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Galveston Hurricane Timeline

(September 8, 1900)

The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 was a Category 4 storm that struck Galveston, Texas, on September 8, 1900, killing an estimated 6,000 to 12,000 people and making it the deadliest natural disaster in United States history. The hurricane devastated the city, destroyed thousands of buildings, and prompted major engineering efforts, including the construction of a seawall and raising the city's elevation. Less

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Before the Storm

Galveston founded

1839

Galveston, Texas was founded in 1839. Over the following decades it weathered numerous storms, all of which the city survived with ease.

Image source: 1900 Galveston hurricane

Galveston founded

Indianola hurricane devastates nearby town

1875

A powerful hurricane nearly destroyed the town of Indianola on Matagorda Bay, which had been undergoing its own boom a quarter century before the Galveston disaster.

Second hurricane ends Indianola's boom

1886

Though Indianola was rebuilt after the 1875 storm, a second hurricane in 1886 caused most of the town's residents to move elsewhere.

Isaac Cline claims hurricanes cannot strike Galveston

1891

Isaac Cline, director of the Weather Bureau's Galveston office, wrote an article in the Galveston Daily News stating it would be impossible for a hurricane of significant strength to strike Galveston Island, and arguing that a seawall was not needed.

Galveston becomes Texas boomtown

1900

In the late 19th century, Galveston was a boomtown with its population increasing from 29,084 people in 1890 to 37,788 in 1900. It was the fourth largest municipality in Texas and had among the highest per capita income rates in the U.S.

The 1900 Hurricane

Tropical cyclone first detected east of Windward Islands

Aug 27, 1900

On August 27, 1900, a ship east of the Windward Islands detected a tropical cyclone, the first observed that year and the strongest storm of the 1900 Atlantic hurricane season.

Storm causes over $35 million in damages

Sep 8, 1900

Throughout its path, the storm caused more than $35.4 million in damages ($1.3 billion in 2023). Itemized estimates from 1901 indicated just over $17 million in damages throughout Galveston alone.

Quintana suffers extensive damage

Sep 8, 1900

Quintana experienced extensive damage during this storm and a flood in 1899, causing portions of the community to be abandoned.

Storm surge inundates coastal areas

Sep 8, 1900

Along the coast, storm surge inundated Johnson Bayou, while tides at some locations reached their highest level since the 1875 Indianola hurricane. At the time of the hurricane, the highest point in Galveston was only 8.7 ft above sea level.

Deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history

Sep 8, 1900

The 1900 Galveston hurricane became the deadliest natural disaster in the history of the United States, giving the storm the third-highest number of deaths of all Atlantic hurricanes, after the Great Hurricane of 1780 and Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

Great Galveston hurricane strikes

Sep 8, 1900

The catastrophic hurricane struck Galveston on September 8, 1900, causing great loss of life with a death toll between 6,000 and 12,000; the number most cited in official reports is 8,000. The city experienced its worst weather since 1877.

Aftermath and Rebuilding

Clara Barton responds to the disaster

Sep 1900

Clara Barton, founder and president of the American Red Cross, responded to the disaster and visited Galveston with a team of eight Red Cross workers. This would be the last disaster she responded to, as she retired in 1904 at age 78.

Galveston adopts commission government

1901

The Galveston city government was reorganized into a commission government in 1901, a newly devised structure made of a small group of commissioners, each responsible for one aspect of governance.

Survey shows population loss of 8,124

1901

A survey conducted by the Morrison and Fourmy Company in early 1901 indicated a population loss of 8,124, though the company believed about 2,000 people left the city after the storm and never returned.

Oil discovered at Spindletop shifts development to Houston

Jan 10, 1901

After the storm, development shifted north to Houston, which reaped the benefits of the oil boom, particularly after the discovery of oil at Spindletop on January 10, 1901.

Rebuilding progress: cottages built and homes repaired

Mar 1901

By March 1901, 1,073 cottages were built and 1,109 homes had been repaired as the city worked to recover from the hurricane's devastation.

Construction begins on Galveston Seawall

1902

The first 3 miles of the Galveston Seawall, 17 ft high, were built beginning in 1902 under the direction of Robert McComb.

Residents approve seawall bond referendum

Nov 1902

In November 1902, residents of Galveston overwhelmingly approved a bond referendum to fund building a seawall, passing the measure by a vote of 3,085–21.

First segment of seawall completed

Jul 1904

In July 1904, the first segment of the seawall was completed, though construction continued for several decades, with the final segment finished in 1963.

Galveston Movement led by Cohen and Schiff

1907 - 1914

Between 1907 and 1914, Congregation B'nai Israel rabbi Henry Cohen and philanthropist Jacob Schiff spearheaded the Galveston Movement.

Houston Ship Channel dredging begins

1909 - 1914

The dredging of the Houston Ship Channel began by 1909 and opened in 1914, ending Galveston's hopes of regaining its former status as a major commercial center.

1910 Census shows population nearly recovered

1910

The 1910 Census reported a population of 36,891 people in Galveston. Although a decline from the 1900 Census, the population loss of thousands of people was nearly reversed.

Grade of 500 blocks raised by 1911

1911

Under Robert McComb's direction, the grade of about 500 blocks in Galveston had been raised by 1911 as part of the city's massive engineering efforts to protect against future storms.

Rice University opens in Houston

1912

William Marsh Rice's estate was used to open an institute for higher learning in Houston in 1912, which was named Rice University in his honor.

Legacy and Commemoration

1915 storm tests the new seawall

1915

A 1915 storm brought storm surge up to 12 ft, testing the integrity of the seawall. Although 53 people on Galveston Island lost their lives, this was a great reduction from the thousands who died in 1900.

Commission government adopted by ~500 cities

1920

The apparent success of Galveston's new form of government inspired about 500 cities across the United States to adopt a commission government by 1920, though it fell out of favor after World War I.

Galveston switches to council–manager government

1960

The commission government fell out of favor after World War I, with Galveston itself switching to council–manager government in 1960.

Hurricane Carla tests the seawall

1961

Other powerful tropical cyclones tested the effectiveness of the seawall, including Hurricane Carla in 1961, during which CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather gained fame for his coverage.

Final segment of seawall finished

1963

Construction of the Galveston Seawall, begun in 1902, concluded with the final segment finished in 1963, decades after the devastating 1900 hurricane prompted its construction.

Seawall listed on National Register of Historic Places

Aug 18, 1977

The Galveston Seawall was listed among the National Register of Historic Places on August 18, 1977.

Hurricane Alicia strikes Galveston

1983

Hurricane Alicia in 1983 was one of the powerful tropical cyclones that tested the effectiveness of the Galveston Seawall built after the 1900 hurricane.

1900 Storm Committee established

Jan 1998

To commemorate the hurricane's 100th anniversary in 2000, the 1900 Storm Committee was established and began meeting in January 1998.

Daily News publishes 100th anniversary edition

Sep 3, 2000

The Galveston Daily News published a special 100th anniversary commemorative edition newspaper on September 3, 2000, marking a century since the Great Storm.

Seawall named National Historical Civil Engineering Landmark

Oct 11, 2001

The seawall and raising of the island were jointly named a National Historical Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers on October 11, 2001.

Last reported survivor Maude Conic dies

Nov 14, 2004

Maude Conic of Wharton, Texas, the last reported survivor of the Galveston hurricane of 1900, died November 14, 2004, at the claimed age of 116, although records indicate she was about 10 years younger.

Hurricane Ike tests the seawall

2008

Hurricane Ike in 2008 was among the powerful tropical cyclones that tested the effectiveness of the Galveston Seawall, alongside Carla in 1961 and Alicia in 1983.

Key Facts

  1. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 is the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history, killing an estimated 6,000 to 12,000 people.
  2. The hurricane made landfall on September 8, 1900, as a Category 4 storm with winds around 145 mph.
  3. Storm surge of up to 15 feet flooded much of Galveston Island, which had a maximum elevation of only about 8.7 feet.
  4. In response to the disaster, Galveston built a 17-foot-high seawall and raised the elevation of the entire city by several feet.
  5. The hurricane ended Galveston's status as a major commercial port, accelerating the rise of Houston as Texas's dominant economic hub.

Source

This Galveston Hurricane timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

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