---
title: "Galveston Hurricane of 1900"
year: 1900
country: "United States"
canonical: "https://recap.at/1900/galveston-hurricane-1900"
slug: "galveston-hurricane-1900"
recapType: "global_event"
startDate: "1900-08-27"
endDate: "1900-09-17"
---

# Galveston Hurricane of 1900

> The deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history killed over 6,000 people and prompted the first large-scale American disaster relief effort.

## Summary

The 1900 Galveston hurricane was a catastrophic tropical cyclone that became the deadliest natural disaster in the history of the United States. The strongest storm of the 1900 Atlantic hurricane season, it left between 6,000 and 12,000 fatalities; the number most cited in official reports is 8,000. Most of these deaths occurred in and near Galveston, Texas, after the storm surge inundated the coastline city with 8 to 12 ft of water. As of 2026, it remains the fourth deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record. In addition to the number killed, the storm destroyed about 7,000 buildings in Galveston, which included 3,636 demolished homes; every dwelling in the city suffered some degree of damage. The hurricane left approximately 10,000 people in the city homeless, out of a total population of fewer than 38,000. The disaster ended the Golden Era of Galveston; the hurricane alarmed potential investors, who turned to Houston instead. In response to the storm, three engineers designed and oversaw plans to raise the Gulf of Mexico shoreline of Galveston Island by 17 ft (5.2 m) and erect a 10 mi (16 km) seawall.

## Sources

- [Galveston Hurricane of 1900](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1900_Galveston_hurricane) - Wikipedia

---
Canonical: https://recap.at/1900/galveston-hurricane-1900