Around the turn of the twentieth century, a number of hurricanes struck Louisiana and eastern Texas. Central Louisiana and the area around Austin, Texas, experienced the most hurricanes. This maps of storm paths could provide insight into various contemporary economic and cultural phenomenon.
Hurricanes often leave swaths of devastation. Thus, the areas hit the hardest by hurricanes c. 1900 might have seen decreased property values. For areas affected by storms multiple times in several years, residents may have decided to leave the region. If this became a trend, regions of Texas and Louisiana may have seen a general decrease in property values as supply rose and demand fell. Maps plotting property tax assessments and all home sales in storm-hit regions from 1895-1905 might provide further insight.
Beyond real estate, the destruction of multiple hurricanes likely affected local businesses and industries. Consecutive storms likely impacted local economies. Income tax records for households in affected regions would provided insight into the full economic impact of the hurricanes around 1900. If the storms impacted the financial situations of individuals across these areas, census records might show a decrease in population from 1890 to 1910.
Multiple hurricanes in a single region also likely impacted local sanitation. Strong winds and floods can spread toxic waste and chemicals, and they might block access to medical care. Local health records would reveal if any epidemics occurred immediately following each hurricane. If so, mapping the location of each infection might provide insight into the spread of disease (similar to John Snow’s map of the 1854 London cholera outbreak). Further, records of local deaths six months after each hurricane would provide insight into the direct and indirect effects of hurricanes on regions of Texas and Louisiana c. 1900.
This map simply displays the routes of various hurricanes in Texas and Louisiana c. 1900. The map reveals that several of these hurricanes intersect in a handful of regions. Further investigation using data from local and state records might provide insight into the full impact of these hurricanes on hard-hit regions.