Melanie says: In 1938, two giraffes bound for the San Diego zoo survived a hurricane at sea and a cross-country trip by truck. Parts of downtown Providence were under 14 feet of water, with people sheltering on the second and third floors of buildings. The storm forced the Connecticut River over its banks, inundating cities and towns with floodwater. Many zoos simply werent willing to take the risk or didnt have the funds. . As a travel writer she loved the idea of a road trip. display: flex; align-items: center; And high winds knocked down an estimated 2 billion trees in New York and New England, devastating forests. He is full of talk and wit and fun when he is around, but when away he makes me wait for news day after day until I am nearly mad from worrying. My Mother remembers a tree falling through their roof in North Conway, NH. Almost 700 people perished as the result of the storm, and 2,000 were injured. One of those books that make you not want to even start another cuz. . All Rights Reserved. The director of the zoo tells Old Man, Any friend of Mrs. Benchley is welcome here.. The 1938 New England Hurricane made landfall near Bellport on Long Island, New York, and again near Milford and New Haven, Connecticut. Eighty-mile-an-hour winds lashed the coast and the torrential downpour caused rivers and streams to overflow. West with Giraffes. Please send suggestions for future episodes: Suggestions@TheHistoryGuy.net. This was on his retirement day. 1940. In 1938, the merchant steamer SS Robin Goodfellow was caught in the Great New England Hurricane. West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge was inspired by the true story of two giraffes in 1938 that "survived a hurricane at sea, then were driven cross-country for 12 days in little more than a tricked-out pickup truck to become the first giraffes in Southern California." 1923 campaign for safe and sane driving in San Diego urged citizen vigilance in reporting traffic violations. Giraffes. A storm formed in the eastern Atlantic near the Cape Verde Islands on September 4, 1938, and headed west. On board the ship were some unique passengers: two Giraffes. Ive fibbed a bit over the years and told people I was born during the great 1938 hurricane, the hospital lights were out, and the doctor slapped the wrong end, which was the beginning of all my troubles. img.pf-button-img + .pf-button-text { They were instant successes, and beloved by staff and visitors alike. Reporters in the cities and towns theywent through wrote amusing anecdotes about seeing them on the road, the giraffes peering out of their tall windows at the scenery and cars around them. My sister passed it on to me and knew Id enjoy it. Nominee for Best Historical Fiction (2021). Find The History Guy at:New community! border: none; Getting to see a giraffe in 1938 was a pretty rare occasion. .printfriendly a, .printfriendly a:link, .printfriendly a:visited, .printfriendly a:hover, .printfriendly a:active { Giraffes, rhinos, and more! I Loved this book, and hated to see it come to an end. 1938 hurricane giraffes. 1938 1939 LIFE Magazine October 10, 1938 LIFE Magazine October 10, 1938 Legion Drum Majoretts $ 39.99 9 in stock Add to cart SKU: 113-810-1000 Categories: LIFE Magazines, LIFE Magazines 1930's, LIFE Magazines 1938 Tag: Description Additional information Description Vol. } The accident happened when a giraffe crossed over the road and was hit by a mini bus taxi carrying 13 people when the 18-foot tall giraffe which weighed about 1,650 lbs completely crushed the front of the bus before then smashing in the roof and front of the Swiss family's Ford Ranger camper. He remembered the 38, too! 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. The first part of their journey involved sailingaboard a ship from Africa. As they neared the eastern coast of the U.S., the ship was thrashed about in a hurricane, tumbling their crates and washing all their food overboard! The hurricane chewed away at roadbeds, like Shore Drive in Winthrop, Mass., above. that's really only 2-1/2 stars. San Diego Zoo. Benchley recalled, I have never seen anyone so tired and relieved as Charley Smith when he drove the great awkward truck through the zoo gate, half an hour after phoning me from a suburb. giraffes - Find news stories, facts, pictures and video about giraffes - Page 1 | Newser No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Lofty and Patches lived at the San Diego Zoo for nearly 30 years. September 22, 1938. It took a week to restore power in Provincetown, and 200 men spent a week trying to open the roads to Newport, R.I. He has often bragged, When the Missus gets tired of waiting for me to write she just burns up the wires. Tall Blondes: A Book about Giraffes. 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. Giraffes at Lion Country Safari remained outdoors and kept their heads down during Hurricane Irma. Aftermath of the Great 1938 Hurricane in Hartford, Conn. Photo licensed under public domain by Wikipedia Commons. } They were finally able to leave quarantine on October 10, 1938. Born in the wild country of southeast Africa, these babies, less than three years old, set sail from their native shores last summer and were 54 days at sea. Gawky Giraffes to Leave Athenia Today for Coast. Paterson (N.J.) News (October 10, 1938): 35. I have been recommending it to everyone! What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to deliver Southern California's first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo. Woodrow Wilson Nickel is a 17-year old boy who left his home in TX during the dust bowl to live with his relative. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. The events of the twelve-day cross-country drive are difficult to decipher outside of what Smith revealed to journalists and The Boss Lady. He did not keep a journal, so Lynda Rutledge takes creative license to fill in the blanks for us. In 1938, it was lifted from its foundation by flooding caused by the Great New England Hurricane and moved to a new []. For the purposes of a bibliography entry or footnote, follow this model: Common questions about purchasing historical images from the Wisconsin Historical Society. Animal Quarantine Station in Athenia, New Jersey, for a federally mandated fifteen-day quarantine. First pair of giraffes, "Lofty" and "Patches," arrive at the Zoo in 1938 (see photo, right). For the in-depth story, see The San Diego Zoo: The Founding Era, 1916-1953 Three giraffe subspecies are housed at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park (as of July 2016; Amanda Lussier, personal communication): The Great 1938 Hurricane washed homes off their foundations. As the ocean waves began surging into the house, Catherine Moore recalls her father bracing against the front door literally trying to hold back the ocean. View this selection of cartoons by William Donahey. On Feb. 12, 1937 a striking, unique photograph of Abraham Lincoln was published for the first time on the front page of the Evening Tribune in San Diego. San Diego's Hurricane Giraffes | In 1938, the merchant steamer SS Robin Goodfellow was caught in the Great New England Hurricane. My family always talked about the 38 Hurricane. 3rd ed. Lofty and Patches. San Diego Zoo: 100 Years. My 92 year old father is still talking about it, Our summer house is in Misquamicut which was wiped out. She was right. Schroeder was a former zoo veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo and would later become the zoos director after Benchley retired in 1953. Now get that head back in its hole, ignore those know nothing scientists, and relax. San Diego Zoo keeper Charley Smith and driver Ed Seuss were also at the dock, having made their way to New York to collect the giraffes. Local Woman Names Newly Arrived Giraffes. Escondido (CA) Times-Advocate (October 28, 1938): 6. But when they underestimated an approaching hurricane, at least 250 luckless World War I vets died, caught in the path of the most. San Diego, already a world-class zoo, opened their WPA-constructed Reptile House and a zoo caf. Little did anyone now that in September 1938, during the final few days of their trip, these animals bound for San Diego would encounter what was then the most devastating hurricane to hit the upper East Coast, killing nearly 700 people. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), his wish for giraffes at the National Zoo, https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/3298.html, https://library.sandiegozoo.org/sdzg-history-timeline/#1930, http://timeline.sandiegozoo100.org/1930/1930-3/, https://www.sandiegozoo100.org/100-animals/lofty-and-patches, https://www.sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/timeline/1938/1938/, https://issuu.com/sdzglobal/docs/march_zn. Connect to database. Lofty and Patches became national figures when they made the last lap of the journey from south eastern Africa a transcontinental trip from New York by truck. It may not be sold or redistributed, copied or distributed as a photograph, electronic file, or any other media. Cross Country. On. Two-thirds of the boats in New Bedford Harbor sank. I had read about the true story of the famous hurricane giraffes when I conducted research for my story on Belle Benchley, but I thank Lynda Rutledge for writing this work of fiction, which left me with the desire to learn more about them. Im so happy that I found this website to answer my questions about this great book. Above, Bushnell Park in Hartford after the storm. We had us an adventure, didnt we, Woody Nickel? Rutledge, Lynda. West with Giraffes is an endearing, and also heart-rending piece of historical fiction. @media print { Taken on September 22, 1938, the day after the category-3 "Great Hurricane" of 1938 struck Old Lyme, the image focuses on the upturned roots of a monumental tree that dwarfs the wood-framed house behind it. Photo courtesy Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection. Awesome The History Guy merchandise is available at:https://teespring.com/stores/the-history-guy, The History Guy: History Deserves to be Remembered, Enjoyed this video? It was some time before they found out. The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered is the place to find short snippets of forgotten history from five to fifteen minutes long. Charlestown, R.I., lost a bit more: 160 out of 200 homes were annihilated. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration. If you like history too, this is the channel for you. Just finished this wonderful book!! 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. I remember water lines painted on telco poles along the Merrimack river. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. Homeless refugees crammed into town halls, armories and fire stations. Even today, the numbers are startling. The image should not be significantly altered through conventional or electronic means. Get help and learn more about the design. -webkit-box-shadow: none; The storm totaled about 26,000 automobiles and blew over 20,000 electrical poles. 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. display: none; In New London, Conn., high waters pushed a five-masted ship, Marsala,into a warehouse and started a fire that demolished a quarter-mile section of the citys business district. At 12:30 PM, a 30-foot bank of what looked like fog rolled in toward Long Island. They survived, although the female was injured. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Real estate developers wiped out many of the orchards that the hurricane [], [] for 103 years, until 1958. The author certainly did her research into American life in 1938 and she wove every bit of what she learned into this novel. .pf-button.pf-button-excerpt { One question I have, since way back in the early sixties I was licked on the nose by a giraffe at the San Diego Zoo. Upon discovering that two of the passengers were giraffes, a whole new set of stories quickly developed. It's hard to imagine a time when most of the population had never seen a giraffe. Ever wonder why beer is so popular in Wisconsin? We were on the water with the waves crashing over us, and part of the house still attached, one of the walls still attached to this piece of floor, and it almost acted as a sail.. Perhaps you will fall in love with those giraffes and enjoy the adventures of Old Man and Woody as much as I did. Thank you Lynda Rutledge for researching this story and writing this wonderful fictionalized account!! While hiding out at the barn in Athenia, Woody does his own acquainting with the giraffessneaking into the paddock to feed them apples and onions, and checking on the injured girl. .printfriendly.pf-alignleft { she was such a sweet grandmotherly type. In 1947, the mill still used wood cut from trees downed by the Great 1938 hurricane. Without warning, a powerful Category 3 hurricane slams into Long Island and southern New England, causing 600 deaths and devastating coastal cities and towns. Two weeks ago last night, Smith, the giraffes and Eddie Seuss, mechanic, started the trek westward, the animals heads sticking out of the top of the crates and astounding motorists from ocean to ocean wondering if they saw it, really. This is a good book for the whole family to read. Charley Smith would update Benchley via telegram during the twelve-day trek. There were many reasons giraffes were hard to come by for Americas first zoos. I hope to die there, I do. Print out this index page and present it to the librarian. The hurricane wiped away entire communities, altered the shoreline of Long Island, washed away bridges, severed train service between New York and Boston and between cities in Connecticut and Rhode Island. I learned to expect it, he said yesterday, but I never learned to like it.. The narrator is the orphan, now 100 years old and nearing death, who has decided that he cant let the story die with him. As one of the most costly hurricanes to hit the U.S. mainland, it caused damage later estimated at $308 million. Another awesome animal book! Red was an aspiring photojournalist trying to sell her giraffe story to Life magazine. Peter Haden / WLRN. 1938 hurricane giraffes You'll be supporting this record of the past that helps to inform our present. Published September 20, 2017 at 11:17 PM EDT. It then took two years for the 50 CCC camps and 15,000 WPA workers in the region to finish the job. Life Magazine is a photographic magazine chronicling the 20th Century. 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, . A woman stands on the running board of an International D-40 truck to feed a captive giraffe in transport. That is when he locks eyes with the giraffes (Boy and Girl). The Modern Ark: The Story of Zoos: Past, Present and Future. -webkit-box-shadow: none; Its moving, thrilling, educational and thought-provoking, and was a welcome break from all my thrillers. Few paid attention to the stormbarreling up the coast. -moz-box-shadow: none; 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.Show more, Check out our new community for fans and supporters! Wisconsin Historical Society Archives, 4th Floor, Madison, Wisconsin. The storm hit Long Island and Southern . All received the Gold Lifesaving Medal, the Coast Guards highest honor, for extreme and [], [] frequently visiting her familys summer home in the Fenwick section of Old Saybrook. Americas First Zoostory: 125 Years at the Philadelphia Zoo. There the family stepped back on to land and back into their lives. The original caption reads: "D-40 Internationals sold to San Diego Zoo to transport 2 giraffes across the continent from New York. 11 2 Reply Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. The keepers and other staff members would visit her daily; [s]ometimes as many as eight would come during the same day or evening, she recalled. Good book! The story is set around a truly extraordinary real life occurrence that took place in 1938. With thanks to The Great Hurricane: 1938 by Cherie Burns. Clinics then ran out of typhoid vaccine. Thank you for sharing it the magic of googling. Looks like a granny, dresses like a schoolmarm, swears like a sailor, and still charms snooty zoo galoots with their fancy educations. Rutledge even includes reference to Benchleys encounter with an escaped baboon. For instance, there were amazing oral histories just about the 1938 hurricane that the giraffes were caught in before landing in New York was the worst until Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The original caption reads: "7 negatives of D-40 International sold to San Diego zoo to transport 2 giraffes across the continent from New York. .wp-block-image figcaption {text-align: center; font-size: 75%}, As the country teeters between a depression and Europes looming war, a pair of giraffes, survivors of a hurricane at sea, left a wake of much-needed cheer while driven cross-country to the San Diego Zoo, where lady zoo director Mrs. Belle Benchley awaited.. On board the ship were some unique passengers: two Giraffes. Traveling shows displayed them as early as 1837; however, they were difficult to capture and transport, making them expensive to procure. Theyve seen the world. Upon hearing that the giraffes were bound for San Diego, Woody became determined to follow them to the land of milk and honey and begin a new life. Sept. 21, 1938, was supposed to be a breezy fall day in New England. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. font-weight: 600; 1997. 1938: The Great Depression lingers. A Cherry & Webb employee drowned during the Hurricane of 1938 while trying to rescue the stores furs in the Providence stores [], [] waves in the hopes ofreaching the Pendleton, an oil tanker that had snapped in two during the fierce storm. I too felt the love for the giraffes and all animals really. Photo courtesy Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection. So all in all, it's really well done: a great escape, completely enjoyable, and if you are an animal lover who cares about animal rights and avoiding the final sixth extinction, you'll be especially satisfied. Instead of running away from the crazed primate, she stretched out her arms and caught it in mid-air and carried it back to its pen. The "Teenie Weenies" cartoons enchanted readers of all ages for more than 50 years. The peculiar travelers were a sensation everywhere they wentand their story provided some much-needed humor and enjoyment for a nation still struggling from the Depression. .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 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