Some locals claim the tribe blessed the mounds for protection from hurricanes and other hazards, but we have yet to confirm the validity of their story. Jeannot will be a restricted free agent this summer and . On October 25, 1921, the Tampa Bay Area suffered the most destructive hurricane to hit the area since the 1800s. The most prominent story has to do with American Indians. Just how vulnerable? Hours later, Tampa was under 11 feet of water. With satellites, cell phones, and advanced technology, we can track storms days, even weeks in advance. So, for everyone watching this report or reading this article, whether you believe in jinxes, superstitions, curses or the supernatural, do us a favor and knock on some wood for good luck. In this aerial image, the city of Tampa, Fla., is seen Monday, Sept. 26, 2022. Will we allow for more density in coastal high-hazard areas? "I don't know if I believe that legend," she said. TAMPA, Fla. With so many near-misses over the decades, it had become common to believe Florida's Tampa Bay region was somehow protected from hurricanes. They lived in the area from around 900 to 1500s. 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The main ingredients for fertilizer. Charley was an extremely intense and compact category 4 hurricane. The last direct strike was in 1921. When he's not teaching a Florida history class at St. Petersburg High, he works as executive director of the Saint Petersburg Museum of History near the Pier. I think were in the perfect spot, Bonita Bay resident Chris Williams told the Post. Its unclear why the mounds were built, although many believe they were for burials. A report from the First Street Foundation paints the states grim hurricane future. Miami takes the number one spot on this list with a 16 percent chance of experiencing the impacts of a hurricane in any given year. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 shined the light on how devastating a tropical system can be for the city of New Orleans. "Because Key West is so far from the mainland, evacuating people can be a difficult challenge during a hurricane event.". To put it into perspective, according to news reports at the time, the cone of uncertainty stretched from Key West to Apalachicola in the Panhandle. A hundred years of good luck? Now, the tourist-friendly region known for its sugar-sand beaches has grown by leaps and bounds, with homes and businesses along the water the ideal locations most of the time. "As they are in this two-story building, the water is rising even higher, and you know this was a kid's account talking about it. The storm caused at least eight fatalities and mass destruction to the area. Those numbers also go a long way to explaining why it would be naive to expect property insurance rates in Floridas coastal counties to tumble anytime soon. At least eight people died and damage was estimated at $5 million at the time. Kottlowski cautions that the Tampa Bay area is "long overdue for a landfall," but he attributes the region's location and the history of tracks that storms take as the reason the area has escaped the worst throughout the years. Regardless of luck, hurricane mythology is popular in other places, too. Oct. 25, 1921 marks 100 years without major a hurricane. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. Waves from the Bay almost reached the streets of Ybor City. This causes the hurricane to become downgraded as it moves inland. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. Red tide is back (again) in Pinellas County. Sarasota has not been a bull's-eye for a major hurricane since reliable records began in 1871. Thats a lot of rain. "Port Tampa Bay was also the first U.S. seaport to be named 'Storm Ready' by the National Weather Service when we received the designation. If you ask people who lived in South Florida in 1992 if they understand whats its like to go through a catastrophic hurricane, most will say yes. Many people think the mounds could be providing supernatural protection from hurricanes," a recent article by AccuWeather said. After all, they are called barriers for a reason. "That the hurricanes are heading right for us and just veer off course.. The 1921 storm sent a storm surge all the way into downtown Tampa into Ybor. ", Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. A report from the Boston-based catastrophe modeling firm Karen Clark and Co. concluded in 2015 that Tampa Bay is the most vulnerable place in the U.S. to storm surge flooding from a hurricane and stands to lose $175 billion in damage. It made landfall near Tarpon Springs just north of Tampa Bay, killing eight. SARASOTA COUNTY -- Marcus Joel heard it from a co-worker. 13 Miami, NCAA gives Miami 1-year probation for recruiting violation, Florida lawmaker suggests limiting electric vehicles during hurricane evacuations, Bucs players give team low marks for travel, treatment of families, Red-hot USF women close out home schedule with explosive offensive showing. Kottlowski explained that Irma "was a Cat 1 when it passed just east ofdowntown Tampa with a tropical-storm-force wind field of over 300 miles. "Because it is located by the shallow Tampa Bay, water piles up into the city, causing very significant storm surge along the coastline.". One, we are very worried about hurricanes. ", Headlines in the days after the storm painted a horrific picture of the damage. Eight people were killed when the storm hit the seaside town with 120 mph winds. "The surge would likely be higher. On Nov. 14, 1993, during Founder's Day she talked about her memories of the storm. Neighbors rescued them. Hurricanes are a fact of life in Florida. Some hold the belief that Sarasota is protected from hurricanes because the Native Americans who first settled there knew that it was safe from the elements. "I've had Realtors call and ask if it's true so they can advertise it," he said. A safe haven for so many families caught off guard by the winds and surge. It is these experiences which concern hurricane experts and emergency managers because it can lead to a false sense of security, feeling they have already seen the worst of Mother Nature, but in reality it can be much worse. "Folk tales give us comfort, so we use something we can't disprove," Baram said. "I do believe in the power of God.". Why them? As the Tampa Bay Times explains, it's likely that Ian will bring up to a foot of rain in the area and some experts, including meteorologist Jeff Masters, have compared it to 2005's Hurricane Katrina. "I don't think we're in a blessed or protected place," Fox said while shopping at Home Depot. This map of Cat 3 storms shows only one direct hit on Englewood in 1944 since 1851, Article debunks Indian Legend regarding storm-safety theory, Tampa Bays escape from Irma was more than luck, Sarasota has been safe from hurricanes for years. Getting into the specifics would require more space than this editorial allows, but Hurricane Ian last year provided some solid examples of how stronger building codes and better planning can help protect homes and other buildings from wind and floods. VIDEO: Man casually rides jet ski near Sarasota as Hurricane Ian moves in. Evidence to support the tale does not exist, however, according to everyone who studies either county history or American Indian beliefs. "There is. Or, the ancient American Indian burial grounds scattered throughout the county are keeping the storms at bay. "If and when Tampa is hit by a hurricane from the southwest, it wont take much of a hurricane to cause severe and catastrophic damage due to storm surge. "I like to believe those things are true," Farias mused. The oldest remaining one is located near Old Tampa Bay. The popular refrain in you hear in Tampa Bay is that the area has not been directly hit by a major hurricane in over 100 years. Every room will have a view of the water. This piece of folklore came from my co-worker, who grew up in Tampa, Florida. "I feel like being here," Anderson said. While many people who have lived in Florida for a while believe they have experienced a truly catastrophic hurricane, few have. "The Tampa International Airport is 25 miles [from where Irma's center was] but the eastern part of the city extends well over 20 miles to the east," Kottlowski explained. Paluska asked Dr. Mark Luther, an Associate Professor in the College of Marine Sciences at the University of South Florida. A new study suggests that climate change is making back-to-back hurricanes more common, which could make it tougher for coastal communities to recover. But the truly catastrophic winds were confined to the southern half of the county. Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System. Graham referenced the past couple of years hyperactive hurricane seasons and the multiple landfalls in Louisiana, saying that in a different weather pattern, that could have easily been the West Coast of Florida. Based on historical data, on average a hurricane will pass within 50 miles of the Miami metropolitan area every six to eight years. The Burgert Brothers Photographic Collection at the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative contained the most pictures of the storm. A myth has grown over the last century that Native American mounds are protecting the Tampa Bay area from major hurricanes. In the case of Charley Desoto, Hardee and Polk counties all experienced winds gusts well over 100 mph, causing catastrophic damage. Historians pinpoint the very 'worst year' ever to be alive, Drone footage shows spectacular view of ghost town frozen in time, 'Once-in-a-lifetime' moment caught on video by kayaker. Baram first heard the story at a dinner party several years ago. The faded ink had several names at the top that were illegible. The western coast of Florida has endured its share of hurricanes, and the city of Tampa is no exception. However, most showed the aftermath. There were eight confirmed fatalities, nearly half because of drowning as the storm surge inundated near shore locations. But it was damaged to varying degrees by hurricanes in 1926, 1944 and 1950, as well as Donna in 1960 and Charley in 2004. "I love that story.". Ron DeSantis took note of the regions vulnerability in a Monday afternoon news conference in Largo, Florida. Its one of the most populated areas on Floridas Gulf Coast, but hasnt had a direct hit from a landfalling hurricane in 100 years. The findings highlight a counterintuitive effect of . Similar to Irma, 2004's Hurricane Charley left many in the area relieved when it navigated away from Tampa Bay as it roared toward land. Reports said that once the storm passed, soldiers celebrated in the streets drinking whiskey, grateful that no lives were lost. A myth has grown over the last century that Native American mounds are protecting the Tampa Bay area from major hurricanes. "The Mississippi River is almost 30 feet above the city level just to put in perspective of how low New Orleans is in terms of elevation," Samuhel said. "So there could be some scenarios where we do see, at least during the times of the highest storm surge, that there is a separation between the two areas of the county," Director of the Pinellas County EOC Cathie Perkins said. Winds were estimated at 120 mph near the landfall point in Tarpon Springs. TAMPA, Fla The National Weather Service (NSW) provided preliminary surge and reverse surge measurements Thursday morning in the wake of then-Hurricane Ian. The storm surge pushed a wall of water inland, with waves from the bay almost breaking in the streets of Ybor City. And affordable property insurance could be added to the endangered species list. Or is there a supernatural force protecting us? As hurricanes move inland, they can no longer feed off of the warm water of the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean, and so they lose strength. "Clearly, when you look at the Tampa Bay area, one of the reasons why we fear storms is because of the sensitivity of this area and the fragility of this area," DeSantis said. There's a 23-foot mound here at Sacred Lands in the Jungle Prada neighborhood, south of Park Street N and 22nd Avenue N. The Anderson family has owned the property since the 1940s and lived in a private residence, 13-feet above sea level behind the mound, since 1953. Irma's eye was directly in line with Tampa and St. Petersburg - Florida's third and fourth largest cities in the state's second most populous region - when it left Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane. As the Gulf Coast just south of Tampa Bay recovers from the devastation left from Hurricane Ian, many Tampa Bay residents are breathing an uneasy sigh of relief. Central Florida. It derailed the railroad in that area which was obviously a significant impact to travel commerce and people coming into the area. Technically, Irma did make a direct hit on part of Tampa in 2017, though it was a bit of a glancing blow from a weakened hurricane. A hundred years of good luck? This is no joke. So we are very fortunate we have not been hit by a major hurricane in close to a hundred years.". ", Joel, however, is less skeptical. While railroad stocks dominated in the 19th century, industries within technology A new 92-room waterfront hotel is scheduled to open this summer on Tampa Bay. The unnamed hurricane of 1921 that some now call the Tarpon Springs Hurricane was a category three hurricane packing winds over 100 miles per hour and a storm surge of 11 feet. ", Hughes takes phone calls about the myth every year during hurricane season. "A lot of people say it's the Indian mounds," Farias replied. The grotto at St. Mary's Star of the Sea Church in Key West is probably Florida's most famous source of hurricane lore. Im convinced that geographically were incapable of being hit with a storm. But, two major hurricanes in 173 years are still two too many. The Tampa Bay area hasn't suffered a direct hit from a hurricane since 1929. The storm caused roughly $5 million in damage at the time. The tale does not exist, however, according to everyone who studies either county history American... 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