Name: The Great Virginia Flood of 1870
Brand: Paula F. Green
SKU: 9781467147279
Price: 24.99 USD
Availability: InStock

The Great Virginia Flood of 1870

9781467147279

$24.99

In the fall of 1870, a massive flood engulfed parts of Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland. What began near Charlottesville as welcome rain at the end of a drought-plagued summer quickly turned into a downpour as it moved west and then north through the Shenandoah Valley. The James, Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers rose, and flooding washed out fields, farms and entire towns. The impact was immense in terms of destruction, casualties and depth of water. The only warning that Richmond, downriver from the worst of the storm, had of the wall of water bearing down on it was a telegram. In this account, public historian Paula Green details not only the flood but also the process of recovery in an era before modern relief programs.

Historic Disasters of Richmond

9781467118866

$21.99

Richmond has had its share of man-made and natural calamities throughout its illustrious history. In 1811, fire destroyed the Richmond Theatre on Broad Street, tragically claiming seventy-two lives in one of the worst urban disasters in American history. As Union forces approached Richmond in the final months of the Civil War, Confederate troops ignited the city in flames, leaving scars still visible today. The international Spanish flu epidemic did not spare the city in the early twentieth century. The worst airplane crash in Virginia history occurred near Byrd Airport in 1961. Local author Walter S. Griggs tells these stories and more as he traces the harrowing history of Richmond's most famous disasters.

Tippecanoe County and the 1913 Flood

9781467147583

$21.99

These untold stories and never-before-seen images explore the human drama of the 1913 Flood as it unfolded in Tippecanoe County, Indiana.

Heralding the coming spring, the weather forecast promised a warm and sunny Easter in 1913. Little did the citizens of Tippecanoe County realize that a furious deluge would cause the Wabash River to swell to an ungovernable and lethal height. Bridges collapsed, whole buildings came unmoored from their foundations and washed away, and heroic rescue attempts saved lives and cost others.

Authors and retired Purdue professors Pete Bill and Arnold Sweet describe the travails of communities suddenly cut off from the rest of the world and facing a natural disaster that gripped twenty states.

Island in the Storm

9781596291430

$14.99

Island in the Storm, by local historians Jamie and Dorothy Moore, documents in vivid detail the devastation, loss and eventual rebuilding of this beloved island community.

On the night of September 21, 1989, Hurricane Hugo slammed into the South Carolina coast at Sullivan's Island with winds exceeding 160 miles per hour. The colossal force of the hurricane was punctuated by storm surges ranging from five to ten feet above sea level. At approximately one minute after midnight, Hugo's eye passed over the island, and the charming community seaside community disappeared beneath the tumultuous sea for nearly an hour. After Hugo left Sullivan's Island in its furious wake, the first news broadcasts from the Charleston area reported that the island and neighboring Isle of Palms were completely destroyed. The Ben Sawyer Bridge--the only connection to the island at the time--was knocked off its pedestal and rendered useless, and so the hundreds of families who had evacuated the area could not return to their homes to see what, if anything, remained. The recovery process started slowly, and for many it would be a long, arduous journey. More than 15 years later, Sullivan's Island's homes and businesses have been restored, but the memory of Hugo's fury will not soon be forgotten.

Chicago Calamities:

9781609490348

$21.99

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.

The 1924 Tornado in Lorain & Sandusky

9781626196360

$21.99

June 28, 1924, dawned hot and sunny, with fluffy white clouds hovering over a blue and inviting Lake Erie. For two Ohio communities, Lorain and Sandusky, the day ended in unimaginable disaster. In the late afternoon, the blue sky turned dark, and the wispy white puffs morphed into a mass of black thunderclouds as a monster formed on the lake. An F4 tornado, unexpected and not understood, was born from a thunderstorm on the now turbulent waters of Lake Erie. It charged ashore, smashing into Sandusky, retreated again to the lake and then headed east before turning abruptly south to make landfall in Lorain. Before the massive funnel lifted, it would destroy a city, create death records still unbroken and change the lives of thousands of people.

Cover image for The 1924 Tornado in Lorain & Sandusky, isbn: 9781626196360

Fighting Fire in the Sierra National Forest

9781626193710

$21.99

To live in the foothills on the periphery of the Sierra National Forest is to live with the certainty of summer wildfires. Each year, from April forward, Californians watch the sky and sniff the air for telltale signs of smoke. While fire remains a constant threat, the strategy for combating it has evolved with the understanding of its beneficial role in the forest environment. Marcia Penner Freedman traces the history of firefighting and fire management from the forest's early years through the policy shifts that began in the 1960s and the measures used today.

Fighting Fire in the Sierra National Forest

The Pendleton Disaster off Cape Cod

9781609490508

$21.99

Get a first-hand account and fascinating new details of the story behind The Finest Hours, the film portraying the harrowing rescue of the SS Pendleton in 1952.

On February 18, 1952, off the coast of Cape Cod, a fierce nor'easter snapped in half two 503-foot oil tankers, the Pendleton and the Fort Mercer. Human grace and grit, leadership and endurance prevail as Theresa Mitchell Barbo and Captain W. Russell Webster (Ret.) recount the historic, heroic rescue of thirty-two merchant mariners from the sinking Pendleton by four young Coast Guardsmen aboard the 36-foot motor lifeboat CG36500. A foreword by former Commandant Admiral Thad Allen (Ret.) and an essay by Master Chief John ""Jack"" Downey (Ret.), a veteran of thousands of modern-day small boat rescues, round out the special third edition of this classic work on Coast Guard history.

A History of Connecticut's Deadliest Tornadoes

9781626197893

$21.99

The Wallingford tornado of 1878 took less than two minutes, but it killed at the rate of one person per second. Twisters in Connecticut are incredibly rare, but they're often disastrous and sometimes deadly. The Windsor tornado of 1979 destroyed a field of aircraft that had survived World War II. The 1787 Wethersfield tornado ripped off a barn roof in New Britain, traveled on to Newington and finally subsided in Wethersfield after destroying a family farm. Locals remember the 1989 cyclone that ripped through Hamden and cost the state millions of dollars in repairs. Join local author Robert Hubbard as he shares the tales of these natural disasters and those who witnessed them.

A History of Connecticut's Deadliest Tornadoes

The Brady's Bend Flood of 1980

9781467170123

$24.99

In 1980, a record-breaking thunderstorm unleashed a disastrous amount of water on the tiny town of Brady’s Bend.

In a mere forty minutes, the community was annihilated by a catastrophic flash flood. Residents ran for their lives, and nine people drowned. Although rescue and recovery soon followed, the harrowing experience left a mark on the survivors that remains decades later.

Author and Brady’s Bend native Lisa Olszak Zumstein tells this community’s story in full and reveals how this devastating storm mirrors numerous others in the Appalachian corridor.

Cover image for The Brady's Bend Flood of 1980, isbn: 9781467170123

When Hull Freezes Over

9781596290990

$21.99

The peninsular community of Hull, Massachusetts, reaches a total of seven thin, sandy miles into Boston Harbor, forming a protective barrier against intruding navies and pounding waves. Unfortunately for those residents who choose to live here for the three miles of crescent-shaped beach and its attendant summer advantages, exposure to the sea during the winter months can be, at times, trying, to say the least. When Hull Freezes Over, by lifelong Hull resident and columnist John Galluzzo, is a collection of historic tales that look beyond the sunny days of summer and remember the other nine months of life along this scenic shore. From shipwrecks and drownings, to subzero temperatures and frigid arctic gales, locals have learned to enjoy their seasonal solitude, and especially enjoy the holiday season in ways only New England peninsula dwellers can.

Disasters of Onondaga County

9781467137867

$21.99

The city of Syracuse and Onondaga County have a long and storied history of natural and man-made calamity. Although often considered a moderate weather region, Mother Nature has not spared it from destruction. A tornado devastated picturesque Longbranch Park in 1912, and the rare Hurricane Hazel reached Onondaga's borders in 1954. A fire ravaged Syracuse's famed Bastable Block building in 1923. During a children's concert and festival, the floor of the Central Baptist Church collapsed, tragically claiming scores of lives and injuring more than one hundred. Author and historian Neil MacMillan charts the history of Onondaga County catastrophes.

Winchester, Connecticut

9781467144162

$21.99

Winchester and Winsted once blossomed with commerce. From cheeses that were sold to the most exclusive restaurants in major cities to tourism that proclaimed "the lake's the thing," the towns thrived. The production of clocks, clothing, knives and gold- and silver-plated coffin trimmings helped establish the region's prominence. Famous names like Rockwell, Beardsley, Boyd, Gilbert and Strong highlight the town's history, not only due to their business acumen but also because of their philanthropy. Colonel Samuel B. Horne, who earned the Medal of Honor in the Civil War, along with noteworthy journalists and artists all made their home here. And then, in 1955, disaster struck. Join local historian and author Virginia Shultz-Charette as she recounts the town's development and how the great flood changed everything.

Coal Mine Disasters of North Carolina

9781467135818

$21.99

During the past two centuries, the central region of the Tar Heel State was populated with numerous active coal mines, many of which dealt with catastrophes such as cave-ins or gas explosions. Over fifty-three miners lost their lives in an explosion at the Carolina Mine at Coal Glen in 1925, the largest industrial disaster in state history. The Egypt Coal Mine was a key resource for Confederate forces during the Civil War despite a series of explosions that claimed scores of lives. The last efforts by the Raleigh Mining Company to continue coal mining in the state in the 1950s were marred by accidents and signaled an eventual end to the industry. Author John Hairr chronicles the history and tragedy of coal mining in North Carolina's Deep River region.

The Great Salem Fire of 1914

9781596294714

$24.99

On a hot day in June 1914, a fire broke out in a leather factory a mile away from the heart of downtown Salem. Despite the efforts of local firefighters and volunteers from communities as far away as Boston, residents watched helplessly as flames leapt from rooftop to rooftop. By the time the fire finally extinguished itself in the Atlantic Ocean, it had destroyed hundreds of acres of property, damaged over a thousand buildings and left more than twenty thousand people homeless. Makeshift tent cities sprung up on Salem Common and in Forest River Park. This collection of historic photos from the Phillips Library depicts the city before the fire, the conflagration itself and the people of Salem's united effort to rebuild and rise triumphant from the ashes.

Hurricane Destruction in South Carolina:

9781596291331

$21.99

In late September 1989, South Carolina was rocked by the colossal force of Hurricane Hugo. A category four hurricane, Hugo devastated the coast and other regions of the state, claiming dozens of lives and causing billions of dollars in damage. Hugo was the Palmetto State's most destructive natural disaster in recent memory, but the story of that storm is only part of the larger history of hurricanes in South Carolina.

A History of Hurricane Destruction in South Carolina: Hell and High Water examines more than thirty major hurricanes that have struck the state since the 1800s, offering a revealing look at the destruction and loss that results from these violent manifestations of nature's power. Author Tom Rubillo brings to bear a breadth of research and incorporates first-person accounts of the storms and the struggle of survivors forced to rebuild in the wake of tremendous losses. Hell and High Water is at once a history of the damage wrought by the fury of hurricanes and a reminder that the next great storm could be no more than a season away.

Hurricane Destruction in South Carolina:

Deadly Storms of the Delmarva Coast

9781625859389

$21.99

Journey to the coast with Michael Morgan as he looks back at the area's most deadly storms.

Coastal Delaware, Maryland and Virginia have always been vulnerable to the power of storms. In the early nineteenth century, storm-driven shipwrecks led to the construction of the Delaware breakwater. In 1933, a storm created an inlet on the south edge of Ocean City and changed the character of the Maryland resort. The Ash Wednesday nor'easter of 1962 devastated oceanfront communities, led to the creation of beach replenishment projects that pushed the ocean back from the new multimillion-dollar buildings that sat on the sand and spurred the creation of Assateague Island National Seashore. Michael Morgan narrates the stories of these storms and reminds us of the power of wind and water.

Ohio Train Disasters

9781626192584

$23.99

In nearly a century of heavy rail travel in Ohio, a dozen train accidents stand out as the most horrific. In the bitter cold, just after Christmas 1876, eleven cars plunged seventy-five feet into the frigid water below. The stoves burst into flames, burning to death all who were not killed by the fall. Fires cut short the lives of forty-three people in the head-on Doodlebug collision in Cuyahoga Falls in 1940 and eleven people in a train wreck near Dresden in 1912. Author Jane Ann Turzillo unearths these red-hot stories of ill-fated passengers, heroic trainmen and the wrecking crews who faced death and destruction on Ohio's rails.

The Clara Nevada

9781609492885

$21.99

February 5, 1898. Witnesses report a giant orange fireball reflected in the glacial waters of Alaska's Lynn Canal. At the height of Klondike gold fever, the Clara Nevada disappeared into an epic storm— taking passengers and priceless cargo with her. Was the explosion an accident or a robbery gone wrong? Did Captain C.H. Lewis make off with $165,000 ($13.6 million in today's currency) in raw gold? Or was the sinking a case of a sea-weary steamer meeting an untimely end? Alaska historian Steven C. Levi combs the archives to piece together the true account of the Clara Nevada's final voyage, attempting to solve the riddle of the lost steamer that resurfaced ten years after that tragic night and became known as Alaska's ghost ship.

A History of Alabama's Deadliest Tornadoes

9781596299115

$21.99

Journey just west of America's infamous Tornado Alley to Alabama, home to some of the deadliest tornadoes of the past century. These twisters remain etched in the collective memory of the people, from the 1908 Dixie Tornado, regarded as one of the most brutal tornadoes in U.S. history, to the 1998 Birmingham Tornado, the most expensive twister in Alabama's history. Discover how the 1932 Deep South Tornadoes resulted in 268 fatalities and millions of dollars in damage, and read the terrifying account of the 1977 Smithfield Tornadoes, which rocked this Birmingham suburb with as many as six twisters in a one-hour span. Join local journalist Kelly Kazek as she shares the tales of these natural disasters and the hardy Alabamians who endured them.

A History of Alabama's Deadliest Tornadoes

Mayday!

9781596292475

$19.99

From valiant rescues to sorrowful disasters, the eastern shore of Long Island is home to a riveting collection of maritime lore.
Since the mid-1600s, eastern Long Island's shoals, sandbars and assorted submerged hazards have caused many an unlucky vessel to become shipwrecked. The frequency of wrecks rose to a grim crescendo during the
mid-nineteenth century as New York and New England peaked as shipping centers. Then came the dawn of the twentieth century and the arrival of advanced navigational aids. Although the number of wrecks declined, the high drama persisted as rumrunners and German submarines kept the coast humming with rumors and anticipation. In MAYDAY!, author Van R. Field painstakingly assembles a compendium of Long Island's most harrowing, amazing and notorious shipwrecks and ocean-going incidents.

Mayday Over Wichita

9781626190528

$21.99

On the cold Saturday morning of January 16, 1965, a U.S. Air Force KC-135 tanker carrying thirty-one thousand gallons of jet fuel crashed into a congested African American neighborhood in Wichita, Kansas. When the fire and destruction finally subsided, forty-seven people--mostly African American children--were dead or injured, homes were completely destroyed and numerous families were splintered. As shocking as it may sound, the event was seemingly omitted from the historical record for nearly fifty years. Now, historian D. W. Carter examines the myths and realities of the crash while providing new insights about the horrific four-minute flight that forever changed the history of Kansas.

Memphis and the Superflood of 1937

9781596295308

$21.99

Experience the historic superflood that decimated the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys and the resilience displayed by the people of Memphis.

The greatest flood in United States history struck the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys in January 1937. Perhaps no single flood in the United States had caused as much damage, displayed as much brutal natural force and displaced as many people. Not even the calamitous flood of 1927, which has eclipsed the '37 flood in terms of historical coverage was as massive. Author and Memphis local Patrick O'Daniel illustrates how this national natural disaster affected Memphis, in particular, and how the politicians of the day, from national figures like FDR to local political bosses like Ed Crump, handled unprecedented infrastructural challenges. Yet beyond politics and policy, O'Daniel tells the story of this historic disaster through the eyes of everyday Memphians, their struggles, care for thousands of desperate refugees and the measures they took to save their city from this devastating flood.

Virginia Beach Shipwrecks

9781596294745

$21.99

The waters of coastal Virginia swirl with tales both tragic and heroic. Join Virginia Beach native Alpheus Chewning as he recounts harrowing stories of storms at sea, loss of life and fortune and the heroism of the United States Life-Saving Service. Marvel at the blunders and bungles that have plagued the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and learn about the U-boats that lurked off the coast during World War II. Extensively researched and filled with fascinating details, Virginia Beach Shipwrecks is a treasure for sea
lovers of all ages.

The Great Hurricanes of North Carolina

9781596293915

$14.99

From the horrific Independence Hurricane of 1775, the most lethal storm to strike its coast, to the ruinous Hugo in September 1989, a path has been cut along the shores of the Tarheel State-a path not easily forgotten. Engagingly written and illustrated with historical photos that graphically depict the disastrous effects of these mighty storms, this book is a gripping read!

The Great Cumberland Floods: Disaster in the Queen City

9781596296886

$21.99

The mountain snows melted and the rains came. In 1853, thousands fled the rising water; in 1889, two days of torrential rain ravaged the city; and in 1936, the infamous St. Patrick's Day flood saw a swell of ten feet. Perched on the banks of the Potomac River, the city of Cumberland, Maryland, has been plagued by devastating floods since its foundation. Time and again, deluges have brought the city to its knees. Yet the Queen City has always risen triumphant and undimmed from the raging waters. With this stunning collection of images, historian and author Albert L. Feldstein chronicles the history of Cumberland through its floods and the valiant efforts of its citizens to stem the tide.

The Great Cumberland Floods: Disaster in the Queen City

Columbus and the Great Flood of 1913:

9781626190610

$21.99

Beginning on Easter Sunday, March 23, 1913, Columbus and the Ohio Valley endured a downpour that would produce the largest flood in one hundred years. Heavy rains came on the heels of an especially cold winter, resulting in a torrent of runoff over saturated and frozen ground. Rivers and streams quickly overflowed and levees failed, sending tsunami-like floodwater into unsuspecting communities and claiming four hundred lives. There were ninety-six deaths in Columbus alone when the swollen Scioto River emptied water that ran nine to seventeen feet deep through the streets of the near west side. Join Conrade C. Hinds and the Columbus Landmarks Foundation in a closer look at a flood disaster that reshaped the American Midwest.

The Cedar Keys Hurricane of 1896

9781596296121

$21.99

Families watched in horror as walls of water swept away homes and businesses, and men held onto saplings for their lives while the winds howled.

The destruction was beyond belief. Buildings on Atsena Otie were swept away so completely that only cracked stone foundations remained, and the forests of red cedar that gave the islands their name and livelihood were flattened. Resulting in dozens of deaths and millions of dollars in damage, Hurricane Number 4 in 1896 changed the Cedar Keys forever and set the city on a path to the present. Historian Alvin F. Oickle, drawing on firsthand accounts and extensive archival research, tells the story of ordinary Floridians who were faced, like so many before and so many since, with nature's fury.

Explosion on the Potomac

9781626191976

$21.99

In 1844, the USS Princeton was the most technologically sophisticated warship in the world. Its captain, Robert Stockton, and President John Tyler were both zealous expansionists, and they hoped that it would be the forerunner in a formidable steam-powered fleet. On a Potomac cruise intended to impress power brokers, the ship's main gun--the Peacemaker--exploded as the vessel neared Mount Vernon. Eight died horribly, while twenty others were injured. Two of Tyler's most important cabinet members were instantly lost, and the president himself had a near miss--making it the worst physical disaster to befall a presidential administration. The tragedy set off an unpredictable wave of events that cost Tyler a second term, nearly scuttled plans to add Texas to the Union and stirred up sectional rancor that drove the nation closer to civil war. Author Kerry Walters chronicles this little-known disaster that altered the course of the nation's history.