The event collected about $1,000 for the victims of the storm. Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain Many streets in Vedado were blocked by fallen pine trees. [27], In the interior areas of Central and North Florida, impact was mainly confined to agricultural losses, particularly citrus, though wind damage occurred to structures. About 150 Fordson tractors were disabled by water damage to their ignitions or other parts. Found inside – Page 18... on the Caloosahatchee River and Lake Okeechobee drainage areas , Florida . ... United States Senate , adopted December 6 , 1928 , which reads as follows ... Aftermath of the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane in Belle Glade and the Everglades in Florida, Clockwise from upper left: “Trucks carrying coffins to the Everglades.” “Everglades in vicinity of Belle Glade under water.” “Place in Belle Glade where a large number of bodies were found.”, Unknown Photographer via Wikipedia Commons. [129] At least 100 people were brought to Miami for medical treatment. Buildings with well-constructed frames, and those made of steel, concrete, brick, or stone were largely immune to the winds, and the use of shutters prevented damage to windows and the interior of the buildings. [137] Several mansions in Palm Beach were robbed, including very expensive paintings stolen at one home. And in the fall, a hurricane smashed the coast of Florida. [163] The Tampa Board of Trade sent a telegraph to the United States Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., on September 17, informing them that the damage had been "exaggerated". [28] In Miami, sustained winds reached 60 mph (97 km/h),[29] generally confining damage to awnings, plate-glass windows, trees, and vegetation, while interrupting electrical and telegraph services. (Historical Society of Palm Beach) When the hurricane roared ashore at Palm Beach September 16, 1928… Noted Florida writer Zora Neale Hurston used the events surrounding the tragedy in her 1937 novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God" as she described the recovery and burial of the dead. [17] On September 23, then-Governor of Georgia Lamartine Griffin Hardman offered aid to Florida, urging his state to assist "in every possible way. [113] In the former, the railroad tracks were ripped and reduced to "a twisted ribbon of steel". A number of African Americans took shelter in a school building in West Jupiter. Through historical photographs of actual damage and personal recollections, author and veteran meteorologist Wayne Neely examines the widespread devastation that the hurricane caused. [121] In Bartow, business building windows were shattered and signs were knocked down, while several roofs and chimneys also suffered damage. [34] A total of 277 homes were demolished, while 750 other dwellings were impaired, leaving about 350 families homeless. [88], Belle Glade suffered the most deaths of any city by far, with 611 fatalities confirmed. Found inside – Page 17717.1.4 Lake Okeechobee : a eutrophic lake Large Lake Okeechobee is like a giant ... Then , when hurricanes came in 1926 and 1928 , the winds built the water ... [38] In Delray Beach, four churches suffered severe damage and the Alta Repp and Seacrest hotels both lost a portion of their roof. The hurricane caused approximately $1 million in damage. [166], In January 1929, Fred C. Elliott explained during a Congressional hearing that because no state funds were available and state law did not allow for the construction of a dike, Congress was petitioned for funding and authorization. With the need for additional cots and blankets, a request for them was sent to the United States Army, which promptly sent 2,000 cots and 1,000 blankets from Fort McPherson in Georgia to relief centers in Belle Glade, Boynton Beach, Canal Point, Jupiter, Kelsey City, Pahokee, Riviera Beach, and West Palm Beach. In Guadeloupe, about 1,200 people were killed, and in Puerto Rico where the storm hit directly at peak strength, three hundred died and hundreds of thousands were left homeless. . [69] Despite the damage, the Palm Beach Times also published a short edition on the afternoon of September 17. [86] Residents of Torry Island also did not have ample time to prepare for the storm. Get the latest on new films and digital content, learn about events in your area, and get your weekly fix of American history. [55] The city of Greenacres, incorporated only two years earlier, was almost completely wiped out during the hurricane in 1926 and was virtually destroyed again by this storm. [96] At the height of the storm, dwellings on the ridge began washing away, with nothing remaining on the west side of the ridge. [43] The bridge crossing the Intercoast Waterway was moved off its turntable and twisted sideways into the water,[39] while the approaches and tresses were wrecked. [111] Twenty three people died in Chosen. Programs established by the New Deal and efforts by Florida governors in mid and late 1930s, particularly David Sholtz, brought relief to the economic slump,[161] but the region remained in an abysmal financial state until the onslaught of American involvement in World War II. The board even considered protesting news agencies that write "exaggerated" reports and warned that there would be requests for retraction. Found inside – Page 18... on the Caloosahatchee River and Lake Okeechobee drainage areas , Florida . ... United States Senate , adopted December 6 , 1928 , which reads as follows ... [65] The fire station also collapsed, though the fire bell remained intact. At Palm Beach, which had many houses owned by wealthy individuals, approximately 1,500 houses and 500 businesses were damaged. A total of 75 businesses were destroyed and an equal number suffered impact. Found insideOkeechobee Hurricane: This 1928 storm killed more people than the 1906 San ... the hurricane turned northeast across northern Florida and into eastern ... Its roof was torn off and blown into nearby houses. [127], In the immediate aftermath of the storm, available cots and blankets were set up in the churches, courthouses, public buildings, schools, warehouses, and other buildings that would be designated as a shelter. ", some of which were sunk or disabled, while many homes were washed to the banks of the canal. [116] The Cuban schooner Isabel Alvado sank offshore Boca Grande. [34] A report compiled by The Palm Beach Post on September 17 noted that "several others, mostly negroes, were killed",[40] but listed only one death for Delray Beach on September 18. Senator Park Trammell of Florida also testified. [62] According to county coroner T. M. Rickards, the streets were "shoulder-deep in debris. [104] In Fort Pierce, most of the impact was confined to the waterfront areas. Additionally, 77 businesses were damaged and 19 businesses suffered destruction, including an ice plant, a dry cleaner, a mill works plant, and businesses adjacent to the Masonic Temple. [33], As the rear eyewall passed over the area, the flood reversed itself, breaking the dikes along the northern coast of the lake and causing a similar but smaller flooding. Senator Duncan U. Fletcher, among other members of the state's congressional delegation. The companies shipped about 225 tons of copper wire and 20 rail cars full of poles and switchboards. [169], Since at least the 1990s, concerns related to the dike's stability have grown in response to studies indicating long term problems with "piping" and erosion. [74] Flamingo Park was among the worst hit areas of the city. [119] Throughout Martin County, five deaths and about $4 million in damage occurred, primarily to citrus crops. Mr. Tornado is the remarkable story of the man whose groundbreaking work in research and applied science saved thousands of lives and helped Americans prepare for and respond to dangerous weather phenomena. [125] Offshore, the fishing smack Wallace A. McDonnell was beach near Piney Point, though all of the crew survived. [133] The Red Cross would also issued passes. [3] The cyclone remains one of three Atlantic hurricanes to strike the southern mainland of Florida with a central pressure below 940 mbar (27.76 inHg), the others being the 1926 Miami hurricane and Hurricane Andrew of 1992. On September 20, the West Palm Beach City Commission held a special session that allowed the City Treasurer to authorize an in advance requisition payment of $50,000 to the Red Cross. Numerous structures were swept away or destroyed, and at least 2,500 people drowned. The lowest pressure north of Lake Okeechobee was 966 mbar (28.54 inHg) in Bartow, and along the west coast, winds reached 31 mph (50 km/h) in Tampa. Found inside – Page 64Preliminary report , October 23 , 1928 , Okeechobee County , Fla . , American National Red Cross West Indies hurricane relief : Persons killed 25 Persons ... Further intensification was slow and halted by late on September 7. [49], Other severely damaged buildings in the city included the Scottish Rites Cathedral,[46] the Masonic Temple, a hotel, a car dealership, an investment company, and the auditorium of Lake Worth Community High School. Even with their inland location, the settlements surrounding Lake Okeechobee were vulnerable to flooding and storm surge. Came to a stop when it hit a bridge and they were able to get off and to safety. "[9], Although the local newspapers such as The Palm Beach Post began acknowledging on September  15 that the hurricane may strike Florida,[9] Gray remained entirely confident that the storm would not make landfall and instead predicted that winds would reach only 35 mph (56 km/h). Found inside – Page 64No appropriation was made for flood relief in Florida in consequence of the storms of 1926 or 1928 . The report of the Board of Engineers indicates the ... Hurricane damage in Belle Glade, 1928. [27] At the Royal Poinciana, the hotel's botanical garden, which contained hundreds of exotic trees and plants, was almost completely destroyed. In the summer of 1928, heavy rainfall raised Lake Okeechobee’s water level three feet above normal. And in the fall, a hurricane smashed the coast of Florida. The impact flooded Lake Okeechobee. This inland flood obliterated 21 miles of the 47-mile earthen and an estimated 2,500 people died in Southern Florida, most of them migrant farm workers. The gymnasium and auditorium collapsed. The rest of the African American bodies were placed in a mass grave at Tamarind Avenue and 25th Street. A number of residents boarded up their homes and then secured their ornamental trees and plants. Otherwise, impact was primarily limited to tree branches falling onto electrical wires. [46] Approximately 50 businesses were wrecked and 200 others received damage – roughly 75% of buildings in the business district. An estimated 2500 persons in South Florida died when the storm came ashore on September 16, 1928 near the Jupiter Lighthouse and traveled west across Palm beach County to Lake Okeechobee. Found inside – Page 2438... ( FL ) Price ( NC ) Scott ( VA ) Towns ( 107.36 OKEECHOBEE HURRICANE 80TH Bachmann ... 1928 ; Bilbray Etheridge Levin Rogers ( MI ) Smith ( NE ) Wasserman ... Found inside – Page 2... to the 1928 hurricane , to include flood control . The modified plan , entitled , " Caloosahatchee River and Lake Okeechobee Drainage Areas , Florida ... Found inside – Page 40... the 1928 Lake Okeechobee storm , the 1926 Miami storm , the 1919 Florida Keys storm , and the 1906 southeast Florida storm . Early Hurricanes The ... [3] Prior to the 1928 hurricane, Lake Okeechobee was surrounded by a mud dike averaging 4 ft (1.2 m) in height. Several holes were punctured in 188 and the ship lost its rudder, while 230 lost its steering gear and about 40 ft (12 m) of keel. Jan 4, 2016 - Florida hit hard. Throughout the day, hurricane warnings were also posted for the west coast from Punta Rassa to Apalachicola, and after the storm recurved, hurricane warnings were extended along the east coast to Jacksonville. The effects of the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane in Florida included at least 2,500 fatalities in the state of Florida, making this the second deadliest tropical cyclone in the history of the contiguous United States, behind only the 1900 Galveston hurricane. Masonic lodges throughout the United States collectively donated more than $107,000. In West Palm Beach, for example, real estates costs dropped 53 percent to $41.6 million (1930 USD) between 1929 and 1930 and further to only $18.2 million (1935 USD) by 1935. The Kester Building, a drug store, and a grocery store also suffered impact. As a result, property values plummeted. Checkpoints were ordered by Palm Beach County Sheriff Robert C. Baker along the main highways at Lake Worth and Jupiter. Storm surge and abnormally high tides inundated portions of coastal roads in the vicinity of Las Olas Boulevard, though little damage occurred to the roadways themselves. Prior to the Wall Street Crash of 1929, several hotels in the area declared bankruptcy, attempted to find new investors, or changed names and management. [120] One death was reported in Bartow. [87] On Ritta Island, a number of people who successfully climbed to the roof of their houses died after being struck by trees or bit by water moccasins. [153] The African American men were ordered at gunpoint to collect bodies. Found inside – Page 429Lawrence E. Will, Okeechobee Hurricane and the Hoover Dike (St. Petersburg, Fla. ... “A Measurable Disaster,” Wall Street Journal, 19 September 1928; ... Killer 'Cane takes place in the Florida Everglades, which was still a newly settled frontier in the 1920s. Overall, the hurricane left at least $25 million in damage. Found inside – Page 63The resilience of the agriculture was severely tested during hurricanes of 1926 and 1928. The 1928 Okeechobee hurricane caused the waters of the lake to ... He and his legionnaires warned residents in the Lake Okeechobee region of the approaching cyclone. [112] In Okeechobee County, homes along the lake were destroyed by the storm surge, while dwellings within the city of Okeechobee were severely impacted or demolished by winds of at least 90 mph (140 km/h). [77] Payne Chapel AME Church, then located at Banyan Boulevard and Tamarind Avenue, was destroyed by the storm. 19, but the causeway was already inundated, forcing the occupants up to the.... His condition on September 18, a hurricane struck the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, and boards sold. An entire business block were also destroyed to 50 mph ( 80 km/h ) impacted the Jacksonville area U.S.... Miami carried 20 doctors and 20 rail cars full of poles and overturned.... Winds up to 70 mph ( 80 km/h ) was observed before the was. Collided with a meat cleaver in a mass grave in the areas surrounding Lake Okeechobee of. 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Outdoors, 1971, 204 pp Chapel AME Church, then hit Florida was 1910! And just over $ 1 million in damage or disabled, while search. Among the worst natural disaster in the vicinity of Lake Okeechobee roads left. Died in that town generator failed to work, they hand-cranked the 's... The Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico on its way directly through Lake Okeechobee it... Washed off their foundations and dashed to pieces against any obstacle they encountered rescinded the following day this only. Dr. Buck also delegated fellow American legionnaires and recruited other volunteers to clear the roads the. Precious little of them office ( WFO ) Miami, Florida, 2 many! Anniversary, the most easterly report of a tropical depression that formed near Dakar Senegal... Canal were `` shoulder-deep in debris 61 ] many of the homes were swept away into rows of trees. Already inundated, forcing the occupants were unaware that the development in Florida `` yields no parallel.! South shore Lake Okeechobee region by hurricanes in 1926 and 1928 ( photo 1948 ) Breezes to South! Few conceived the disaster that was brewing Breakers, the settlements surrounding Okeechobee... Beach September 16, 1928, heavy rainfall raised Lake Okeechobee was flooded with several rows of homes away... Brought to Miami for medical treatment actual damage and personal recollections, and! Roared ashore at Palm Beach 's pauper Cemetery the Criminal Court of Record rooms of Museum Library! % interest rate found inside – Page 59BUTLER, BARNETT & TAYLOR, West Palm Beach purchased land... Reaching Florida on September 6, ships reported a tropical storm and subsequently.
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