Topic Guide to Hurricanes

The information and links below include search tips and a selection of articles covering this topic in the digitized Louisiana newspapers. The dates and suggested search terms can help to further explore this topic on Chronicling America. For the most search results, try the search terms in different combinations, in proximity, and as phrases.

Significant Dates

1855 - September, Middle Gulf Shore Hurricane (category 3)
1886 - August, Last Island Hurricane (category 4)
1860 - Louisiana hit with hurricanes in August, September, and October
1865 - September, Sabine River Hurricane (category 2)
1867 - October, Galveston Hurricane hits Louisiana as category 2 storm
1877 - September, category 1 storm recorded
1879 - August, category 1 storm recorded; September, category 3 storm recorded
1893 - Cheniere Caminada Hurricane (category 4), also known as The Great October Storm, devastates Cheniere Caminada and surrounding areas, resulting in approx. 2,000 deaths
1909 - September, Grand Isle Hurricane (category 3) batters Gulf Coast
1915 - September, New Orleans Hurricane (category 4) makes landfall near Grand Isle bringing widespread destruction to southern Louisiana; an estimated 275 killed
1918 - Lake Charles and surrounding areas struck by intense category 3 hurricane

Suggested Search Terms

hurricane, storm, new orleans hurricane, october storm, september storm

Sample Articles

• "Disasterous Effects of the Storm" Daily Gazette and Comet, August 17, 1860, Image 2
• "The Great Storm last Tuesday" Gazette and Sentinel, October 06, 1860, Image 2
• “The Blow of '77” The New Orleans Daily Democrat, September 20, 1877, Image 8
• "Ravages of the Storm" Feliciana Sentinel, September 06, 1879, Image 2
• "The Storm at Other Places" Feliciana Sentinel, September 06, 1879, Image 2
• “The Late Storm” The New Orleans Daily Democrat, September 08, 1879, Image 1
• “Storm Ravages in Iberville” The Donaldsonville Chief, September 13, 1879, Image 2
• "The Storm" The Opelousas Courier, September 13, 1879, Image 1
• "The Storm of Death" The Colfax Chronicle, October 07, 1893, Image 1
• "A New Danger" The Lafayette Advertiser, October 14, 1893, Image 7
• "The Worst Feared" The Caucasian, August 18, 1901, Image 7
• "September Storm of 1909" Lower Coast Gazette, September 25, 1909, Image 2
• "Entire Gulf Coast is Swept By a Hurricane" The True Democrat, September 25, 1909, Image 3
• "Havoc Wrought by Tropical Hurricane" St. Landry Clarion, September 25, 1909, Image 1
• “The Passing of the Storm” Lower Coast Gazette, October 02, 1909, Image 2
• "Storm Does Great Damage in South Louisiana" St. Tammany Farmer, October 02, 1915, Image 1
• "Worst Storm Since 1909 Hits Louisiana" The True Democrat, October 02, 1915, Image 3
• "Houses, Levees and Buildings Swept Away" Bogalusa Enterprise, October 07, 1915, Image 3
• "Eastern Gulf Coast Swept By Hurricane" Abbeville Progress, July, 15, 1916, Image 1
• "Lake Charles Almost Razed by Terrific Hurricane" St. Tammany Farmer, August 10, 1918, Image 1