The recent devastations of Hurricane Sandy have prompted comparison
with other great storms of the past, including the Hurricane of 1938, one of
the fiercest storms to hit New England.
The 1938 hurricane is still legendary, and not long ago I
acquired some original photographs of the hurricane's damage along the
Connecticut coast.
It is difficult to compare the impact of different storms,
because the damage from hurricanes is spread over so wide an area, and some localities
are hit much harder than others, not to mention that the country has been built
up in the last seventy-odd years. Furthermore, one can't always tell from photographs
the true extent of the damage. For example, loss of life, underground flooding,
or the historic value of destroyed property may not be evident in the pictures.
Here is a selection of photographs that indicate the force
of the wind and the water back in 1938:
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| Boats blown across the road into yards. |
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| The decking torn off, these docks are reduced to forests of pilings. |
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| Extensive rubble and many displaced boats. |
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| These buildings were tossed around quite a bit, almost like a tornado. |
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| Rubble and a torn-off roof. I assume the hanging laundry was part of the cleanup, and had not weathered the storm. |
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| I wonder if fire damage was also a factor for this building; the storm spawned many fires. |
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| Collapsed buildings. |
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| This building was blown off its foundation, although the delicate railing remains. There is not much left of the house next door, either. |
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From its upright position, I wonder whether this large boat was blown in from the water, or just across the tracks.
I am sure that many out there are more capable of interpreting
these coastline/nautical photos than I am. If you notice any special features or details, please
let me know. (Sorry if these are not as sharp as they could be; the originals are in
Ohio, and the scans I have here are not high-resolution.)
There is no way directly to compare the Hurricane of 1938 to
Hurricane Sandy or to any other storm. Each storm and disaster should be
remembered and memorialized for the effect it had on its world, and serve to remind us of the awesome forces of nature.
(All photos from the
collection of the author.)
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Dear Parnassus,
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting post! Your photographs are an important historical document, and looking at them gave me much to think about.
I wonder what the emergency services were like back then? I looked up this storm on the Internet and Wikipedia gives only an approximate figure for those who died. Isn't that sad? That would seem to indicate that people disappeared and no one knows if they died or not.
I wonder how much warning the people had that the hurricane was on the way?
I then read about what is called the 'Great Colonial Hurricane' of 1635. They say (according to Wikipedia) that it was the worst hurricane to strike that area, ever.
I agree with Your last paragraph because if the hurricane had only destroyed one house or killed one person then that in itself is a tragedy - although of course the ripple effect it has on the community at large is smaller.
Events such as these show us that despite all the advances we make in
our modern world, we are still very much at the mercy of the elements should they turn destructive.
Thank you for this post.
Bye for now
Kirk
Hello Kirk, When I bought these I had no idea that there would be a need to post them so soon. 1938 is relatively modern (especially when compared to 1635) so I imagine the Coast Guard and emergency services were pretty good, but still what can be done in the brunt of the storm?
DeleteYou make a good point that individual stories affect us more than mass statistics. That is why stories need to be collected, as well as photographs like these, which have a much more visceral impact than would descriptive overviews or statistics.
You have collected wonderful photos !They depict the disasters and we never forget that the nature is more stronger than us ...
ReplyDeleteHave a nice week
Olympia
Hello Olympia, Houses seem so solid, yet these storms can toss them around like matchsticks. The lesson is that we should appreciate people and also what belongs to us, as they can be taken at any time.
DeleteDear Jim - against the elements we are as nothing. Fire, wind, rain, we have no control, and that is vividly shown in graphic detail on your black and white photos.
ReplyDeleteWe experienced a freak hurricane when we lived in Scotland, it was terrifying. It was over 40 years ago, no prior information was given out in those days and we had no idea it was coming. We awoke in the middle of the night and did not understand what was happening. 'H' and I had to shout at each other to make ourselves heard within our own home as the noise was so deafening. In the morning the devastation was unbelievable, we were so lucky as we just lost a few tiles from the roof of our little bungalow. Our next door neighbour's roof was completely lifted off.
Hello Rosemary, That hurricane must have been a frightening experience, and you were lucky to escape damage. Ohio is well inland, but it often gets end-of-the-world type thunderstorms, with an intensity and destructive power that is almost unbelievable. I never thought of the British Isles as experiencing hurricanes, but I know that some terrible storms take place there. I still occasionally come across references to damage from the Storm of 1987.
DeleteSo true. I am always so annoyed when one lot of people say this was the worst hurricane/bushfire/shark attack/snow storm/bombing/earthquake in the history of humanity and no other people on earth can possibly understand their suffering.
ReplyDeleteThankfully your photos and other contemporary records have survived. They display the terrible pain and loss suffered in other generations and in other places.
Hello Hels, Often when people try to create empathy by describing the horrors of a current disaster, they inadvertently negate the impact and memory of previous events.
DeleteI don't specifically collect disaster photos, but the ones I come across make clear how each storm, earthquake, fire, etc. has its individual characteristics and how each made its mark on its time.
A salutary reminder of the power of mother nature, and perhaps (again) why we should take Climate Change seriously. As Hels notes, it seems remarkable that we break so many records every year in terms of natural phenomena and disasters.
ReplyDeleteHello Columnist, Given the huge destructive potential of nature, it is amazing that people will take chances by altering natural patterns and forces. For very small and temporary gains, we do things that court disaster, such as produce greenhouse gases or the current craze of fracking for gas or oil.
DeleteThose pictures are amazing. The starkness of black and white really fits the subject.
ReplyDeleteHello Jen, The thought had not occurred to me, but you are correct that the stark contrast of these photos does much to convey the mood and depict the destruction. I think there is also a metaphor in there somewhere about the dichotomy of black and white vs. before and after the storm.
DeleteHello, Parnassus -
ReplyDeleteWe do get our share of storms in DC, but nothing of this magnitude. Really speechless. The photos are quite graphic, and a reminder of the powers of nature. I'm currently traveling around Scandinavia....catching the news here and there. Disturbing to hear so many are still without power back home. Thanks for sharing your photos.
Loi
Hello Loi, The fact that so many have lost power for a week is indicative of the deep damage wrought by Sandy. I don't know much about the climate of D.C,; perhaps it is somewhat buffered against ocean storms.
DeleteEnjoy your travels in Scandinavia, and please bring back lots of pictures that demonstrate your unique vision.
Hello Jim:
ReplyDeleteThese images of the 1938 hurricane which, very clearly, devastated New England at the time are indeed most fascinating as a pictorial record of something which few people alive today will remember with very much clarity. Of interest of course, as you say, is the extent of the unseen damage, particularly when making comparisons with the most recent Hurricane Sandy.
We find old postcards immensely interesting not only for their obvious appeal but also well as for the way in which they can so often serve as a social comment on the times.
Hello Jane and Lance, You have made an interesting point about people remembering this storm. Before the storm of 1938 passes beyond living memory, now would be a good time to record the stories that people still can tell of this event, and to collect and analyze written accounts and photographs that often only the survivors can put into perspective.
DeleteDear Jim,
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how similiar the photos of this 1938 hurricane mirror those of the more recent Sandy. I do worry for all of the people living along coasts both here and abroad, as the prediction is for more frequent storms in the coming years... However, the human spirit always seems to emerge victorious: in one image from last week's storm, a boat thrown onto the shore and into a building carried a sign, "We will fish again!" Indeed.
Best regards,
Erika
Hello Erika, You make an excellent point. In times of crisis the pioneer spirit comes to the surface again. Even cities that have been decimated, such as after the Chicago fire or the San Francisco earthquake (and fire), immediately start building up again. The people who put the sign on that boat are truly indomitable.
DeleteHello, Parnassus - This is a most interesting grouping of photos, and sobering as well. that last photo of the large boat displaced gives as good an idea as any of the force of that 1938 hurricane. The sixth (possible fire damage) photo reminds me of a famous photo from the Civil War, of Richmond, I think . . .
ReplyDeleteHello Mark, I would think that anyone who had seen such damage, in photos or in person, would take heed when storm warnings were issued, protect property as well as possible, and have a prudent attitude about evacuation.
ReplyDeleteYou are right about that brick building resembling a war photo. I do not know whether any real strategic advantage was gained, but so much American history was deplorably lost with all the looting and burning in the Civil War.
Those are quite stunning photos. Have you ever though about sending them in to a museum?
ReplyDeleteHello Eric, I'm glad that you liked these photos; they are part of a larger set. I'm not sure what museum or archive would be interested in these, but the eventual fate of all my photos does concern me; in the meantime, I have this blog to share at least a few of them.
DeleteThese are amazing, heart-wrenching photographs. My parents' generation, which lived through the Hurricane of 1938, spoke of it regularly when I was growing up. The devastation along much of the Eastern seaboard was astonishing, as was the loss of life. Marvelous post, thank you. Reggie
ReplyDeleteHello Reggie, I know of the Hurricane of 1938 through collecting old photos, from snapshots like these to professional coverage. Since the storm covered such a large region, I believe that it would be very valuable for someone to specialize in and interpret the various types of surviving evidence from this storm. In addition to photographs and accounts in newspapers and magazines, there are almost certainly newsreel and other films extant.
Delete