And in Vermont, the storm caused a train derailment and uprooted maple trees and apple orchards. As the giraffes leave quarantine, Woody jumps back on the stolen motorcycle and follows them. Estimates vary, but at least 400 people died that day andmaybe as many as 800. The giraffes arrival made the front page of The San Diego Union, Oct. 25, 1938. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration. The Great 1938 Hurricane washed homes off their foundations. Animal Trainer Called by Death. Los Angeles Times (July 21, 1941): B16. San Diego's Hurricane Giraffes | In 1938, the merchant steamer SS Robin Goodfellow was caught in the Great New England Hurricane. The trials and hardships of an old man, a young man, and a dreamy eyed girl are laid out for all to breath in through the action, imagery, and emotion of life during the hardest of times. They also included the Colonial Hurricane of 1635, the Great September Gale of 1815 and the Hurricane of 1938. The Great New England Hurricane of 1938 was one of the most destructive and powerful storms ever to strike southern New England. .pf-button.pf-button-excerpt { The Great 1938 Hurricane took almost everyone by surprise. West with Giraffes is a Lovely Book based on real life events, about an orphaned teenager who ends up driving two giraffes across the USA to the San Diego Zoo in 1938. The blurb describes this book so accurately, that I don't want to repeat it. .primary-navigation-wrap{background-color:transparent}.main-navigation-menu a:hover,.main-navigation-menu a:hover:after,.main-navigation-menu a:active,.main-navigation-menu a:active:after{color:#fff !important}.main-navigation-menu li.current-menu-item>a,.main-navigation-menu li.current-menu-item>a:after:hover,.main-navigation-menu ul .menu-item-has-children>a:after:hover,.widget_wpcom_social_media_icons_widget ul li a{color:#fff !important}.widget_tag_cloud div a:link,.footer-widgets .widget_tag_cloud div a:link,.widget_tag_cloud div a:hover,.footer-widgets .widget_tag_cloud div a:hover,.widget_tag_cloud div a:active,.footer-widgets .widget_tag_cloud div a:active,.widget_tag_cloud div a:visited,.footer-widgets .widget_tag_cloud div a:visited,.wp_widget_tag_cloud div a:link,.footer-widgets .wp_widget_tag_cloud div a:link,.wp_widget_tag_cloud div a:hover,.footer-widgets .wp_widget_tag_cloud div 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a:visited{color:#000}button:hover,input[type="button"]:hover,input[type="reset"]:hover,input[type="submit"]:hover,button:focus,input[type="button"]:focus,input[type="reset"]:focus,input[type="submit"]:focus,button:active,input[type="button"]:active,input[type="reset"]:active,input[type="submit"]:active,.widget_wpcom_social_media_icons_widget ul li a:hover,.more-link:hover,.more-link:active,.widget_tag_cloud .tagcloud a,.entry-tags .meta-tags a,.widget_tag_cloud div a,.wp_widget_tag_cloud div a,.post-navigation .nav-links a:hover,.post-navigation .nav-links a:active,.post-pagination a,.post-pagination .current,.infinite-scroll #infinite-handle span,.post-slider-controls .zeeflex-direction-nav a:hover,.post-slider-controls .zeeflex-direction-nav a:active{background:#000}.site-header,.main-navigation-menu ul,.footer-widgets-wrap{background:#000}.header-bar-wrap{background:#000}.primary-navigation-wrap,.footer-wrap,.top-navigation-menu ul{background:#000}a,a:link,a:visited,.widget-title,.widget_flickr #flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:link,.widget_flickr #flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:visited,.archive-title,.page-title,.entry-title,.entry-title a:link,.entry-title a:visited,.comments-header .comments-title,.comment-reply-title span{color:#b43412}button,input[type="button"],input[type="reset"],input[type="submit"],.main-navigation-menu a:hover,.main-navigation-menu a:active,.main-navigation-menu li.current-menu-item>a,.widget_wpcom_social_media_icons_widget ul li a,.more-link,.entry-tags .meta-tags a:hover,.entry-tags .meta-tags a:active,.widget_tag_cloud div a:hover,.widget_tag_cloud div a:active,.wp_widget_tag_cloud div a:hover,.wp_widget_tag_cloud div a:active,.post-navigation .nav-links a,.post-pagination a:hover,.post-pagination a:active,.post-pagination .current,.infinite-scroll #infinite-handle span:hover,.main-navigation-toggle,.main-navigation-toggle:active,.main-navigation-toggle:focus,.main-navigation-toggle:hover,.main-navigation-menu .submenu-dropdown-toggle:hover,.main-navigation-menu .submenu-dropdown-toggle:active,.post-slider-controls .zeeflex-direction-nav a{background:#b43412}.primary-navigation-wrap,.main-navigation-menu ul,.widget,.type-post,.type-page,.type-attachment,.comments-area,.sticky,.page-header,.main-navigation-menu-wrap{border-color:#b43412}blockquote{border-left-color:#b43412}.rtl blockquote{border-right-color:#b43412} Visual materials in the Archives do not circulate and must be viewed in the Society's Archives Research Room. float: left; Sept. 21, 1938, was supposed to be a breezy fall day in New England. 2 vols. Giraffe. After 12 days, before it could reach the Bahamas, it turned northward, skimming the East. Itwashed away railroad tracks, sent bridges downstream and downed electrical wires, leaving some New Englanders without electricity for weeks. [], [] three other Category 3 hurricanes since the colonists arrived: the September Hurricane of 1869, the Great New England Hurricane of 1938 and Hurricane Carol in [], [] Coventry. Published September 20, 2017 at 11:17 PM EDT. Photo courtesy Archives and Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Libraries. https://thehistoryguyguild.locals.com/. Smith, who was quick to express his affection for Lofty--the giraffe that didnt kick him--directed that his crate be the first to be unloaded by the whirring, grinding, chug-chugging crane. San Diego, already a world-class zoo, opened their WPA-constructed Reptile House and a zoo caf. Smith spent a few days easing her into the crate while attempting not to spook her, and getting kicked in return. Its closest relative is the okapi. The country had endured a Great Depression, filling the landscape with Hoovervilles and shantytowns, WPA and CCC projects, and migrants searching for a better life. . With thanks to The Great Hurricane: 1938 by Cherie Burns. Lofty and Patches, giraffes | San Diego Zoo 100 West with Giraffes is a wonderful novel based on the true story of the cross-country road trip America's first giraffes took in 1938. Benchley also once caught a rattlesnake by grabbing it by the back of the head. Getting to see a giraffe in 1938 was a pretty rare occasion. giraffes - Find news stories, facts, pictures and video about giraffes - Page 1 | Newser The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered is the place to find short snippets of forgotten history from five to fifteen minutes long. The giraffe is in a large crate on the bed of the truck which appears to be inside a building. Smith stayed with the giraffes during their time in quarantine, sleeping beside their stalls, nursing the females injury, and getting to know these towering creatures of Gods pure Eden. After their quarantine was complete, it was time to load the giraffes into their custom-made, heavily padded 12 8 crates, which were large enough for the giraffes to lie down on piles of peat moss and straw. 1997. Benchley preferred to transport the giraffes by vehicle so that they could stop as deemed necessary to nourish and rest the animals. Ever wonder why beer is so popular in Wisconsin? 1947. Next thing I knew, we were floating, Moore recalled. It destroyed cemeteries, slammed boats into shore, uprooted entire orchards and smashed structures into splinters. Sometimes the men even stopped under appropriate food trees and let Lofty and Patchesstretch stretch their necks up for an afternoon snack. San Diego's First Giraffes - The History Guy Clinics then ran out of typhoid vaccine. 2015. The physiological demands of that long neck get support from a gene involved in strengthening bones and blood vessels, researchers find after inserting the sequence in mice. The "Teenie Weenies" cartoons enchanted readers of all ages for more than 50 years. In 1938, the merchant steamer SS Robin Goodfellow was caught in the Great New England Hurricane. The Great New England Hurricane - HISTORY Based on true events, this adventurous historical novel is the story of 17 year old Woody, the giraffes known as "Boy" and "Girl", the "Old Man" and a host of other characters met on their travels. The storm forced the Connecticut River over its banks, inundating cities and towns with floodwater. Amazingly, one of the crew saw the female giraffe move, so they covered and protected her as the storm raged on. Arriving in New York Sept. 23, they had to keep quarantine officers company for 16 days. The user is responsible for all issues of copyright. On board the ship were some unique passengers: two Giraffes. Use of the image requires written permission from the staff of the Collections Division. 'jetpack-lazy-images-js-enabled' SUBJECTS Animals Clothing and dress Hats Automobile industry and trade Indoor photography Men Zoos Delivery of goods Signs and symbols Automobiles Transportation Trucks How to Purchase a Copy Buy The Image For commercial or non-profit use, please contact Image Sales. See and touch history at Historic Sites, Museums and special events, Restore your historic home or property, get tax credits, renovation tips. West with Giraffes is an endearing, and also heart-rending piece of historical fiction. Photographs: The Great Hurricane of 1938 - Florence Griswold Museum Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal, https://www.thetiebar.com/?utm_campaign=BowtieLove&utm_medium=YouTube&utm_source=LanceGeiger, https://www.facebook.com/TheHistoryGuyYT/, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4sEmXUuWIFlxRIFBRV6VXQ?sub_confirmation=1, https://teespring.com/stores/the-history-guy. quite the fun adventure! The crates holding giraffes Lofty and Patches are loaded onto the truck from the ship in New York, 1938. . I hope to die there, I do. Charley Smith was certainly the man for the job. } As the giraffes were rolling out of sight, Woody runs as fast as he can through the flooded streets, passing dozens of reporters, and eventually steals a motorcycle to keep up with the truck bound for the quarantine facility. What we called highways were barely tolerable for transporting people much less chauffeuring giraffes. I absolutely loved this book! Sweet memories. What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to deliver Southern California's first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo. In October 1938 the first breeding pair of giraffes arrived at the San Diego Zoo from east Africa. San Diego, CA: Zoological Society of San Diego. Woody Nickel is 105 years old when he hears the news that giraffes may be going extinct. You can purchase the bow tie worn in this episode at The Tie Bar:https://www.thetiebar.com/?utm_campaign=BowtieLove&utm_medium=YouTube&utm_source=LanceGeiger. Listen 4:55. Thank you again. The storm hit Long Island and Southern . When they finally were in their new house, a picturesque building that resembles a fairy-tale illustration, every connected with the job was ready to fall apart except Mr. and Mrs. display: none; I have some books printed the next year , with 100s of picture , tv, nh, ri, and ct I have a book for each. The True Story of the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane That Hit the Florida Keys . How I got into. In normal conditions this would be a rough trip, especially for temperature-sensitive giraffes, which were placed in crates and forced to endure whatever the high seas threw at them. On board the ship were some unique passengers: two Giraffes. Photo courtesy Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection. InNew Hampshire, fire destroyed four buildings in Peterborough and wind blew down part of the Cog Railway on Mount Washington. It took a week to restore power in Provincetown, and 200 men spent a week trying to open the roads to Newport, R.I. Those Giraffes, caught in a storm that killed hundreds of people, were en route to San Diego, California, and the storm was only the beginning of their cross-country journey. Learn about obtaining permission and the copyright laws that apply to images purchased from the Wisconsin Historical Society. Aftermath of the Great 1938 Hurricane in Hartford, Conn. Photo licensed under public domain by Wikipedia Commons. There is not a man now on the animal staff who is not in the work because he would rather be in it than anywhere else in the world, and because he feels that his contribution is important to the Zoo and to the community. According to Ken Stott, a former San Diego Zoo curator, . Along with the rhino, the food for the giraffes was lost as well. lofty and patches giraffes 1938 - shahinctasc.com http://www.philbowie.com, [] The Great Hurricane of 1938destroyed nearly all the buildings in the seaside village of Sakonnet Point in Little Compton, R.I. [], [] Great 1938 Hurricane created several ghost towns along the coast. Yesterday at 12:30 Eddie drove the truck through the gates at San Diego zoological gardens and all hands followed it to the mesa where the citys big crane was waiting and the camels were wondering what the heck. You can purchase the bow tie worn in this episode at The Tie Bar: The 1938 hurricane was the worst natural disaster in American history a gale that wreaked more death and havoc than either the great Chicago fire or the San Francisco earthquake. There is only one giraffe species, but there are several subspeciestwo of which are endangered. Those Giraffes, caught in a storm that killed hundreds of people, were en route to San Diego, California, and the storm was only the beginning of their cross-country journey. Schroeder was a former zoo veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo and would later become the zoos director after Benchley retired in 1953. . a 30-foot bank of what looked like fog rolled in toward Long Island. The Great 1938 Hurricane submerged coastal towns under eight feet of water. This story was updated in 2022. (And New York would not experience one as destructive until Hurricane Sandy in 2012.) .fun to weave the book with your stellar research! 1938 hurricane giraffes. I learned to expect it, he said yesterday, but I never learned to like it.. The XVIII Winter Olympics opened in Nagano, Japan 25 years ago. . Advice from the sidelines urged him to try ham and eggs. 1940. The damage was horrific. This improbable, but fact-based, story of two giraffes transported cross country in what was basically an over-balanced flatbed truck made me laugh, cry. Traveling shows displayed them as early as 1837; however, they were difficult to capture and transport, making them expensive to procure. ); I dont want this story to evaporate from my memory. Good story line well written. Homeless refugees crammed into town halls, armories and fire stations. He tried alfalfa and molasses. They were finally able to leave quarantine on October 10, 1938. No more Maple Groves, no barn, the cows were standing in what used to be their stalls.. The Great New England Hurricane of 1938 - Damage Photos By 4 pm, one of the most powerful and destructive hurricanes ever to hit Southern New England made landfall between Bridgeport andNew Haven, Conn. Great 1938 hurricane storm surge. Perhaps you will fall in love with those giraffes and enjoy the adventures of Old Man and Woody as much as I did.