destroyed the entire industry), we occasionally dragged-up a net-tearing hunk of the Vincennes.

@davidhollowood6580

5 жыл бұрын

They teach the Texas City Disaster at the USCG Marine Safety School in Yorktown Virginia. Personnel assigned to Marine Safety Offices routinely deal with transfers and storage of all types of materials like ammonium nitrate. It's a big eye opener to see the kind of devastation that can happen when it all goes wrong.

Finally one I know about. Over all a very sad day in U.S. history. Was down there in the late 60's. Galveston was a bit run down though still a beautiful area with ghost crabs running all over the beach at night. A totally unexpected surprise for someone from N.J. used to the Atlantic. The Gulf was as warm as bath water. The horizon was on fire from all the oil and gas wells burning off excess. Very disturbing even back then. I follow a lot of the sciences. I hope what I read is true and will expedite the green movement. Thanks for reviving some old pleasant memories.

The three orphans who survived, only did so because they managed to untie themselves from the others

@huchlvr

5 жыл бұрын

Hunter Rowlands correct. And they climbed into a tree and hung tight all night.

@emilyl7226

3 жыл бұрын

I was wondering about how they managed to survive. Thank you!

Al Roker wrote a book about the 1900 Galveston hurricane called "The Storm of the Century" that goes into details about the storm and gives a broad look at the state of weather forecasting, communications technology, politics, and societal attitudes at the time. He also goes into detail about the seawall construction and the raising of the city. It's definitely a good read.

Stood on the seawall and visited Galveston many times. Knew about the storm and the rebuilding but not in such great detail. There is a ghost town in Texas near Victoria called Indianola it was hit by two separate hurricanes and a fire destroying the town. The loss of life was significantly less.

I grew up in Houston, and we used to go to Galveston all the time when I was a kid. They still very much talk about the hurricane, and the golden age before it. They used to say it was New Orleans before New Orleans.

Thank you History Guy! You will certainly enjoy Eric Larson's book Issac's Storm. Highly recommend.

@thewordisgood1544

5 жыл бұрын

Yes, I was thinking the same thing.

@curiousworld7912

5 жыл бұрын

k c: That is an excellent book.

@JosieJOK

5 жыл бұрын

Loved that book! Devil in the White City is also good.

@curiousworld7912

5 жыл бұрын

@@JosieJOK Yes, it's a fascinating book - the contrast between building this fabulous 'White City' and the absolute darkness of Holmes is wonderfully done by Larson.

Fantastic Video! Nice brush up on my Texas History. The last hurricane that hit Galveston took The Strand away but the seawall worked.

@bradbutcher3984

5 жыл бұрын

The strand is still there.

@acwright88

5 жыл бұрын

Yup.. still there

@Jen-lz5cr

5 жыл бұрын

Strand is still here😊

I grew up in Houston, and heard the stories of the 1900 Hurricane as a child in school. I remember the history of the seawall construction and raising of the island from field trips. I also remember the descriptions of the utter destruction and huge numbers of deaths. I cannot imagine the hell of trying to deal with so many dead. The storm's aftermath spawned the commission form of city government and was recorded for historical documentation on Edison's new motion picture camera. Thank you for telling this story.

My family survived the 1900 storm. They had returned from North Texas in the 1890s after being refugees from the destruction of Indianola

@brettkirby3897

5 жыл бұрын

Indianola and Galveston storms have always been mentioned in my family, as my mom's side has had a summer house "next door' to Indianola at Magnolia Beach.

WOW! I knew nothing of this topic until just now, and forever after this shall be one of the most AMAZING things I ever have heard. Thank you for another great video!

I've seen "Isaac's Storm" on the History Channel, which was based on Erik Larsen's book. It documented the hurricane, the destruction of the city, and the massive loss of life. It does mention the rebuilding, but not all the engineering awards.

@ktpinnacle

5 жыл бұрын

It also has a good discussion of hurricane forecasting of the time, especially the differences between the more reliable Cuban science and the arrogance of the DC forecasting. The DC forecasters were certain that no hurricane would ever turn to the west into the Gulf, which was a deadly error.

@valerier4308

5 жыл бұрын

@@ktpinnacle Yes it does.

You continue to offer fascinating content. I wish you had been my History teacher in high school.

Thank you for this. I'm reading "Isaac's Storm" by Erik Larson and went digging for some footage of Galveston before and after.

Great piece on the hurricane. One other interesting note: We have all the great photos because on September 24, Thomas A. Edison sent a film crew to Galveston to record the aftermath of the storm.

This video goes straight to the list of "The History Guy's Greatest Hits".

@allen_p

5 жыл бұрын

But wait! There's more! For a limited time you can get The History Guy bloopers.... Call now

I remember reading about this place when I was in 5th grade, one reason I love to learn about history and storms today

I have a copy of the book, "Isaac's Storm", which I have read and reread several times. Fascinating account, and your account of the raising of Galveston is icing on the cake, so to speak. Thank you for this video, History Guy.

It is amazing what people can do when they have a common goal.

What a tremendous achievement. The level of cooperation and problem solving required- the real 'definition' of human progress.

Thanks so much for this! Islander here, and you did a great job with that! Thank you! More please! The 1947 Texas City Disaster would make for a great video as well!!

Great one! I ‘m visiting Galveston soon and will be preoccupied with visualizing the information you’ve provided here.

@dickfitswell3437

5 жыл бұрын

You need to go ride the rollercoasters that are built on a giant pier over the water

@dahawk8574

5 жыл бұрын

SeaDog, if you liked THG's video here, you will LOVE watching The Great Storm at Pier 21 in Galveston. www.galvestonhistory.org/attractions/cultural-heritage/pier-21-theater-3 THG himself might consider going there just to watch this film. You can get a taste of it by watching the teaser they have linked over on Vimeo: vimeo.com/23154126 Their movie gives a much better feel for how amazing Galveston was before the storm hit. Whereas THG did an excellent job here of covering the engineering triumph of dealing with the aftermath.

@eppursimuove6426

5 жыл бұрын

@@dahawk8574 I second that recommendation.

@jeremysmith3760

5 жыл бұрын

Go to the maritime museum and go tour the tall ship Elissa too. And eat at Miller's on the sea wall best French toast almost worth the drive from Cypress alone.

@dahawk8574

5 жыл бұрын

Good stuff. And if you are a SeaDog, as your name indicates, another museum to check out is the Offshore Drilling Rig Museum. An amazing experience. I have never seen anything like it anywhere else. But then again, if you're a person who actually lived on an oil rig, it might feel like torture. Like an ex-inmate doing a tour of Alcatraz. Heh.

There's a book called The Great Galveston Disaster, By Paul Lester, this book was produced just after the storm and boasted a "full and thrilling account of the most appalling calamity of modern times." It was published very shortly after the storm in 1900. I have a first edition copy, sadly falling apart so I keep it in the museum paper. I purchased it in a library sale at the Rosenburg Library in Galveston, along with several other old books about history. It's still one of my treasures. I live 15 miles north of Galveston, in Friendswood Texas. It was a small town in 1900 and it survived with no loss of life. The sawmill used all the fallen trees to make lumber for the rebuilding of the hurricane ruined homes and businesses. I've down in Galveston a few times a year, going through archives at the library, walking the older cemeteries, and just doing general history work on this area's history. As the Birthplace of the Republic of Texas, and the first capitol, Galveston and the SE area has a lot of history.

Thank you for this video. My great grandfather was actually stuck on the island and had to ride this storm out.

Have you done The Texas City Disaster yet? I'll do a search after writing this to see. Islanders are a tad insane and my jaw drops every time a storm is heading in and people choose to stay, "We're islanders, we don't leave. This is normal for us." I don't imagine in 1900 that the warnings raised a day before did much to sway the people into evacuating, especially given how little people understood of hurricanes at the time. Roughly 8,000 deaths... terrible.

@CallieMasters5000

5 жыл бұрын

I've heard estimates as high as 12,000 deaths. My family has never left Galveston during any storm during the past 100 years, and we had no problems during Hurricane Harvey while Houston was drowning. Now, staying on Bolivar Peninsula during a storm... that's really crazy!

In 2008 after Hurricane Ike, there was another campaign to reforest the island and we survivors were encouraged to give our written accounts to Rosenberg Library, so history keeps repeating itself!

@edwardautrey3671

5 жыл бұрын

Callie Masters Hurricane Ike also change the category ratings of storms , now they factor in for storm surge

Absolutely love your show bro. Very educational, i appreciate the references where I can read more, and I binge listen to your show when I'm ubering. In a Time where many people are choosing to believe in fantasy in the face of facts a channel like this is so refreshing. Thank you

Astounding engineering feat for the time; resiliency, stubborness and survival all in one tale of history, well told

I remember my grandmother telling stories of my relatives boating bodies out to the ocean just for them to return with the waves.

The Seawall is a local beauty even today, and protected the island against Ike in 2008...which had about 12 foot surge tide....Took about a month for residents to be able to return to the island. What an amazing civil engineering feat. Lived in SE Houston for 22+ years and visited Galveston & roller-bladed along the seawall many times. Visited the Great Storm Museum in Old Galveston several times with visiting family . Nice piece :-)

Thank you for doing a fine job in relaying & providing photos & artists' renderings on such a fascinating & frightening story of the 'great storm' of Galveston, Texas. The losses and sacrifices these Islanders suffered is hard to completely grasp, along with the many heroes who were brought forth from this Great Storm. From Isaac Cline's fascinating documentation of the events preceding, during, and after the devastating storm, to the dedicated & ingenious engineers, workers, & citizens who worked so tirelessly to rebuild & carry on life on the Island, there are so many fascinating accounts & lessons learned that carry on into present day. My heart is strongly attached to Galveston, & Bolivar Peninsula, in many ways. Bolivar Peninsula underwent a similiar catastropic Hurricane in 2008, with Hurricane Ike, and has since rebuilt, also. I'm a Beaumont, Texas native, & the Gulf Coast has played an important part in my fondest younger memories. I now reside in Tyler County, Texas, where interestingly enough, the granite that was used to build & fortify the Galveston Seawall & the area Jetties, was quarried from several areas such as Rockland, Tx, Jasper, Tx, etc. These rocks & the Seawall of Galveston have held steady for almost 120 yrs, now.

Excellent as always. Thank you History Guy...!

It's amazing how the residents of Galveston were willing to put in this kind of effort to save their city, which is built on not much more than a sandbar. I'm glad they did because it is a fun city to visit.

It's interesting to note about the book you mention about Tropical Cyclones published in 1926 is the fact that it was ignored by the US Weather bureau in 1938 when the Hurricane nicknamed the Long Island Express hit New England. That was because, similar to what happened in Galveston, they did not know how to properly track Hurricanes. One person noticed that it was heading to New England but was ignored. You should do a History Video on that Hurricane.

Great video about the perseverance of humanity. The death and destruction the island endured is cholling. At the same time the strength and perseverance that happened when people came together afterwards is uplifting. What a special and unique place.

I appreciate the history lesson on Galveston, Tx although this was a horrible natural disaster. And the figures of churches, homes and being lifted 5 feet! Wow! Impressive! Now I want to go!

Another great COMBO Platter of History and Weather. Great Job...

i've lived in texas most of my life and i had NO IDEA about Galveston being raised. amazing stuff!

As Isaac lost his wife and son in that storm A must read for some day-to day tracking of the storm- read "Isaac's Storm" paperback .It's a great read

As one of Lee County, Florida’s ALERT group I sat through hurricane Charley and some lesser storms and can only stand in awe of what befell Galveston. Charley’s eye passed directly over my wife’s Aunt in Punta Gorda. Thanks and you might be interested in the storm that wiped out the railroad to the Florida Keys.

Another thoughtfully written, directed and presented video. Thank you, HG.

Very timely. A friend was discussing the hurricane just this morning and I passed it along to him. He already thanked me and said you added to his knowledge. Good job as always.

I knew about a Big Storm at Galveston in 1900, but never read or heard such graphic account! As usual you did a Perfect Job! Then to hear the Highly Distinguished committee chosen and what they did! Absolutely Amazing!! Thank You very much for your efforts! And here I had been miffed that episodes seemed slower. With this Quality, who could be upset!

I had a great aunt that lived in one of the storm's survivior houses in the 50s and grew up listening to stories about the storm. About 15 years ago bought a first printing of the book about the storm to read what was written immediately in the aftermath. Back in the 50s-60s there was about 50-100 yards of sand between the water and the seawall and cars could drive down on the beach. When I was last there in the 80s the water was lapping up against the seawall from erosion.

My Great Grandfather arrived in Galveston as a young man from Sweden. A few weeks after the great storm. Spoke very little english. One of his first jobs here in America. Was helping picking up the dead bodies. And cleaning up and rebuild Galveston. A over a year later. He sent for my Great Grandmother to come to Galveston. Both are now buried in the big cemetery on Broadway St.

I AM SO GLAD i searched this topic and you had a video for it

Another great video. Thank you.

I spent many a long summer day on the beach in Galveston. Aside from having to scrape the occasional tar ball off of my feet from the Gulf of Mexico’s water, I have very fond memories of Galveston as a child. Many years later as an adult, I performed in the 1898 opera house. It along with the other buildings in the area, managed to survive the storm of 1900 relatively unscathed.

Thank you. So much history in a little bit of time.

Superb video about too little known events today. I was just trying to tell a 30 something about the 1900 storm the other day and he thought I was making it up. They can't conceive of a time without satellites and ships without wireless. Many thanks to you and all the others who keep History alive. Because those who forget the lessons of History are doomed to repeat them. (Georges Santayana, I believe).

Wow! I watch every episode, thank you so much for telling this story about my home town.

I was born in Galveston at St. Mary's hospital in 1951. "St. Mary's Hospital was a Catholic hospital founded in 1866 by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in Galveston, Texas, United States; it was the first private hospital in Texas. The hospital was closed and sold in 1996 to the neighboring University of Texas Medical Branch."

@helensmith333

5 жыл бұрын

Most everybody was born there, it seems. I think it was a little cheaper there. They were losing money and sold to UTMB.

@Bass.Player

5 жыл бұрын

@@helensmith333 My family is/was staunch Irish Catholics (Mothers side 'Rooney') and money had nothing to do with it for them...

Excellent, as usual!

I was told about the great storm when l was a child. My great aunt was 18 years old when when it happened. Her brother and my grandfather went to Galveston to help with the rebuild of the town. Excellent video! They had told me about how the town was destroyed and the death toll but you explained more of the story in moe detail.

I have heard often of that great tragedy since adopting Texas as my home in 1975, but never knew about the civil engineering parts of the story, which is truley history that shouldn't be forgotten

Great episode. There are historic homes that survived the hurricane on the island that you can tour. The Bishop's Palace being one of those homes. Inside, the original mirrors hang on the walls and the depth of the water that flooded can be seen on the mirrors. On some of the historic homes that were not raised with the island, there are windows at ground level that were several feet high before the storm. And the iron fencing that surrounds the home that was at one time 8 or so feet high, is only about 4 feet high. Hurricane Ike of 2008 shows that no matter what plans are made and structures built, a strong hurricane can still devastate the island.

Amazing. Thanks for all of the history.

What a great story! Thanks for sharing this.

Excellent video! Amazingly well constructed video! This is such a great contribution to one of the greatest Texas cities!