Galveston hurricane of 1900 was the deadliest natural disaster in the history of the United States. On Sept. 8, 1900, the hurricane struck Galveston Island, about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) off the coast of southeastern Texas . Huge waves, created by the hurricane’s powerful winds, swamped the island. More than 6,000 people were killed.
In 1900, Galveston was the largest city in Texas, a state in the southwestern United States. It had a population of about 38,000. Its deepwater port on the Gulf of Mexico was a leading exporter of cotton and wheat. Galveston’s low elevation, however, put the city in danger of flooding from seasonal storms. Galveston’s highest point was less than 9 feet (2.7 meters) above sea level.
In late August 1900, weather observers noted a tropical storm increasing in strength over the Caribbean Sea. From September 3 to September 5, the storm moved northwest across the length of the island of Cuba, where it dumped heavy rains. Methods of weather forecasting at the time were not well developed, and forecasters disagreed about whether the storm would cross westward into the gulf or circle eastward over the Atlantic Ocean. After nearing Florida’s southwestern coast, the storm turned west, where it gained strength over the gulf.
Galvestonians awoke to wind and rain on the morning of September 8 but otherwise went about their daily routines. The chief of the local weather station, fearing rising tides, made efforts to warn residents of a potential hurricane. Winds gained strength through the afternoon, and townspeople made efforts to move to higher ground. By 8 p.m., estimated wind speeds had at times reached more than 120 miles (193 kilometers) per hour. Such winds contributed to a storm surge of more than 15 feet (4.6 meters). Storm surges occur when high winds drive ocean waters ashore. The storm surges associated with the Galveston hurricane proved especially deadly and destructive. Many people drowned. Others were killed in building collapses or by floating or flying debris. Authorities later estimated that the hurricane killed 6,000 to 8,000 residents in Galveston city, and perhaps thousands more on other parts of the island and the nearby mainland. About 3,600 homes were destroyed.
The people of Galveston began to rebuild soon after the hurricane. From 1902 to 1904, the city built a 17-foot (5.2-meter) sea wall that stretched about 3 miles (5 kilometers) along the shoreline. Later additions extended the wall to about 10 miles (16 kilometers) long. Workers also raised the island’s elevation by nearly 17 feet near the sea wall, gradually sloping the land to just a small added elevation near the shore facing the Texas mainland. They achieved this by means of a complex process that involved the use of sand pumped from the sea floor. More than 2,000 buildings were elevated, along with such infrastructure as roads, water pipes, and streetcar tracks. Galveston never regained its role as a major port, however. Nearby Houston , connected to the gulf by a shipping channel, became the region’s center of population and trade.
