The Galveston Hurricane

Galveston Hurricane of 1900

Imagine the horrors that accompany a great hurricane. Visualize the wind, rain, and waves. Hear the piercing screams through crashing waves, crushing buildings, and trees falling. Picture the great devastation. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 was caused by abdominal weather conditions, and led to great destruction. Many lives were lost, and colossal rebuilding of the city had to take place. New city laws and plans were adopted from the hurricane.

The birth of a hurricane requires at least three conditions. First, the ocean waters must be warm enough at the surface to put enough heat and moisture into the overlying atmosphere to provide the potential fuel for the thermodynamic engine that a hurricane becomes. Second, atmospheric moisture from seawater evaporation must combine with that heat and energy to form the powerful engine needed to propel a hurricane. Third, a wind pattern must be near the ocean surface to spirals air inward. At least 3 conditions must be present for a hurricane to emerge. Water, heat, and wind are the three main factors that have to be in perfect conditions to start a hurricane. (The Weather Channel, 2008)

Galveston, first visited by French and Spanish explorers in the 16th and 17th centuries, is located on Galveston Island, a 29-mile strip of land about two miles off the Texas coast and about 50 miles southeast of Houston. The city was named in the late 18th century for the Spanish governor of Louisiana, Bernardo de Galvez. Galveston is a commercial shipping port and, with its warm weather and miles of beaches, has also long been a popular resort. Galveston’s nickname at the time was Oleander City, which was filled with tourist at the time of the disaster.

On September 8th, a ...

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... Galveston in popularity. People were brought to Houston from the oil boom for jobs and more opportunities. Since the hurricane, Houston has become the main city in southeastern part of Texas. Galveston is still the main port of Texas but is no longer the most prominent it used to be.

In conclusion the Galveston Hurricane was one of the biggest disasters to strike Texas and the biggest disaster to strike the port of Galveston. Benefit has come from the hurricane. The sea wall, which now protects the giant city of Galveston, was one of the biggest achievements from the hurricane along with the lifting of the city, and the new plans of the government to further protect Galveston. There was good and bad that came from the hurricane. Lives were lost, great destruction of the city, but the future was benefited greatly. The Galveston Hurricane will never be forgotten.