After examination and treatment, Schroeder deemed the giraffe worth saving and cleared her to make the trip. HURRICANE GIRAFFES TO QUARANTINE. Two-thirds of the boats in New Bedford Harbor sank. Upon discovering that two of the passengers were giraffes, a whole new set of stories quickly developed. We had us an adventure, didnt we, Woody Nickel? } Lofty and Patches lived at the San Diego Zoo for nearly 30 years and had seven offspring, including Raffy, D-Day (born June 6, 1946), Rusty, Patty and Lofty Jr. From The San Diego Union, Wednesday, Oct. 26, 1938: alive and kickingaccent on kicking--the two much-heralded animals that blazed a publicity trail across the continent were unloaded in San Diego zoo yesterday. Volume 1: The Founding Era, 19161953. Seattle, WA: Lake Union Publishing. 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): In October 1938 the first breeding pair of giraffes arrived at the San Diego Zoo from east Africa. Traveling shows displayed them as early as 1837; however, they were difficult to capture and transport, making them expensive to procure. -webkit-box-shadow: none; Inaccurate weather forecasts left residents unprepared. Boston: Little, Brown and Co. Croke, Vicki. Total cost of the storm for the East End of Long Island alone was estimated to be $6.2 million (1938) Almost 50 . From 5 p.m. to 9 a.m., we rebroadcast the morning and afternoon stream. West with Giraffes is a Lovely Book based on real life events, about an orphaned teenager who ends up driving two giraffes across the USA to the San Diego Zoo in 1938. Lofty and Patches became national figures when they made the last lap. Copyright 2023 Rumble. display: inline; If youd like to read about a wild ride one family took during the storm, click. Ever wonder why beer is so popular in Wisconsin? It is history that deserves your help! The user is responsible for all issues of copyright. Orphaned during the Dust Bowl, he found his way to New York to work for a distant cousin. Photo courtesy Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection. You made the people come alive as you filled in the lives to match the historical facts. 11 2 Reply The 45-mile drive from Brooklyn to the quarantine facility through flooded and debris-ridden streets, avoiding potentially low-rise overpasses, was certainly a true test of how the giraffes might handle a drive across the country, which in fact had never been done before with the towering creatures. box-shadow: none; After three days of being fed pancakes (and the giraffes are indeed fed pancakes at one point in the novel), she mustered up the energy to pull herself up. Narrator: On September 4, 1938, a French meteorologist in the Sahara noted winds moving west toward the African coast and the Atlantic Ocean.Two weeks later, these winds -- now at hurricane force . He's so upset that he wants to set down on paper his story about driving two young giraffes across the United States. Aftermath of the Great 1938 Hurricane in Hartford, Conn. Photo licensed under public domain by Wikipedia Commons. 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. The storm totaled about 26,000 automobiles and blew over 20,000 electrical poles. Published September 20, 2017 at 11:17 PM EDT. 1938 hurricane giraffes. .pf-button-img { Learn about obtaining permission and the copyright laws that apply to images purchased from the Wisconsin Historical Society. . But when they underestimated an approaching hurricane, at least 250 luckless World War I vets died, caught in the path of the most. I learned to expect it, he said yesterday, but I never learned to like it.. But when she was angry she made Mount Vesuvius seem considerably less dangerous. Overall, says Magilligan, the Hurricane of 1938 and Irene dumped similar amounts of rain - between 7 and 10 inches in most locations, often within just a few hours. 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. The hurricane also tossed the lighthouse tender Tulip, pictured above, ashore. Giraffes Proud Parents at the San Diego Zoo. Los Angeles Times (August 28, 1952): 15. Three improbable protagonists take it upon themselves to transport two giraffes, that survived a 1938 hurricane at the end of their trans-Atlantic crossing, in a trans-continental adventure from New York to San Diego. On. A total of 4,500 homes were destroyed and 25,000 damaged. 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. 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Print out this index page and present it to the librarian. > waynesville, mo police reports > 1938 hurricane giraffes. 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, 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. It's harder to imagine hauling two of them across the United States during the Dust Bowl. I hope to die there, I do. Part 3: War Years, 19371946. ZOONOOZ, March 2016. https://issuu.com/sdzglobal/docs/march_zn. Find The History Guy at:New community! lofty and patches giraffes 1938. Tall Blondes: A Book about Giraffes. Animal Trainer Called by Death. Los Angeles Times (July 21, 1941): B16. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Conservation Status: Threatened. 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. 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. Photo courtesy Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection. The AMC breached the contract once, after the Great Hurricane of 1938 required downed trees to be [], [] Snow called the High Tide Storm of 1723 one of the big four New England storms. 1938 hurricane giraffes . Hence, West with Giraffes. To see newsreel footage of the Great 1938 Hurricane, click here. This attention, the time for which had to be borrowed from their all too few leisure hours, touched me deeply because it showed that I had won a place with them not based on relationship of boss and employee, but upon friendship and confidence, she reminisced in her memoir. Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal, https://www.thetiebar.com/?utm_campaign=BowtieLove&utm_medium=YouTube&utm_source=LanceGeiger, https://www.facebook.com/TheHistoryGuyYT/, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4sEmXUuWIFlxRIFBRV6VXQ?sub_confirmation=1, https://teespring.com/stores/the-history-guy. If youd like to read about another familys ordeal stranded on a high floor in their house, click here. Empower curiosity about the people, places, and stories of our past. Our giraffe habitat lets you get amazingly close to these tremendously tall creatures. I dont want this story to evaporate from my memory. 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. 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. One of the 19,000 buildings destroyed by the hurricane. This image is issued by the Wisconsin Historical Society. */ 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. Is there any talk of turning this into a movie? 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 storm hit seven days after I was born in Northampton, Mass. Sometimes the men even stopped under appropriate food trees and let Lofty and Patchesstretch stretch their necks up for an afternoon snack. Benchley preferred to transport the giraffes by vehicle so that they could stop as deemed necessary to nourish and rest the animals. Loading them was no one-day job and in the melee, Patches (Mrs. giraffe), kicked Smith down more than once. She indeed fills our imagination with a journey full of colorful characters, tall tales, and deep secrets. Authors Channel Summit. New York: Scribner. They survived, although the female was injured. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. The crates holding giraffes Lofty and Patches are loaded onto the truck from the ship in New York, 1938. . Photo courtesy Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection. News of the storm-tossed ship had reached reporters, and they gathered on the dock to get the story. So very touching and heart wrenching!! Sign up for the Wisconsin Historical Society Newsletter, 1996-2023 Wisconsin Historical Society, 816 State Street, Madison, WI 53706, Giraffe Transport with International D-40 Truck | Photograph | Wisconsin Historical Society, International Harvester Company : Photo albums, circa 1899-1965, William Donahey's Teenie Weenies - Image Gallery Essay, Breweries, Beer and Bars in Wisconsin History - Image Gallery Essay, Men stand around an International D-40 truck used to transport two giraffes. Her writing is clever and imaginative. By extension, might I assume that global warming began in 38? Another regular occurrence, this one fictional, was the sighting of a fancy green Packard, driven by a redhead full of determination. 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. West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge. 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. .printfriendly a, .printfriendly a:link, .printfriendly a:visited, .printfriendly a:hover, .printfriendly a:active { Vol. San Diego Zoo Centennial Timeline: 1938. https://www.sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/timeline/1938/1938/ (accessed 2/9/2021). 3rd ed. The San Diego Zoo: The First Century. After 12 days, before it could reach the Bahamas, it turned northward, skimming the East. 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. It's hard to imagine a time when most of the population had never seen a giraffe. No one recalls exact conversations, the gap teeth of a service station attendant, the color of vehicles along the road after 80 years. Im so happy that I found this website to answer my questions about this great book. When, finally, I can bear the silence no longer, I let him know that I must have news. 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. September 22, 1938. 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 Great New England Hurricane of 1938 was one of the most destructive and powerful storms ever to strike southern New England. San Diego Zoo. that's really only 2-1/2 stars. This fictional tale is based on the true story and was so beautifully written that it will be remembered for a long time. I certainly recommend it as a book club read. On board the ship were some unique passengers: two Giraffes. The first book I have read by this author and I really enjoyed the topic, the setting and the giraffes!! (Side note: these events occurred one year after young Nicky Arundel got his wish for giraffes at the National Zoo.). That is when he locks eyes with the giraffes (Boy and Girl). (And New York would not experience one as destructive until Hurricane Sandy in 2012.) 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. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time, you're watching the live cam from the Safari Park. 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? *Estimated delivery dates - opens in a new window or tab include seller's handling time, origin ZIP Code, destination ZIP Code and time of acceptance and will depend on shipping service selected and receipt of cleared payment. Itwashed away railroad tracks, sent bridges downstream and downed electrical wires, leaving some New Englanders without electricity for weeks. Images of America Series. Smith spent a few days easing her into the crate while attempting not to spook her, and getting kicked in return. On the other side of the pond, Hitler was invading Eastern Europe, so the combined stress of world events and personal troubles were briefly assuaged by the sight of the traveling giraffes. Above, Bushnell Park in Hartford after the storm. i loved the idea of the story, a road trip from new york to california with two young giraffes, the only part of the book that is non-fiction. President Franklin Roosevelt ordered theCivilian Conservation Corpsand theWorks Progress Administrationto clean up the mess. Found your piece on the Giraffes through researching the question So, is it true? as our Buddy read group was working its way through West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge. } It is one of my favorite books I have read in my 84 1/2 yrs. The XVIII Winter Olympics opened in Nagano, Japan 25 years ago. Old World. @media print { On board the ship were some unique passengers: two Giraffes. "As the country teeters between a depression and Europe's 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 Di. } Lofty and Patches. San Diego Zoo: 100 Years. body.custom-background { background-color: #505050; } Giraffes. A delightful read, I couldn't put it down. . 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. Worley, Karen E. 2016. 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. Fantastic, and such a good read. Im so glad you enjoyed it! I seldom read books more than once, but this one I will return to again in the future! . vertical-align: middle; They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic. Giraffe. And how to do it quickly enough so it didnt set off tremendous forest fires? It was a three-hour ordeal. There is only one giraffe species, but there are several subspeciestwo of which are endangered. 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. Check out our new community for fans and supporters! It may not be sold or redistributed, copied or distributed as a photograph, electronic file, or any other media. The hurricane chewed away at roadbeds, like Shore Drive in Winthrop, Mass., above. This is one of the most unusual and heartwarming road-trip/animal adventure/love stories I have ever read. 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. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. 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. Photo courtesy NOAA/NWS. border: none; /* If html does not have either class, do not show lazy loaded images. They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic. The original caption reads: "D-40 Internationals sold to San Diego Zoo to transport 2 giraffes across the continent from New York. A giraffe could look into a second-story window without even having to stand on its tiptoes! My Dad lived through this storm in Westport Mass. Riley Jones is hired to handle the giraffes and get them across the country. 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. 1943: Lotus, first hippo born at zoo; trainer Richard Havemann fatally injured by Himalayan bear. I finished the book last night and now after reading the background and seeing the pictures of the truck and the Thank you Lynda Rutledge for researching this story and writing this wonderful fictionalized account!! You can purchase the bow tie worn in this episode at The Tie Bar: https://www.thetiebar.com/?utm_campaign=BowtieLove\u0026utm_medium=YouTube\u0026utm_source=LanceGeigerAll events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. On board the ship were some unique passengers: two Giraffes. The storm hit Long Island and Southern . San Diego, CA: Zoological Society of San Diego. Listen 4:55. 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. If you like history too, this is the channel for you.Subscribe for more forgotten history: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4sEmXUuWIFlxRIFBRV6VXQ?sub_confirmation=1.Awesome The History Guy merchandise is available at:https://teespring.com/stores/the-history-guyScript by JCG#history #thehistoryguy #SanDiego It destroyed cemeteries, slammed boats into shore, uprooted entire orchards and smashed structures into splinters. First pair of giraffes, "Lofty" and "Patches," arrive at the Zoo in 1938 (see photo, right). The country had endured a Great Depression, filling the landscape with Hoovervilles and shantytowns, WPA and CCC projects, and migrants searching for a better life. Life Magazine Digital Archive. text-decoration: none; I Has it been made into a movie, or any chance it might be? The drama is a bit formulaic, as is the dialogue, and sometimes it's a bit sentimental, but it works, so who cares. 1999. : https://thehistoryguyguild.locals.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHistoryGuyYT/Please send suggestions for future episodes: Suggestions@TheHistoryGuy.net. When the storm was over so was their livelihood. . The author certainly did her research into American life in 1938 and she wove every bit of what she learned into this novel. As I looked for more historical information, I found your page. I was 7 yrs old and I remember getting out of school late afternoon. Thank you so much for the feedback! 1938, near the Cape Verde Islands. The stormblew down so many trees that paper mills processed them for nine years. Location: Urban Jungle. https://thehistoryguyguild.locals.com/This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Even up there the damage was great. Lion Country . SUBJECTS Animals Clothing and dress Hats Automobile industry and trade Indoor photography Men Zoos Delivery of goods Signs and symbols Automobiles Transportation Trucks How to Purchase a Copy Buy The Image For commercial or non-profit use, please contact Image Sales. img.pf-button-img + .pf-button-text { https://zoohistories.com/2021/02/11/west-with-giraffes/. Advice from the sidelines urged him to try ham and eggs. It turned out to be the storm surge, topped by waves 30 and 50 feet high. My sister passed it on to me and knew Id enjoy it. . I Loved this book, and hated to see it come to an end. 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. 1997. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. The blurb describes this book so accurately, that I don't want to repeat it. Wisconsin history is full of breweries and beer. train station pub happy hour 1938 hurricane giraffes. They never have kept house together before, and just o make sure they do not kick the daylights out of each otherand make the Zoos $7500 investment worth no more than the current quotation on dead giraffesthe animals were shown to separate apartments for the time being. -webkit-box-shadow: none; Horseneck beach was changed forever!!! Around 60 people died on Long Island - 29 of them at or near Westhampton Beach. 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. After loading the giraffes onto the truck, they headed to the U.S. But the author does a magnificent job. img#wpstats{display:none} I have been recommending it to everyone! z-index: 1000; position: relative My family always talked about the 38 Hurricane. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. Original giraffe caravan photo from "The New York Sun" 1938 Rutledge had to grasp what it was like to live during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, with the physical problems and racial situations, to create realistic characters. 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. To view this image, visit the Archives Research Room on the 4th floor at the Society Headquarters building in Madison, WI. display: none; Karie, I just finished West with Giraffes. The 130-foot storm-ravaged cargo ship finally reached soggy and mangled Brooklyn on September 23. What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to deliver Southern California's first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo. Two giraffes (later to be called Lofty and Patches) travelled to New York surviving a hurricane at sea. .printfriendly.pf-alignright { 1940. When the 1938 hurricane washed the house away, she dug the family silver out of the sand and rebuilt it. She was right. 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. Erosion from the Great 1938 hurricane. With the necessary funds, zoo director Belle Benchley, the first female zoo director in the world, paid for two young Ugandan giraffes and one rhinoceros to be shipped from Africa in 1938. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. And high winds knocked down an estimated 2 billion trees in New York and New England, devastating forests. By this time, the hurricane giraffes had made national headlines. 1947. But getting Mr. Subscribe for more forgotten history: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4sEmXUuWIFlxRIFBRV6VXQ?sub_confirmation=1. Apparently they subsisted on pancakes that the cook made for them for three days until they got to shore. 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. The animals were loaded onto the S.S. Robin Goodfellow in Mombasa, British East Africa (present-day Kenya), for a 52-day, 3,200-mile journey to the coast of New York. 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! 1938 hurricane giraffes 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. Thank you for this! could that giraffe have been a descendant of Lofty and Patches? A Pegasus XL rocket was delivered to Vandenberg Space Force Base for the TacRL-2 mission in a quick response demonstration launch that carried a small tactical satellite payload into low Earth .