1900 Storm

Posed group of workers during 1900 Storm recovery. G_1771.7_FF3_12, Galveston Photographic Subject Files: Storm of 1900. Rosenberg Library, Galveston, Texas.

The hurricane that destroyed Galveston on September 8, 1900, is the nation's deadliest natural disaster. Although its death toll will never be known precisely, the 1900 Storm claimed upwards of 8,000 lives on Galveston Island and several thousand more on the mainland. In Galveston, it destroyed 2, 636 houses and left thousands more damaged. The city's property losses were estimated at $28-30 million.

The Rosenberg Library's manuscripts, photographs, and other archival holdings provide graphic evidence of survivors' Storm experiences and the carnage that was left in its wake.