Hurricane Hugo – 35 Years Later (Reflections in Pictures and Video)
“I’ll wait for you, should I fall behind, wait for me” – Bruce Springsteen
On or about midnight on September 21/22 marked the 35th anniversary of Hurricane Hugo sending a destructive path through Charleston and its neighboring beaches and towns. For many, this was the most difficult period of their lives, overcoming life-threatening conditions, losing homes and trying to find ways to start again. Over the next several months, the area had to find a way to begin again and bring back the Southern warmth and beauty it had known for hundreds of years.
After all, was said and done, there were 27 fatalities in South Carolina from the effects of Hurricane Hugo.
Locals and citizens from neighboring towns and districts reached deep within their hearts and helped their fellow friends. Bringing sand to the beaches, laying a foundation where a home once stood, providing shelter to strangers now without homes, and giving food and warmth when needed.
We were and continue to be a resilient and proud area, that has overcome much adversity so the sun may shine each day and we can continue to say how proud we are of our home.
Hugo was an event we should never forget. It was tragic, but in the end, we found a way to rebuild and become stronger than ever before.
We would like to take you back to those days, weeks, and months and provide a pictorial remembrance of Hurricane Hugo, 28 Years Ago.
Remember our past and find strength in our ability to remain stable.
One of the most symbolic remembrance markers of this event is the Folly Boat. This boat that remained after the path of destruction is today used to show our sense of community, one message at a time.
The next time you are at White Point Gardens at The Battery, walk through the gates of the Battery Park Carriage House. Just on the left you will see the waterline damage from Hurricane Hugo and know just how powerful a hit we took and more importantly how we persevered and grew as one single community.
Related: James Island Outreach born the day after Hugo hit Charleston.
Charleston Daily
Charleston Daily is a concept in community. Its mission is to promote, assist, and celebrate in everything Charleston, South Carolina. By partnering with businesses, community leaders, volunteers and events, we are spreading the love that is Charleston. As this city continues to grow and prosper, we want to help spread the message to all about how wonderful this community is. Charleston is about the people, community, water, land, history, heritage and the true southern warmth it brings with each and every day.
Stayed because everyone said, don’t worry! Worse mistake of our lives! It was terrifying and would never do it again! Dealing with the after math was just as bad! No groceries, gas, water, banks! Horrible!
We stayed because we had to many horses and other animals to abandon. I would do it again under the same circumstances. We were in McClellanville. So happy to say we had no animals killed or hurt. Can’t say the same for every building and barn on the farm. Nor the damage that it, ultimately, did to our marriage. It was the end of one life and the beginning of another.
No power, except portable, until Thanksgiving. We did get the phones back in about a month. We had the only working phone in the area for awhile.
It was the best Christmas weather, ever, that year!
Maggie,
As hurricane Matthew is about to hit Florida now in 2016 I began remembering hurricane Hugo. I was a Berts bar back in 1989. I remember it all and reading your post squeezed my heart. No power until thanks giving, no phone until a month later, (you were the only one!) and then the best Christmas weather ever. You marriage ending and then you speaking of the start of a new life, the farm, animals took me back hard.
My names is Christopher and I lived on all the islands back then…. Isle of palms, st James island and of course Sullivan’s island….. I was in bets bar playing guitar.
Hope hurricane Matthew misses you! He is rearing down right in my home area of hobe sound Florida.
Christopher
Biggest natural event of my life so far. It was strange, I had eight trees down in my yards, plus three more from my neighbors yard on both sides of me, but thankfully, the house was not hit. Meanwhile, houses around me with only a few trees, or even one tree had direct hits.
The only thing I can say it that the good lord was looking out for me that night.
My biggest memory was when it was light outside the next morning, and the shock of looking out the front door that first time. Looking up and down the street, it truly looked like a war zone. It will definitely make you more humble, and thankful For what you have.
I was working for a medical professional magazine and we asked the staff in a few departments (radiology/radiation therapy and respiratory therapy) at MUSC hospital to keep journals of the experience. Their stories were astonishing, terrifying and inspiring. We published their accounts almost verbatim in a four-page spread.
Hi
I worked that night. Love to get copy.
Most Columbian’s never dreamed Hugo would affect them, living that far inland – but they were wrong. As a child, I spent 3 years in Puerto Rico at Ramey AFB and we had a hurricane come every year – none of which were ever very strong. But I learned how to “smell” the approach of a hurricane, and even living that far inland I could smell it coming – and it did. My neighbors all thought I was nuts as I went around the yard storing away patio furniture, swings, children’s toys and anything else that might blow away or become a projectile. By 1:00 am our little family of 4 had moved down to the basement as the winds and tornadoes picked up. We awoke to trees all over the roads, houses with roof and window damage and no power for more than a week. Neighbors all pitched in to help each other and we had large neighborhood cookouts as we used what we could in our failing refrigerators and freezers. We survived and were better for it. God bless all the survivors of Harvey and god bless those who are now in the path of Irma.
I will always remember Hugo September 22nd 1989 . I met someone very special that year. I remember sitting in a friends hallway there were a lot of us gathered together praying for the best . I sat there thinking where is he will I see him again . A lot has changed for me over the years . I am so thankful for the time we had I will never forget you .
I left Folly Beach for Sumter and the safety of my moms house. My besties house was destroyed in Sumter after Hugo followed me up I-26. I had, thankfully, taken her to Moms with me. Hugo built a log cabin around moms house, but not one tree on the house! We were all very blessed and lucky in Hugo. I worked at the Atlantic House on Folly, so no job to come home to.
I lived on James Island and we lost over 15 trees just in our yard, luckily only one hit the house over our laundry room/garage-It snowed that Christmas and the snow came thru my temporary tarp over roof-but we were so happy to see snow in Charleston, we didn’t even care! I remember how churches all over SC (and even nearby states) came down with food,ice,and many more essentials. My mailbox sat on a tree stump for a month, but we still got mail delivered!It was a tough time, but everyone helped each other out and that got us through!But it was a long time before I could eat lima beans again because one of my neighbors had put up LOTS in her freezer so we all had to eat them!
Myself,my son an husband worked with ems an red Cross. We were living in Murrell’s inlet at times of storm. We had to use a chain saw to down driveway to the house. Not one branch hit house. You could see where a tornado went around house back an front took down 15 or so trees..then cut thru the woods. The restaurants looked fine street front tables still set untouched. Creekside completely ripped off. Absolutely amazing.
I was a principal apprentice and the school turned into a shelter. My husband was in the Navy and the ship had to go out to see. I worked the shelter for five days . I cried the entire way coming home because of all the destruction I saw along the way from North Charleston to James Island. This experience helped me become a better woman and a more loving and caring mother.
Hugo was my first hurricane and it was still bad in Columbia. Moved to Charleston 2 weeks later (had already accepted a job and had an apartment). Then to top it off we had a white Christmas. No heat, no water. But God was with all of us. Since then I have been FL.
I was stationed at Charleston AFB on the fateful day and most of our C-141’s had departed to other military bases prior to the storm. Our huge isochronal inspection hangar held two planes and one of our 60+ feet tall 16″ thick metal hangar doors came off its track as a result of the storm. Had that door fallen, it would have left a mark. I’ve never seen so many pine trees snapped like toothpicks or oak trees pulled up by the roots than I did after the storm. We had no power or water for many days. Trucks were pouring into Charleston with chainsaws, generators, baby formula, etc. and there was lots of price gouging. I volunteered to go into the Charleston community and cut trees away from people’s homes. I didn’t ask for it, but the AF awarded me with a Humanitarian Service Medal. Then we got hit with a snowstorm on Christmas. I think Charleston received about 8″ that year.
We lived on IOP. And today I saw the photos from Hugo, my house was the one put in the middle of the road, in the photo, we where lucky, most was not.
I pray for IOP every hurricane season, this place has my heart unfortunately we had to move but today my heart still lies with the coastal lands and the people that live there.
I was in the air force. Arrived in north Charleston 3 days prior to hugo. Car, a few clothes and alarm clock. 10 weeks before got furniture and belongings from air force. From Indiana, never been in a storm that I thought I might die
We lived in Berkeley county 17 A Both my daughters four and one and Hugo come in a week later it was hard to handle with two young children not know what tomorrow’s gonna bring but I found I never go to another one no one like you though you broke me but just thank God we all lives he can help each other and come together as a community and always there for each other