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	Record Group Number:	900000
	Series/Collection Number:	N2013- 15
	Creator:	Webber, Louise, d. 1993.
	Title, Dates:	Letter regarding 1926 hurricanes, 1926.
	Amount:	1 items (12 pages)
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	Biographical/Historical:	On the night on 17 September 1926, a category four hurricane struck downtown Miami. With sustained winds of over a 150 mph -- the first time such an occurrence had ever been recorded -- the storm caused millions of dollars in damage, ruining South Florida's crops as well as its real estate and tourism business, and killed over 400 residents. Most residents died as the eye passed through; ignorant that the storm was not yet finished, many ventured to assess the damage and were trapped without shelter. Over 55,000 Floridians were without electricity and another 40,000 were rendered homeless. At a time before named hurricanes, the 1926 hurricane became the "Great Miami Hurricane." The long-term impact of the Great Miami Hurricane became apparent in the months and years to come as the real estate bubble burst, and Florida plunged into an economic depression some three years in advance of the rest of the nation. A month later, on October 21, another hurricane devastated Cuba and Bermuda before approaching the Florida Keys. However, the damage to South Florida was minimal.
	Summary:	This collection consists of a single letter describing the hurricanes that hit Southeastern Florida on September 18 and October 21, 1926. Written by "Kaye" from the Floridian Hotel, Miami Beach, to Louise Webber (d. 1993) of Bangor, Maine, the twelve page letter gives a detailed account of Kaye's activities both during and in the aftermath of the storms. She begins with a brief account of the October 21st storm before plunging into the events of September 18th and the days that followed. While the letter suggests that Kaye was a resident and employee of The Floridian Hotel, her exploits detail conditions beyond the Floridian, during her walk across the causeway and in Hollywood where she searched for "her folks." The relationship of Kaye to Louise Webber is unknown. Kaye's references to both her mother and Webber suggest that those two had a relationship of some kind as well. Regardless of the exact relationship between author and recipient, their mutual friends coupled with the general tone and content of the letter proves that both were at least close friends in the mid-1920s.
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	Additional Physical Form:	This item has been digitized and is available on the Florida Memory web site: https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/333854
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	Electronic Records Access:	https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/333854
	Subject Access Fields:	Webber, Louise, d. 1993. Hurricane damage. Hurricane protection Florida Hurricanes Florida Miami (Fla.) Miami Beach (Fla.)
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