Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel Publishing. 1943: Lotus, first hippo born at zoo; trainer Richard Havemann fatally injured by Himalayan bear. On board the ship were some unique passengers: two Giraffes. img.pf-button-img + .pf-button-text { I have been recommending it to everyone! Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. Perhaps you will fall in love with those giraffes and enjoy the adventures of Old Man and Woody as much as I did. 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. 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. 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. 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. 27 febrero, 2023 . As the giraffes were rolling out of sight, Woody runs as fast as he can through the flooded streets, passing dozens of reporters, and eventually steals a motorcycle to keep up with the truck bound for the quarantine facility. Use the links below to plan your visit to the Society's Archives. Has some interesting accounts from people and some.good photos. 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,. The blurb describes this book so accurately, that I don't want to repeat it. could that giraffe have been a descendant of Lofty and Patches? img#wpstats{display:none} One of the giraffes is hurt and the cage is crushed around her. So very touching and heart wrenching!! Imagine waves so severe that a rhino is tossed overboard. The narrator is the orphan, now 100 years old and nearing death, who has decided that he cant let the story die with him. The giraffe is in a large crate on the bed of the truck which appears to be inside a building. } Enjoy this live view of the African Plains habitat that comes to you from the Kijamii Overlook at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Yes, yes Mr. Ostrich, that is of course exactly what it means. View this selection of cartoons by William Donahey. This book stays in my library for later rereading. I had read about the true story of the famous hurricane giraffes when I conducted research for my story on Belle Benchley, but I thank Lynda Rutledge for writing this work of fiction, which left me with the desire to learn more about them. 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. Staff would often sneak in some of the animals when visiting herbaby foxes, binturongs, and other small mammals . She was presumed dead while every precaution was taken to protect the male. Brooklyn Bridge. Wonderful to see the photos and learn the history! One story about the Zoo that was told in newspapers nationwide was the travels of Lofty and Patches, the Zoos first giraffes. 100 Years of the San Diego Zoo. I can see this made into a movie one day. 1944. By extension, might I assume that global warming began in 38? 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. lofty and patches giraffes 1938. Copyright 2023 Rumble. Giraffes have a small hump on their back and have a spotted pattern similar to that of a leopard. . 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. } 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. 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. Another indication that Benchley was loved by the zoo staff came after she found herself in the hospital for eleven weeks following an auto accident. A storm formed in the eastern Atlantic near the Cape Verde Islands on September 4, 1938, and headed west. .printfriendly a, .printfriendly a:link, .printfriendly a:visited, .printfriendly a:hover, .printfriendly a:active { 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. 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. It's harder to imagine hauling two of them across the United States during the Dust Bowl. The Modern Ark: The Story of Zoos: Past, Present and Future. This is one of the most unusual and heartwarming road-trip/animal adventure/love stories I have ever read. One of those books that make you not want to even start another cuz. Day and Night. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. No more Maple Groves, no barn, the cows were standing in what used to be their stalls.. 'jetpack-lazy-images-js-enabled' 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. text-decoration: none; The storm soaked an unknown number of pants. At times, he spoke with folksie colloquialisms and the next sentence seemed to be constructed with the aid of a thesaurus. The 130-foot storm-ravaged cargo ship finally reached soggy and mangled Brooklyn on September 23. Image-purchasing questions? quite the fun adventure! 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. Advice from the sidelines urged him to try ham and eggs. The Great Depression lingers. Recently, one particular work of historical fiction captured my interestthe fact that the title contained the word giraffes certainly helped, but upon reading the description I discovered that its based on actual events revolving around the San Diego Zoo in 1938. 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. It destroyed cemeteries, slammed boats into shore, uprooted entire orchards and smashed structures into splinters. It brought down 20,000 miles of power and telephone lines. The XVIII Winter Olympics opened in Nagano, Japan 25 years ago. After loading the giraffes onto the truck, they headed to the U.S. 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. From the Archives: In 1958 interview 18-year-old Raquel had heart set on professional acting career, From the Archives: San Diego Air & Space Museum opened 60 years ago, From the Archives: Advice for Valentines parties from 1923, From the Archives: Rare Lincoln photograph came to light in San Diego in 1937, From the Archives: War on wild drivers waged in San Diego 100 years ago, From the Archives: The Nagano Olympic Games opened 25 years ago, From the Archives: A view of La Mesa 125 years ago, Protest held after medical examiner rules inmates death a homicide, Romanian citizen arrested on suspicion of stealing more than $5M in COVID relief funds, Two women suffer major injuries after head-on collision in Lake Murray-area, Man suffers major injuries after car hits ice patch on road, overturns in Ramona, San Diego Roman Catholic diocese facing yet another lawsuit now from its own insurance company. 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. It is clear from Belle Benchleys memoir that she had a wonderful relationship with many of her keepers, particularly Charley Smith. 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. In October 1938 the first breeding pair of giraffes arrived at the San Diego Zoo from east Africa. @media print { Local Woman Names Newly Arrived Giraffes. Escondido (CA) Times-Advocate (October 28, 1938): 6. The story begins with a centenarian named Woodrow Wilson Woody Nickel sitting in his nursing home watching a TV documentary on the near extinction of giraffes and other endangered species in Africa. font-size: 14px !important; Cincinnati. Rhode Island got the worst of it. This story was updated in 2022. Inspiration struck, and the result is this charming and wondrous enchantment of a novel. The user is responsible for all issues of copyright. Images altered beyond standard cropping and resizing require further negotiation with a staff member. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. .figcaption {font-size: 75%;} But when she was angry she made Mount Vesuvius seem considerably less dangerous. It is history that deserves your help! Charley Smith would update Benchley via telegram during the twelve-day trek. My mom was 16 and lived in New Bedford on Acusnet ave.(not sure of the spelling) with her mom and dad. 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. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration. Upon discovering that two of the passengers were giraffes, a whole new set of stories quickly developed. [], [] three other Category 3 hurricanes since the colonists arrived: the September Hurricane of 1869, the Great New England Hurricane of 1938 and Hurricane Carol in [], [] Coventry. Above, the steamship Monhegansits at a pier in Providence after sinking during the hurricane. train station pub happy hour 1938 hurricane 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. The damage was horrific. The Great 1938 Hurricane inflicted tremendous damage on shipping. 2021. My Mother remembers a tree falling through their roof in North Conway, NH. . Robert L. was completely crushed by the animal. 1940. 1997. 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. According to Benchley, they were one of the few breeding pairs in captivity. Schroeder was a former zoo veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo and would later become the zoos director after Benchley retired in 1953. September 22, 1938. 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 . . Lofty and Patches became national figures when they made the last lap. The hurricane also tossed the lighthouse tender Tulip, pictured above, ashore. In 1938, the merchant steamer SS Robin Goodfellow was caught in the Great New England Hurricane. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. [] department store employees could be fiercely loyal. box-shadow: none; justify-content: center; To view this image, visit the Archives Research Room on the 4th floor at the Society Headquarters building in Madison, WI. display: flex; align-items: center; 2016. When, finally, I can bear the silence no longer, I let him know that I must have news. Charles A. Smith, head keeper at the zoo, was putting in that time devising ways and means of getting them into crates and on to a San Diego city truck for the last lap home. The accident happened when a giraffe crossed over the road and was hit by a mini bus taxi carrying 13 people when the 18-foot tall giraffe which weighed about 1,650 lbs completely crushed the front of the bus before then smashing in the roof and front of the Swiss family's Ford Ranger camper. No one recalls exact conversations, the gap teeth of a service station attendant, the color of vehicles along the road after 80 years. The Great 1938 Hurricane pushed the Tulip onto land. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. Based on true events, this adventurous historical novel is the story of 17 year old Woody, the giraffes known as "Boy" and "Girl", the "Old Man" and a host of other characters met on their travels. Of course, I knew your zoo history background already, so I was delighted to see your additions to this beautiful story. She smelled of fur . .printfriendly { (Side note: these events occurred one year after young Nicky Arundel got his wish for giraffes at the National Zoo.). Horseneck beach was changed forever!!! There is no real bluffing and nothing underhanded between Charley Smith and me nor is there between any of us; we are all working for one end, here in the Zoo, though perhaps by different methods. The image should not be significantly altered through conventional or electronic means. The crate containing the female giraffe rolled and rolled until it shattered to pieces. At 12:30 PM, a 30-foot bank of what looked like fog rolled in toward Long Island. } Vol. Traveling shows displayed them as early as 1837; however, they were difficult to capture and transport, making them expensive to procure. Arriving in New York Sept. 23, they had to keep quarantine officers company for 16 days. A delightful read, I couldn't put it down. Photo courtesy Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection. They also turned a profit for the first time in the zoos 22-year history. .wp-block-image figcaption {text-align: center; font-size: 75%}, 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.. Photo courtesy Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection. What we called highways were barely tolerable for transporting people much less chauffeuring giraffes. Many zoos simply werent willing to take the risk or didnt have the funds. So all in all, it's really well done: a great escape, completely enjoyable, and if you are an animal lover who cares about animal rights and avoiding the final sixth extinction, you'll be especially satisfied. I Has it been made into a movie, or any chance it might be? I dont know how I was led to this book.Thank you to whomever suggested it. 1938: Two giraffes, Lofty and Peaches, arrive. Amid advertisements for California Fig Syrup and Hoods Sarsaparilla, a glowing 1898 profile of the community of La Mesa by a writer using the initials, J.W., Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceSign Up For Our NewslettersSite Map, Copyright 2023, The San Diego Union-Tribune |. } The Great 1938 Hurricane took almost everyone by surprise. DeLeon, Clark. Melanie says: In 1938, two giraffes bound for the San Diego zoo survived a hurricane at sea and a cross-country trip by truck. And in Vermont, the storm caused a train derailment and uprooted maple trees and apple orchards. There is only one giraffe species, but there are several subspeciestwo of which are endangered. Wisconsin Historical Society Archives, 4th Floor, Madison, Wisconsin. .printfriendly.pf-alignleft { Location: Urban Jungle. Animal Quarantine Station in Athenia, New Jersey, for a federally mandated fifteen-day quarantine. All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. They survived, although the female was injured. Making The History Guy takes time, effort, and equipment. In 1938, the merchant steamer SS Robin Goodfellow was caught in the Great New England Hurricane. You can purchase the bow tie worn in this episode at The Tie Bar: document.documentElement.classList.add( You'll be supporting this record of the past that helps to inform our present. So, although he cant speak, falls out of his wheelchair, isnt eating, he commits this story in sprawling detail to the pages of notebooks. i guess this is supposed to build up suspense and have the reader on the edge of their seat, waiting with bated breath for the secret to be revealed. 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. The crates holding giraffes Lofty and Patches are loaded onto the truck from the ship in New York, 1938. . Visit our other Wisconsin Historical Society websites! The author certainly did her research into American life in 1938 and she wove every bit of what she learned into this novel.