Okla-homey
8/11/2006, 03:26 AM
August 11, 1856: Hurricane submerges seaside Louisiana resort community
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/7061/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx800px1856lastislandhurricanetrackzw 1.png
On this day, exactly 150 years ago, a hurricane devastated the Louisiana coast, killing more than 400 people. Isle Derniere, a resort community, was totally submerged and completely destroyed by the storm surges.
This hurricane, which came before scientists began naming big storms, probably formed in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and moved northwest toward the Alabama coast.
At that point, it veered due west and just missed a direct hit on Mobile, Alabama. Instead, the storm headed right for the mouth of the Mississippi River and devastated the Louisiana coast. Written reports of the storm describe it as the worst that anyone at the time could remember.
Each summer in the years prior to the Civil War, wealthy New Orleanians would take a steamer down to the resort on Isle Derniere (Last Island) to avoid the heat, bugs, disease and stench of NOLA in the hottest months.
On Aug. 9, 1856, as hotel guests waltzed away the night at a fancy dress ball, gale force winds began whipping outside. The next morning, the island vacationers awoke to a hellish fury.
When the regularly scheduled steamer failed to arrive, vacationers realized they were trapped and that the Gulf would soon sweep over the island. See, the highest point on the island was only five feet above sea-level.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/6543/xxxxxxxxxxxx776px1856atlantichurricaneseasonmaphi6 .png (http://imageshack.us)
The storm first brought blinding and torrential rain, which, when combined with strong winds, felt like daggers to the people on the ground. Next, storm surges carried water from Lake Pelto onto the small island from the north. Finally, a the surge from the south devastated the vacationers.
Reportedly, upwards of 200 of Louisiana's wealthiest people were carried off with the waves, with some bodies ending up six miles away.
The only survivors from Last Island were those who were able to make it to a steamship moored on the island’s shores. They were'nt able to sail away of course, but they did cling to its wreckage and remain above water. Every building and home on the island was submerged under water for days after the storm.
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/7070/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxlastislandswaltzls7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The city of New Orleans was inundated with 13.14 inches of rain. Every building in the town of Abbeville, Louisiana was destroyed. There was severe flooding throughout Plaquemines Parish.
Also hard hit was nearby Bayou LaFourche, where a mysterious sea creature (probably a giant squid) was rumored to have come ashore due to the hurricane.
Although it avoided a direct hit on the Louisiana coast, the same area was further damaged less than a month later by another hurricane. The resort hotel and surrounding gambling establishments on Last Island were destroyed, and the island was left void of vegetation and split in half.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/2777/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxlastislandphotonw3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Today, what's left of Last Island is home to pelicans and other sea birds.
http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/5282/insane7zops4.jpg
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/7061/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx800px1856lastislandhurricanetrackzw 1.png
On this day, exactly 150 years ago, a hurricane devastated the Louisiana coast, killing more than 400 people. Isle Derniere, a resort community, was totally submerged and completely destroyed by the storm surges.
This hurricane, which came before scientists began naming big storms, probably formed in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and moved northwest toward the Alabama coast.
At that point, it veered due west and just missed a direct hit on Mobile, Alabama. Instead, the storm headed right for the mouth of the Mississippi River and devastated the Louisiana coast. Written reports of the storm describe it as the worst that anyone at the time could remember.
Each summer in the years prior to the Civil War, wealthy New Orleanians would take a steamer down to the resort on Isle Derniere (Last Island) to avoid the heat, bugs, disease and stench of NOLA in the hottest months.
On Aug. 9, 1856, as hotel guests waltzed away the night at a fancy dress ball, gale force winds began whipping outside. The next morning, the island vacationers awoke to a hellish fury.
When the regularly scheduled steamer failed to arrive, vacationers realized they were trapped and that the Gulf would soon sweep over the island. See, the highest point on the island was only five feet above sea-level.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/6543/xxxxxxxxxxxx776px1856atlantichurricaneseasonmaphi6 .png (http://imageshack.us)
The storm first brought blinding and torrential rain, which, when combined with strong winds, felt like daggers to the people on the ground. Next, storm surges carried water from Lake Pelto onto the small island from the north. Finally, a the surge from the south devastated the vacationers.
Reportedly, upwards of 200 of Louisiana's wealthiest people were carried off with the waves, with some bodies ending up six miles away.
The only survivors from Last Island were those who were able to make it to a steamship moored on the island’s shores. They were'nt able to sail away of course, but they did cling to its wreckage and remain above water. Every building and home on the island was submerged under water for days after the storm.
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/7070/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxlastislandswaltzls7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The city of New Orleans was inundated with 13.14 inches of rain. Every building in the town of Abbeville, Louisiana was destroyed. There was severe flooding throughout Plaquemines Parish.
Also hard hit was nearby Bayou LaFourche, where a mysterious sea creature (probably a giant squid) was rumored to have come ashore due to the hurricane.
Although it avoided a direct hit on the Louisiana coast, the same area was further damaged less than a month later by another hurricane. The resort hotel and surrounding gambling establishments on Last Island were destroyed, and the island was left void of vegetation and split in half.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/2777/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxlastislandphotonw3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Today, what's left of Last Island is home to pelicans and other sea birds.
http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/5282/insane7zops4.jpg