Georgia is no stranger to natural disasters, unfortunately. From the Blizzard of ’93 which is still etched in many Georgian’s minds to the Tornado Outbreak of 2008, we have seen our fair share of tough times in nature. But there is one historical event that some might not know about. One of the scariest moments in Georgia’s history took place in 1893 when a catastrophic hurricane hit the unprepared Sea Islands, causing destruction and death. Take a trip back in time for one of the worst disasters in Georgia’s history, the Sea Islands Hurricane of 1893.

One of the worst disasters in Georgia history as well as U.S. history is the Sea Islands Hurricane of 1893.
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On August 27, 1893, a deadly hurricane struck the Sea Islands near Savannah, Georgia, eventually becoming the seventh deadliest hurricane in the history of the United States.
Wikipedia
The storm killed an estimated 1,000-2,000 people, but many say this number is conservative, especially since the hurricane hit areas of rural black communities that had practically no means to report causalities.
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The hurricane brought about 10-to-30-foot storm surges to the coastal areas of Georgia and South Carolina which resulted in the destruction of homes, as well as farmlands providing food for the areas.
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Back then, offshore storms were hard to trace, let alone warn anyone about, except for the ships carrying crew headed back to shore.
Wikipedia American Red Cross
One man, however, became famous for his heroics, U.S. Life-Saving Service Keeper Dunbar Davis. Davis braved the Category 3 hurricane with his crew in order to help bring back four ships safely to port.
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Reports from the time say that the winds reached up to 120 mph during landfall, which caused devastation to the crops, wooden cabins, and weaker structures throughout Georgia.
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Damages from the storm were catastrophic, taking years to rebuild. The damages totaled at least $1 million in 1893 USD which would be the equivalent of $29 million in 2020.
Wikipedia American Red Cross

Thanks to YouTube HappyMario64, we’re able to learn more about the Sea Islands Hurricane of 1893:

Did you know about the Sea Islands Hurricane? Share with us your thoughts in the comments section. If you want to know more about the most horrifying disasters in Georgia’s history, click here.

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