Disaster

Our Disaster American history book series chronicles the tragedies in history that devastated a place in the United States. Discover how the circus disaster of the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus Train contributed to the demise of the circus industry. Peer into the waters of Cape Cod’s “Graveyard of Ships”, then meet the survivors of the Wyoming Blizzard of 1949.  Pay tribute to the first responders who rescued campers during the 1959 Yellowstone Earthquake as well as the firefighters who battled the great Strand Theatre Fire in 1941. From vicious tornadoes to the greatest storms in the past century, these disaster books revive the voices of those lost to historical tragedies. [View all Disaster books]
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The Larchmont Disaster off Block Island: Rhode Island's Titanic
The Larchmont Disaster off Block Island: Rhode Island's Titanic
The Brockton Tragedy at Moosehead Lake
The Brockton Tragedy at Moosehead Lake
Shipwrecks of Stellwagen Bank:
Shipwrecks of Stellwagen Bank:
The 1913 McKinney Store Collapse
The 1913 McKinney Store Collapse
Chicago Calamities:
Chicago Calamities:
Montana's Waldron Creek Fire:
Montana's Waldron Creek Fire:
The Wyoming Blizzard of 1949
The Wyoming Blizzard of 1949
The Deadly Shipwrecks of the Powhattan & New Era on the Jersey Shore
The Deadly Shipwrecks of the Powhattan & New Era on the Jersey Shore
The Great Fire of Petersburg, Virginia
The Great Fire of Petersburg, Virginia
Colorado's Deadliest Floods
Colorado's Deadliest Floods
Historic Fires of Fall River
Historic Fires of Fall River

The Larchmont Disaster off Block Island: Rhode Island's Titanic

9781626197947

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On February 11, 1907, the steamship Larchmont collided with the schooner Harry Knowlton. Thrown from their bunks, passengers of the Larchmont panicked and ran onto the ship's deck. Haphazardly loaded lifeboats set out only partially full, and shrieks from those left behind were heard in the distance. Nearly 150 passengers were lost that night. The men and women of Block Island courageously aided those in need and dealt with the horrors that washed ashore. Controversy swirled around the conduct of the captain and crew of the Larchmont as investigators tried to determine who was responsible for the collision. Authors Joseph and Janice Soares chronicle one of the greatest disasters in New England's waters.
The Larchmont Disaster off Block Island: Rhode Island's Titanic

The Brockton Tragedy at Moosehead Lake

9781467139328

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Follow the tragic story of a fishing trip gone wrong and its impact on the community of Brockton, Massachusetts.


On May 13, 1928, ten prominent men of Brockton, Massachusetts, headed off on a fishing trip to Moosehead Lake in Maine. After traveling fourteen hours, the group met Maine guide Samuel Budden and boarded the Mac II for the final voyage to their destination. Approximately six miles from the Tomhegan sporting camp, the boat took on water in rough seas and sank, taking Budden and all but one of the adventurers to a watery grave. Jim Benson and Nicole Casper chronicle this horrific tragedy and its legacy in two New England communities.

The Brockton Tragedy at Moosehead Lake

Shipwrecks of Stellwagen Bank:

9781626198043

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Beneath the churning surface of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary rest the bones of shipwrecks and sailors alike. Massachusetts' ports connected its citizens to the world, and the number of merchant and fishing vessels grew alongside the nation's development. Hundreds of ships sank on the trade routes and fishing grounds between Cape Cod and Cape Ann. Their stories are waiting to be uncovered--from the ill-fated steamship Portland to collided schooners Frank A. Palmer and Louise B. Crary and the burned dragger Joffre. Join historian John Galluzzo and maritime archaeologists Matthew Lawrence and Deborah Marx as they dive in to investigate the sunken vessels and captivating history of New England's only national marine sanctuary.
Shipwrecks of Stellwagen Bank:

The 1913 McKinney Store Collapse

9781467139502

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A powerful vibration, a deafening noise and a swell of thick dust brought residents of McKinney pouring into the public square on the afternoon of January 23, 1913. What they saw was horrifying--an entire building had collapsed, demolishing two popular retailers, the Cheeves Mississippi Store and Tingle Implement Store. Their contents, including many shoppers and clerks, spilled out into the streets, where layer upon layer of debris settled into a massive, ragged pile. In spite of a herculean rescue effort, eight people perished. Carol Wilson sifts through the disaster and its aftermath, dredging up some troubling facts about how the tragedy might have been prevented.
The 1913 McKinney Store Collapse

Chicago Calamities:

9781609490348

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The story of Chicago is often likened to that of a phoenix rising out of the ashes of the Great Fire. Yet that infamous event was only part of the destruction that has shaped Chicago's identity. Discover here the larger narrative of calamities that have befallen the Windy City, such as the 1954 killer water surge that swept in on a calm summer day, the 1967 tornado that ripped through rush hour traffic, the 1886 Haymarket Square riot that put Chicago on the anarchist map and many other acts of nature and human folly. As you witness a fireproof theater burn, a flood rise up without rain and one of the greatest maritime disasters occur within city limits, encounter both unexpected tragedies and unlikely heroes.
Chicago Calamities:

Montana's Waldron Creek Fire:

9781467119269

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On August 25, 1931, five men died fighting the devastating Waldron Creek Fire west of Choteau, Montana. Lacking training and preparation, Herbert Novotny, Frank Williamson, Hjalmer G. Gunnarson, Ted Bierchen and Charles Allen dashed into the flames and never stood a chance. The Teton County coroner added insult to injury, noting that each had "no one to blame but himself." Three men were buried in unmarked graves. Records show that the body of the fifth was returned to his family, but no burial site is known. Only one has a headstone. National Smokejumper Association chief historian Dr. Charles Palmer shines a light on this important story, finally honoring the heroic sacrifice that led to critical changes in wildland firefighting.
Montana's Waldron Creek Fire:

The Wyoming Blizzard of 1949

9781625859358

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Snow, wind and frigid temperatures devastated parts of Wyoming and neighboring states in 1949. For nearly two months, towns and ranches were marooned by enormous drifts, some reportedly eighty feet tall. The storm stranded hundreds of motorists on the highways and stalled nearly two dozen trains at depots throughout the state. Communities pulled together to assist not only their neighbors but also anyone unable to escape the snowstorm. The deaths of motorists and livestock weighed heavily on the minds of Americans as news spread nationwide. Author and historian James Fuller recounts these harrowing stories of tenacity and fortitude.

The Wyoming Blizzard of 1949

The Deadly Shipwrecks of the Powhattan & New Era on the Jersey Shore

9781626199774

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In 1854, two horrendous shipwrecks took place off the New Jersey coast. The Powhattan and the New Era were both American-flag sailing packet ships carrying hopeful European immigrants to new lives in America. The ships ran aground on the offshore sandbars along the shoreline between Sandy Hook and Little Egg Inlet, claiming the lives of many passengers and crew. The staggering casualties finally prompted calls from the public and politicians for reforms to the system for rescues that the federal government had in place. The tragedies ultimately resulted in changes that prevented countless similar deaths. This unique and gripping account offers minute-by-minute details of the deadly wrecks, their
The Deadly Shipwrecks of the Powhattan & New Era on the Jersey Shore

The Great Fire of Petersburg, Virginia

9781467118668

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On July 16, 1815, a fire began in a small stable in Petersburg. After only a few hours, almost two-thirds of the city lay in ruins. Citizens stood on the banks of the Appomattox River and watched as wind blew flames from one building to the next. The tragedy claimed a dozen lives and destroyed more than five hundred homes. The fire raged until it was quelled by a downpour of rain. Stories of heroism from firefighters and landowners were left in the aftermath. Author Tamara Eastman describes the city before the fire, the horrific event and the collective efforts to rebuild a stronger city.
The Great Fire of Petersburg, Virginia

Colorado's Deadliest Floods

9781467137102

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Ranked among the top ten states for both disasters and dry climate, Colorado has a long history of extreme weather. On May 19, 1864, residents of the fledgling gold rush town of Denver awoke to a wall of water slamming into the city with enough force to flatten buildings and rip clothing from its victims. The infamous Big Thompson Canyon flood of 1976 killed 144 residents, tourists and campers. Per the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Coloradoans experienced twenty-two floods with contemporary monetary losses of $2 million or more since the flood of 1864. And as the population continues to grow, the loss of lives, property, crops and livestock may increase. Local author Darla Sue Dollman, who witnessed and survived many of the contemporary disasters, examines the state's most catastrophic flash floods from 1864 to 2013.
Colorado's Deadliest Floods

Historic Fires of Fall River

9781467119245

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Fall River's textile boom in the nineteenth century brought with it a series of fiery disasters. The Big Fire of 1843 left more than one thousand people homeless and destroyed two hundred buildings, as well as twenty-some acres of land. After the Steiger Store Fire of 1916, mill owners pushed the city to replace horse-drawn brigades with fire engines. The intense heat from the Kerr Mill Thread Fire of 1987 melted hoses as first responders battled the blaze. Author Stefani Koorey chronicles the historic infernos of the Spindle City and celebrates the community's resilience in the face of adversity.
Historic Fires of Fall River