Hurricanes and Storms
Hurricanes and Storms
September 3, 1954
Hurricane Slashes the Vineyard, Inflicts Deep Wounds Everywhere
The back road between Edgartown and Vineyard Haven seemed to have weathered the storm pretty well, bordered by sturdy scrub oak. However, as the road nears Vineyard Haven, the taller trees in the vicinity took a severe beating and consequently, so did the power lines.
July 3, 1945
Salvaged from Storm, for Use as Hotel Annex
The Kelley House garden in Edgartown resumes a portion of its former beauty as it is cleared of the wreckage of the hurricane, and the setting has changed through the addition of two annex buildings increasing the capacity of the ancient hotel.
September 29, 1944
Incidents of Hurricane and Its Aftermath on Vineyard are Touched with Drama and Sadness
A great many trees were knocked down by the wind at the former Sullivan Jones place, Edgartown. The road leading into the estate, now owned by William B. Dinsmore, was completely blocked by fallen trees.
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September 22, 1944
Vineyard Sound Lightship Goes Down with All Hands
The Vineyard Sound lightship was lost with all hands the night of the hurricane. The luckless vessel, with a crew of eleven, was at her station off the tip of Cuttyhunk in Vineyard Sound, when she was presumably overwhelmed, with no chance to radio a message of her approaching fate and ask for aid.
September 15, 1944
Hurricane Damage on Vineyard Goes Into the Millions
Martha’s Vineyard awoke on Friday morning to witness such a scene of destruction and wreckage as the Island never saw before. This is the literal truth, since never before has the Island owned so much property along the shores and waterfronts, susceptible to damage by sea and tide.
September 23, 1938
Score of Boats Swept Past Edgartown Light
“It was heartbreaking to see those boats go to pieces,” Capt. Fred Vidler, keeper of the Edgartown Harbor Light said yesterday. He was speaking of the boats, torn from their moorings in Edgartown harbor, which were carried by the current against the lighthouse bridge at the height of the storm. As soon as the craft hit the bridge they seemed to go to pieces like matchwood.
September 23, 1938
Hurricane of 1938 Was Devastating: Storm Obliterated Menemsha
Swept by a hurricane the velocity of which has been estimated at a hundred miles an hour at brief periods, and which surpassed anything of the sort that has ever struck the Island from a southerly point, Martha’s Vineyard presented a scene of disaster on Wednesday night. There was one death. Several persons were injured and the storm caused a loss of property that may easily total half a million dollars.
August 29, 1924
Fiercest August Storm for Fifty Years Sweeps Over Vineyard
The terrific north-easterly storm which swept the eastern Massachusetts coast on Tuesday was felt with unusual severity on the Vineyard. The wind for an hour or two, from three to five o’clock in the afternoon, blowing with hurricane force and leaving various forms of wreckage in its wake.
September 15, 1904
The Line Gale, or What?
The southerly gale of this morning developed between seven and eight o’clock at almost the proportions of a hurricane.
Fortunately for the harbor front the tide was not high, else much damage to piers, etc., might have resulted.
No damage of moment has been reported. Limbs of trees broken off, lights of glass blown in, and several boats broke adrift from their moorings, but were secured without sustaining damage.
December 1, 1898
A Terrific Storm Sweeps the Coast, Causing Many Wrecks and Loss of Life
Saturday night and most of Sunday the fiercest storm in many years prevailed over the northern and eastern part of the country.
The damage by the storm will aggregate several millions of dollars along the entire New England coast, not to mention the loss inland. Sea-faring men declare that not in the last half century has there been a gale so severe to shipping interests as this.
