A Texas-Size Storm

A Texas-Size Storm

On October 8, 1900, Galveston was slammed by a Category 4 hurricane. Winds reached 120 mph, destroying most of the city's buildings, and storm surges engulfed the island.

When it was all over, about 6,000 of Galveston's 40,000 residents had died (along with 4,000—6,000 people on the mainland), making this the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history.

After the storm (which is still referred to as "The Hurricane"), Galveston built the Seawall, which rises 17 feet above the mean low tide for protection. It may not be much to look at, but it has been effective—waves have topped the Seawall during bad storms, but the barrier has prevented the city from experiencing the full brunt from the storm surges that have hit since its construction.