Hurricane of 1928 devastated south florida, killing thousands. Lake okeechobee hurricane of the 1928 essay example. Recent books recount horror of 1928 lake okeechobee. Welcome to florida time, a weekly column about florida history. At least 2,500 people died when the 1928 okeechobee hurricane swept over puerto rico and the southern united states. When you talk about florida, you have to talk about hurricanes, says eliot kleinberg, author of the book black cloud. Welcome to our new and improved comments, which are for subscribers only. The great okeechobee hurricane of 1928 by wayne neely. The story of the second deadliest hurricane in american history and the deadliest hurricane in bahamian history by wayne neely 2014, paperback at the best online prices at. Excerpt from the book floridas hurricane history, by jay barnes. That fall, a hurricane smashed the coast of florida, and the impact flooded lake okeechobee. They know that whole towns can be washed away in a matter of hours, wiping out generations of families with no. A category 4 hurricane struck the palm beach area of florida bringing storm surges as high as 20 feet crashing into the barrier islands.
On september 16, 1928, a devastating hurricane struck florida. The hurricane killed an estimated 2,500 people in the u. The great okeechobee hurricane of 1928 devastated the caribbean and south florida, and killed thousands. Can lake okeechobees aging dike handle what could come from hurricane dorian. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the okeechobee hurricane like never before, in no time at all. With the high death toll, it is considered to be second worst hurricane since the galveston hurricane.
The lessons that we learn as human beings should help us to become better people by correcting the past errors. An archaeological site in the lake okeechobee basin florida. In midseptember 1928 one of the worst hurricanes in united states history ravaged the gulf coast. An eyewitness to the 1928 lake okeechobee hurricane in florida looks back on his childhood experience over 80 yeas ago.
The 1928 lake okeechobee hurricane and millions of other books are available. Okeechobee hurricane, storm of 1928 over 2500 perished. The effects of the 1928 okeechobee hurricane in florida included at least 2,500 fatalities in the. The great florida hurricane of 1928 kleinberg, eliot on. The fourth tropical cyclone, third hurricane, and only major hurricane of the 1928 season, this system developed just offshore the west coast of africa on september 6.
The lake okeechobee hurricane is an example of an event that was a learning experience for the american society. The okeechobee hurricane of 1928, also known as the san felipe segundo hurricane, was. Buy the great okeechobee hurricane of 1928 ebook at. The story of the second deadliest hurricane in american history and the deadliest hurricane in. In the summer of 1928, heavy rainfall raised lake okeechobees water level three feet above normal. The hurricane of 1928 was particularly devastating to residents of south florida. The hurricane originated from a tropical depression that formed near dakar, senegal, on september 6.
S, most of the fatalities occurred in the state of florida. The okeechobee hurricane, also known as san felipe segundo hurricane, was the second deadliest tropical cyclone in the history of the united states, behind only the 1900 galveston hurricane. Can lake okeechobees aging dike handle what could come. The cyclone travelled across puerto rico, the virgin islands, and the bahamas before finally reaching florida. Two recent books by authors eliot kleinberg and wayne neely detail the horrors of this savage storm.
The okeechobee hurricane of 1928, also known as the san felipe segundo hurricane, was one of the deadliest hurricanes in the recorded history of the north atlantic basin, and the second deadliest hurricane in the united states, only behind the 1900 galveston hurricane. Recent books recount horror of 1928 lake okeechobee hurricane. But the survivors of the great okeechobee hurricane of sept. Even before it hit the florida coast, the hurricane had already killed between 300 to 1,000 people, injuring thousands more. Effects of the 1928 okeechobee hurricane in florida. Photo from wikipedia, public domain eightyeight years ago, a savage hurricane tore across the caribbean, killing thousands. The 1928 lake okeechobee hurricane chronicles the story of the second deadliest hurricane in american history. Or, floodwaters be floodin when i was assigned the deadly natural disaster of the okeechobee hurricane for a podcast assignment for parcast, i knew the only way to really understand what happened on september 16th, 1928 was to read about it. The storm made landfall near west palm beach, florida, early on september 17. Black then floridas okeechobee hurricane of 1928 and. Floridas okeechobee hurricane of 1928 and the disgraceful burial for thousands of blacks 2 posted by jae jones november 5, 2018 latest posts. A noaa image of destruction that occurred in west palm beach, florida during the okeechobee hurricane. Also known as the saint felipe phillip segundo hurricane, it developed in the far eastern atlantic before making its way over.
Among the dead were 700 black floridians men, women, and children who were buried in an unmarked west palm beach ditch during a racist recovery and rebuilding effort that conscripted the labor of blacks much like latterday slaves. The okeechobee hurricane struck the leeward islands, puerto rico, and the bahamas, before reaching florida on september 16, 1928. The great okeechobee hurricane of 1928 on apple books. Okeechobee hurricane homeland security digital library.
The storm turned and crossed the bahamas before smashing ashore at west palm beach, florida on september 1617, 1928. A great number of houses and buildings were swept away in the storm. On september 16, 1928, a category 4 hurricane with winds of 140 miles per hour tore through palm beach county florida. Although it was one of the deadliest hurricanes in history, taking the lives of 7,000 people as it swept from the caribbean to canada, it has been largely forgotten. This book is very informative about a little known aspect of floridas hurricane history. The okeechobee hurricane of 1928 season 31 episode 1. Florida and the great okeechobee hurricane disaster of 1928, vols i and ii, dissertation submitted to the department of history in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a doctoral degree, college of arts and sciences. Okeechobee hurricane of 1928 in the middle of september 1928, a destructive hurricane hit puerto rico and florida, killing thousands and leaving even more homeless.
He has written 10 books, all focusing on florida, including black cloud, on the great 1928 okeechobee hurricane. When i was assigned the deadly natural disaster of the okeechobee hurricane for a podcast assignment for parcast, i knew the only way to really understand what happened on september 16th, 1928 was to read about it in a book. This is her bestknown work and it was included on time magazines 2005 list of the 100 best englishlanguage novels published since 1923. The paperback of the the great okeechobee hurricane of 1928. Both authors answered a few questions about their books.
Florida is under a state of emergency and the new track is moving closer to south florida. Meteorologist wayne neely of nassau, bahamas, author of the great okeechobee hurricane of 1928. 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. Effects of the 1928 okeechobee hurricane in florida wikipedia. Officially 1,836 people died around lake okeechobee, but a separate mass burial of black farm workers numbered hundreds more. Herb donald, a survivor of the september 1928 okeechobee hurricane, described seeing a mother holding a baby, sitting on top of a. In the background are houses that have been reduced to their most sturdy elements, while debris in the foreground is other destroyed homes. The darkened skies, howling winds, and pelting rain can be harrowing. Also known as the saint felipe phillip segundo hurricane, it developed in the far eastern atlantic before making its way over land and taking the lives of bahamian migrant workers and florida residents. If you live in the caribbean or florida, youve probably heard tales about the great okeechobee hurricane, which killed thousands and left behind wide swaths of destruction. The storm was the second deadliest tropical cyclone in the history of. Bahamian meteorologist wayne neelys book, the great okeechobee hurricane of 1928, delves into details about the storms devastation across the caribbean and bahamas. The okeechobee hurricane of 1928 introduction and timeline. The storm would rage over boca raton, delray beach, lake worth, palm beach, west palm beach, pompano beach, and lake okeechobee.
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