Hurricane Ike
Flooding of the Strand
The surge plus flooding from Galveston Bay inundated the Strand, a National Historic Landmark district, with 8 feet of water and left a coating of sticky mud in its wake. Learn More
Elissa
The 1877 Barque ELISSA, βThe Tall Ship for Texas,β came through the storm nearly unscathed. Learn More
The surge hits Galveston Island β Sept. 13, 2008
While Ike was clocked as a category 2, with winds of 110 miles an hour, the surge of about 13 feet and related flooding made the damage far worse. Learn More
Flooded Street in Galveston
Central areas of the City, neighborhoods of well-to-do professionals in mid-20th century houses, suffered surprisingly bad flooding. Learn More
Gilchrist Texas
In many cases nearby communities, such as Gilchrist Texas, were hit even worse than Galveston. Learn More
JP Morgan Chase Tower
The windows of Houston's JP Morgan Chase Tower had been blown out by Ike. Learn More
Impressions on Galveston after Hurricane Ike
Daniel Carey, director of the Southwest Office, shares his experiences helping the Galveston Historical Foundation. Learn More
In the Weeks After Ike, Recovery Continues
Updates on the ongoing recovery work in Galveston and other ares impacted by Hurricane Ike. Learn More
Ike's Far-Reaching Devastation
Hit by the one-tow punch of tropical storm Lowell and hurricane Ike, the Farnsworth House, in Plano, Illinois, was damaged by flooding and is now undergoing restoration. Learn More
In September 2008 Hurricane Ike came ashore along the Gulf Coast of Texas, and left a path of wind and water damage extending all the way to Illinois. Recovery from this devastating storm continues.
Post-Ike Updates
- March 2009 Update: Galveston, Texas: On Path to Recovery from Hurricane Ike, but Much Remains to be Done
- Click here to read an update from Peter Brink, former executive director of Galveston Historical Foundation from 1973 to 1989, and current Senior Vice President, Programs, at the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
- Previous updates from Peter Brink on the situation in Galveston.
Our Impacted Partners
- Galveston Historical Foundation
- Greater Houston Preservation Alliance
- Preservation Texas, Inc.
- Farnsworth House/Landmarks Illinois
Audio Reports from the Field
The Galveston That Was
Peter Brink, senior vice president at the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Dwayne Jones, executive director of the Galveston Historical Foundation, talk about the classic book that served as an "alarm bell" to save the historic character of the city -- and about the plans to bring it back once again. (From Public Radio International's The World.)
Historic Sites Waterlogged After Ike
Dwayne Jones, executive director of the Galveston Historical Foundation, was interviewed on radio station KUT:
Resources for Dealing with Flood Damage
A wide range of general hurricane-related resources are available on our disaster recovery page.
Specific Resources for Affected States
Texas
Texas Department of Public Safety Division of Emergency Management
Texas A&M Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center
The Office of Rural Community Affairs maintains a Disaster Relief Fund for local government recovery projects.
Iowa, Illinois, Missouri & Wisconsin
2008 flood resource information compiled by the National Trust for Historic Preservation
Helpful Links
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
FEMA's Public Assistance Grant Program
FEMA's Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation Program
Heritage Emergency Task Force Request for Assistance
Disaster Preparedness and Response
The Small Business Administration (SBA) - Hurricanes assists both business and residential properties after a declared disaster with low or no interest loans.
Solinet is a nonprofit library cooperative with a wealth of information on the recovery of collections and artifacts after a disaster.
