Afterward, the hurricane left only three. After loading the giraffes onto the truck, they headed to the U.S. They also included the Colonial Hurricane of 1635, the Great September Gale of 1815 and the Hurricane of 1938. Photo courtesy Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection. .printfriendly { I remember hearing my dad talk about this and how it affected the trees. In 1938, the San Diego Zoo acquired two giraffes from east Africa. Fred Ghent and Ray Sheldon were honest men who made a mistake. Schroeder was a former zoo veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo and would later become the zoos director after Benchley retired in 1953. As one of the most costly hurricanes to hit the U.S. mainland, it caused damage later estimated at $308 million. and what i found incredibly annoying was the constant reminder that he had a big secret and he couldn't let anyone know his secret and he couldn't talk about his secret, and if anyone knew his secret horrible things would happen and his secret was such a terrible secret; you get the picture. Listen 4:55. 1. 22 (Evening special edition). February 27, 2023 alexandra bonefas scott No Comments . Melanie says: In 1938, two giraffes bound for the San Diego zoo survived a hurricane at sea and a cross-country trip by truck. Virginia Beach: The Donning Company. } The Great 1938 Hurricane crossed over the tip of Long Island, slammed into New London and raced up the Connecticut River Valley at 50 miles per hour. Karie, I just finished West with Giraffes. It's 1938. Not a favorite. All the kids screaming,its the end of the world.. Who was the editor on this one? z-index: 1000; position: relative San Diego Zoo's timeline is best viewed on a desktop. I certainly recommend it as a book club read. Peter Haden / WLRN. In 1938, it was lifted from its foundation by flooding caused by the Great New England Hurricane and moved to a new []. Even today, the numbers are startling. The storm soaked an unknown number of pants. Giraffe Transport with International D-40 Truck More. ); quite the fun adventure! What happened on that ship during the storm is almost too crazy to be true. On board the ship were some unique passengers: two Giraffes. Another awesome animal book! Im going to include a part of the blurb that enticed me to listen to this wonderful audiobook: From the beginning, this remembrance of a few short weeks of one mans life captured both my attention and my heart. . 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. Her writing is clever and imaginative. Traveling shows displayed them as early as 1837; however, they were difficult to capture and transport, making them expensive to procure. 2.5 stars, *When reading this, one will develop an strong urge to head to the nearest zoo and see giraffes (maybe even feed them; you can at the Colorado Zoo!)*. -webkit-box-shadow: none; Nothing worked until, after a couple of hours, he tried an onion. You'll be supporting this record of the past that helps to inform our present. abbvie ceo richard gonzalez wife; how far is haddonfield, illinois from chicago In 1938, the merchant steamer SS Robin Goodfellow was caught in the Great New England Hurricane. Author Lynda Rutledge found inspiration for this story while browsing the San Diego Zoo archives and includes a number of the original articles in her book. the rig, the Old Man, and the giraffes were more homeand more familythan any home Id ever had. Old World. . Baby Giraffes from Africa Reach San Diego Zoo. Los Angeles Times (October 27, 1938): 14. Down a winding road out in the middle the hill country, yet only 5 minutes from charming, bustling Fredericksburg, Texas, Rick has brought 3 zoo-born giraffes and 3 zoo-born southern white rhinos to a 100 acre ranch and has opened the first phase of his dream of offering that kind of fun, conservation experience for those of us unable to travel In 1938, the merchant steamer SS Robin Goodfellow was caught in the Great New England Hurricane. 1938: Giraffes Lofty and Patches arrive (survived a hurricane on the journey to the United States) 1940: Benchley publishes My Life in a Man-Made Jungle; 1941: Dr. Harry Wegeforth dies at the age of 59; zoo plants its own garden to save money during the war I too felt the love for the giraffes and all animals really. A giraffe could look into a second-story window without even having to stand on its tiptoes! Boston: Little, Brown and Co. Croke, Vicki. Smith lured him with an acacia branch. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time, you're watching the live cam from the Safari Park. Weakened by age, racing against a clock, hallucinating, writing long hand, I could not believe that a writer would include details about billboards, flying birds, the physical look of hotels and camp grounds. The Great New England Hurricane of 1938 - Damage Photos Weather.gov > New York, NY > The Great New England Hurricane of 1938 - Damage Photos Current Hazards Current Conditions Radar Forecasts Rivers and Lakes Climate and Past Weather Local Programs The Great New England Hurricane of 1938 82nd Anniversary - September 21, 1938 Thank you for this! Image-purchasing questions? However, from Benchleys 1941 memoir it is obvious that Smith did not update her as much as she would have preferred. that's really only 2-1/2 stars. 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." I remember my mother saying she got the last bus out of downtown Providence go home to Jenkins St I think they were living there then. I was so excited to read this book but couldn't get past the first third. The giraffes arrival made the front page of The San Diego Union, Oct. 25, 1938. The 130-foot storm-ravaged cargo ship finally reached soggy and mangled Brooklyn on September 23. 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. 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. San Diego Zoo. outline:none; All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. By this time, the hurricane giraffes had made national headlines. Clinics then ran out of typhoid vaccine. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. She smelled of fur . She telegraphs WIRE ME TODAY, and you can bet she gets her wire. Knowing that the female giraffe barely survived the hurricane, I can imagine Benchley was quite worried throughout Smiths cross-country trip with the giraffes! When she sent him on a collecting trip to Africa in 1940, she noted, I am quite sure that we shall not hear much about Charleys trip until his return. /* If html does not have either class, do not show lazy loaded images. 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.. Its closest relative is the okapi. Wisconsin Historical Society Archives, 4th Floor, Madison, Wisconsin. She indeed fills our imagination with a journey full of colorful characters, tall tales, and deep secrets. The 1938 New England Hurricane (also referred to as the Great New England Hurricane and the Long Island Express Hurricane) [1] [2] was one of the deadliest and most destructive tropical cyclones to strike Long Island, New York, and New England. .figcaption {font-size: 75%;} too many authors seems to be using this idea and with this book it definitely did not work for me. Giraffes at Lion Country Safari remained outdoors and kept their heads down during Hurricane Irma. Please Credit: Wisconsin Historical Society. If you like history too, this is the channel for you. It is one of my favorite books I have read in my 84 1/2 yrs. Authors Channel Summit. 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. Begin or dive deeper into researching your family tree, Learn about the spaces, places, & unique story of your community, The largest North American Heritage collection after the Library of Congress. San Diego, CA: Zoological Society of San Diego. Marianne Williamson begins longshot 2024 challenge to Biden, A SoCal cocaine kingpin will do way less time behind bars than anticipated, Proposed bills could lead to more people being forced into mental health treatment, Column: Padres struggles renew rumors of poltergeists in Peoria, San Diego Sports Curse, Padres notes: Juan Soto to be held out of weekend games; veteran pitcher Julio Teheran makes push, Appreciation: David Lindley, dead at 78, an arresting music great who was nearly arrested on stage in San Diego. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Inspiration struck, and the result is this charming and wondrous enchantment of a novel. Visit our other Wisconsin Historical Society websites! It touched me more deeply than anything Ive read in years!! To view this image, visit the Archives Research Room on the 4th floor at the Society Headquarters building in Madison, WI. September 22, 1938. They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic. Browse all issues of Life Magazine in full color and search the full text through Google Books. Woodrow Wilson Nickel, aka Woody Nickel, almost 18, happens to be on a New York dock in 1938 when the hurricane-battered SS Robin Goodfellow limps into the harbor. 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. 1938 hurricane giraffes . Giraffes Proud Parents at the San Diego Zoo. Los Angeles Times (August 28, 1952): 15. In 1938, the merchant steamer SS Robin Goodfellow was caught in the Great New England Hurricane. Photo courtesy Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection. Many zoos simply werent willing to take the risk or didnt have the funds. https://thehistoryguyguild.locals.com/This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Visual materials in the Archives do not circulate and must be viewed in the Society's Archives Research Room. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. See and touch history at Historic Sites, Museums and special events, Restore your historic home or property, get tax credits, renovation tips. This book stays in my library for later rereading. He done a grand job and he knew it. A crane was used to lower the giraffe crates out of the truck and onto terra firma. As the giraffes leave quarantine, Woody jumps back on the stolen motorcycle and follows them. After 12 days, before it could reach the Bahamas, it turned northward, skimming the East. The storm totaled about 26,000 automobiles and blew over 20,000 electrical poles. According to Benchley, they were one of the few breeding pairs in captivity. This fictional tale is based on the true story and was so beautifully written that it will be remembered for a long time. Rhode Island got battered by the Great 1938 Hurricane. > waynesville, mo police reports > 1938 hurricane giraffes. https://zoohistories.com/2021/02/11/west-with-giraffes/. It was the voice of the narrator that I struggled with. Hooray Lynda Rutledge. 670 views, 48 likes, 3 loves, 2 comments, 12 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from The History Guy: In 1938, the merchant steamer SS Robin Goodfellow was caught in the Great New England Hurricane. On board the ship were some unique passengers: two Giraffes. For commercial or non-profit use, please contact Image Sales. They were given names Lofty and Patches, the winning entries in a naming contest. It is clear from Belle Benchleys memoir that she had a wonderful relationship with many of her keepers, particularly Charley Smith. Woody Nickel is 105 years old when he hears the news that giraffes may be going extinct. The dead filled funeral homes. Day and Night. Prior to becoming head keeper at the San Diego Zoo, he had been with the circus since he was eleven years old, including sixteen-year gig as the lead keeper of the Ringling Bros. circus. We had us an adventure, didnt we, Woody Nickel? Two giraffes (later to be called Lofty and Patches) travelled to New York surviving a hurricane at sea. Cincinnati. Im so glad you enjoyed it! It then took two years for the 50 CCC camps and 15,000 WPA workers in the region to finish the job. A charming and wondrous enchantment of a novel Sunday, February 14, 2021 Michelle Newby Lancaster HISTORICAL FICTION Lynda Rutledge West with Giraffes: A Novel Lake Union Publishing Hardcover (also available as an e-book, an audiobook, on audio CD, and in paperback), 978-1-5420-2174-6, 356 pgs., $24.95 February 1, 2021 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. They prepared to transport the animals across the country to San Diego, in the tall, oddly shaped crates that had been custom built for the purpose. Copyright 2023 Rumble. The Great 1938 Hurricane took almost everyone by surprise. 1938, near the Cape Verde Islands. San Diego, CA: Zoological Society of San Diego. Could not imagine the river that high. From 5 p.m. to 9 a.m., we rebroadcast the morning and afternoon stream. Volume 1: The Founding Era, 19161953. This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Giraffes, rhinos, and more! Kraft, Joy W. 2010. text-decoration: none; display: flex; align-items: center; 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. According to the National Weather Service,a storm surge of 12 to 15 feet destroyed most coastal homes, yacht clubs and marinas on Narragansett Bay. I seldom read books more than once, but this one I will return to again in the future! The Great 1938 Hurricane crossed over the tip of Long Island, slammed into New London and raced up the Connecticut River Valley at 50 miles per hour. In the novel, Woody is able to stop chasing the truck as, after much begging and pleading, he is offered the driving job by Old Man after a falling out with Earl. Please send suggestions for future episodes: Suggestions@TheHistoryGuy.net. Im so happy that I found this website to answer my questions about this great book. 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. For the purposes of a bibliography entry or footnote, follow this model: Common questions about purchasing historical images from the Wisconsin Historical Society. Eighty-mile-an-hour winds lashed the coast and the torrential downpour caused rivers and streams to overflow. Thank you so much for the feedback! float: left; HURRICANE GIRAFFES TO QUARANTINE. One of the 19,000 buildings destroyed by the hurricane. Photo courtesy Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection. Houses washed off their foundations, like the one above that landed in the Cape Cod Canal. 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): Getting to see a giraffe in 1938 was a pretty rare occasion. About 700 people died 75 years ago when the storm known variously as the Great New England Hurricane of 1938 or the Long Island Express began plowing up the Northeast coastline at 2:45 p.m. on. 1943: Lotus, first hippo born at zoo; trainer Richard Havemann fatally injured by Himalayan bear. Published September 20, 2017 at 11:17 PM EDT. In 1947, the mill still used wood cut from trees downed by the Great 1938 hurricane. 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. The first book I have read by this author and I really enjoyed the topic, the setting and the giraffes!! 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. Next thing I knew, we were floating, Moore recalled. Has some interesting accounts from people and some.good photos. Generous contributions from supporters allow The History Guy team to continue creating the snippets of forgotten history that have been seen by viewers all around the world. Seattle, WA: Lake Union Publishing. Woody happens to be standing nearby when a cargo ship that had two giraffes aboard (who were bound for the San Diego Zoo), arrives at shore after disastrous damage to the ship. They were enormously relieved to find that their precious cargo was alive. On board the ship were some unique passengers: two Giraffes. Thank you for sharing it the magic of googling. Footage of two giraffes transported on the highway before they died 22,066 views Aug 5, 2014 20 Dislike Share Save Alberton Record 941 subscribers This incident caused a stir on social media,. She used a set [], [] known as Apple Valley. Apple growing reached its peak in Smithfield during the 1930s, but the Great Hurricane of 1938 wiped out many trees. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Sherr, Lynn. Staff would often sneak in some of the animals when visiting herbaby foxes, binturongs, and other small mammals . This is a good book for the whole family to read. I absolutely loved this book. and sweet foreign farm dung. For a farm boy who grew up listening to his father prattle on that animals were nothing more than food, this experience was life-changing. San Diego, already a world-class zoo, opened their WPA-constructed Reptile House and a zoo caf. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel Publishing. 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 My mom was 16 and lived in New Bedford on Acusnet ave.(not sure of the spelling) with her mom and dad. My thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a review e-copy of this one. What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to deliver Southern California's first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo. . 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. 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. https://teespring.com/stores/the-history-guy. By extension, might I assume that global warming began in 38? The youngest child, just turned 2, was with her and a tree limb fell and gave him a bad cut on his head. (Side note: these events occurred one year after young Nicky Arundel got his wish for giraffes at the National Zoo.). Westerly, a bastion of quiet old wealth, never quite regained its prestige after the Great 1938 Hurricane. 1997. . 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. display: none; I finished the book last night and now after reading the background and seeing the pictures of the truck and the It was a three-hour ordeal. One of the aspects of the novel I enjoyed the most was the depiction of Belle Benchleysweet but tough, and highly respected. 1940. font-weight: 600; Before the storm, 100 boats fished the waters between Point Judith, R.I., and New London. 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. He's so upset that he wants to set down on paper his story about driving two young giraffes across the United States. (And New York would not experience one as destructive until Hurricane Sandy in 2012.) Westward ho! In the eastern part of the state, a fire started in Newport among fallen timber from the 1938 hurricane around Tonomy [], [] This story was updated in 2019. : https://thehistoryguyguild.locals.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHistoryGuyYT/Please send suggestions for future episodes: Suggestions@TheHistoryGuy.net. West with Giraffes. .printfriendly.pf-aligncenter { could that giraffe have been a descendant of Lofty and Patches? You can purchase the bow tie worn in this episode at The Tie Bar: The Great 1938 Hurricane inflicted tremendous damage on shipping. Even up there the damage was great. No one thought of padding their stalls, and they learned bout mal de mer during the last days of the voyage when the big September storm swept the Atlantic coast. In 1938, 2 hurricanes survived the Great Hurricane and needed to be transported across the US from NY to the San Diego Zoo. Photo courtesy Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection. Thanks to amazon first reads and @lakeunion for the e-Arc . Survivor. Giraffes. The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered is the place to find short snippets of forgotten history from five to fifteen minutes long. And in Vermont, the storm caused a train derailment and uprooted maple trees and apple orchards. Smith spent a few days easing her into the crate while attempting not to spook her, and getting kicked in return. Photo courtesy Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection. This image is issued by the Wisconsin Historical Society. The giraffes, probably only a few years old, were met at the Brooklyn dock by the San Diego Zoos head keeper Charley Smith (Riley Jones and Old Man in the novel) and city truck driver Ed Seuss (Earl). My grandparents were on their honeymoon and when they returned to Salem, CT from Niagra Falls, the whole region was in disarray. It was some time before they found out. Connect to database. Inaccurate weather forecasts left residents unprepared. Local Woman Names Newly Arrived Giraffes. Escondido (CA) Times-Advocate (October 28, 1938): 6. What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to become Southern California's first giraffes. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. } I have some books printed the next year , with 100s of picture , tv, nh, ri, and ct I have a book for each. Thank you! A treasure for sure. Part 3: War Years, 19371946. ZOONOOZ, March 2016. https://issuu.com/sdzglobal/docs/march_zn. 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. } color: #3AAA11 !important; In the novel West with Giraffes, Woody Nickel, is a seventeen-year-old dirt-farm rowdy, pure as a cow pie, cunning as a wild hog bound to escape the Texas Panhandle (and any law enforcement that might be looking for him). 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. 1947. padding: 0; font-size: 14px !important; Around 60 people died on Long Island - 29 of them at or near Westhampton Beach. display: none; All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. Without warning, a powerful Category 3 hurricane slams into Long Island and southern New England, causing 600 deaths and devastating coastal cities and towns. 1938: Two giraffes, Lofty and Peaches, arrive. They talked about the bridges that had washed away. [] department store employees could be fiercely loyal. 2016. https://www.sandiegozoo100.org/100-animals/lofty-and-patches. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration. West with Giraffes, a novel by Lynda Rutledge, gripped my attention from beginning to end. The National [], The Great 1938 Hurricane, A Once-In-A-Lifetime Storm, Cherie Burns. There the family stepped back on to land and back into their lives. One story about the Zoo that was told in newspapers nationwide was the travels of Lofty and Patches, the Zoos first giraffes. Photo courtesy Archives and Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Libraries. display: none; Conservation Status: Threatened. } The giraffe is in a large crate on the bed of the truck which appears to be inside a building. Robert L. was completely crushed by the animal. 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. Check out our new community for fans and supporters! Upon discovering that two of the passengers were giraffes, a whole new set of stories quickly developed. But in many ways, the San Diego Zoo had been built on risk taking, and Dr. Harry Wegeforth, the zoos former director and then Belle Benchleys right-hand man, was darn good at fundraising. The original caption reads: "D-40 Internationals sold to San Diego Zoo to transport 2 giraffes across the continent from New York. Two huge broken-up crates are lifted off containing amazing cargo: two Baringo 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. margin: 0; Real estate developers wiped out many of the orchards that the hurricane [], [] for 103 years, until 1958. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. 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. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. Finally, the waves overwhelmed their own house, lifting it off its foundation.