Islamorada in Monroe County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

The Storm that Still Howls

Heritage Monument Trail, Matacumbe Historical Trust

Photographed By Brandon D Cross, May 5, 2023

1. The Storm that Still Howls Marker

Inscription.

The Storm that Still Howls. Heritage Monument Trail, Matacumbe Historical Trust. The Storm that Still Howls With winds in excess of 200-mph, the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 was the most intense storm ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere and was the first known Category 5 storm. The full force of the deadly storm slammed into Islamorada at (winds over 155-mph) to hit Florida. . The full force of the deadly storm slammed into Islamorada at 8:23 P.M. on September 2, 1935. As the winds roared to 200 mph, the barometer dipped to an all-time low of 26.35 inches, and Islamorada became a living hell. Ships in the Atlantic reported a large storm but its exact location was unclear. Relief Came Too Late A relief train was dispatched from Miami on September 2nd to pick up veterans and others. It traveled backwards for a quick escape but arrived too late. In Islamorada it was washed off the track by a 17-foot tidal surge. The U.S. Government was criticized for sending the veterans to the Keys during hurricane season and for not evacuating them quickly. A Congressional investigation resulted, but no single agency accepted blame. The Leveled Landscape Survivors were greeted by a hellish scene. All but two of Upper Matecumbe's 61 buildings were gone. Most train tracks were missing, and the remaining rails were grotesquely twisted. Flagler's $27-million railroad had died too. The Human Toll Bodies were everywhere. Some people had drowned; some were crushed by trees; some were impaled by limbs or lumber; some were tangled in the tops of fallen trees they had tried to climb to safety. Others were decapitated by tin roofs flying at 200 mph. Some bodies were unrecognizable, the wind-driven sand had blasted away their faces. Corpses were recovered from as far west as Cape Sable, located across the broad waters of Florida Bay. On September 3rd, 107 survivors remained. On September 6, 1935, Florida Governor David Sholtz ordered that the remaining unburied bodies be cremated. More than 100 other bodies were taken to Woodlawn Park Cemetery in Miami for a mass burial. In 1945 a dredge hit a solid object buried in the Gulf of Mexico. It proved to be a car containing four human skeletons and bearing a 1935 license plate. [Insert] "Western Union/September 8, 1935 - Honorable Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President. Mr. President STOP Loss of life from September 2, 1935 hurricane in Florida Keys caused by tidal wave ... STOP Tentative dead and missing 684 STOP Investigate to determine possible negligence in not evacuating veterans working on Key West railroad. STOP Conditions horrifying STOP Request additional assistance STOP Respectfully, Assistant Administrator Veterans Affairs.” (Captions) 1935 Labor Day Hurricane Advisory Positions Versus Actual Positions Some local survivors crowded into the train for protection. They were not rescued until September 3rd. After being almost blown away in 1935, the Rustic Inn originally constructed in 1928, is today’s Green Turtle Inn. On Lower Matecumbe huge waves destroyed the ferry slip and washed the railroad bed away. The U.S. Coast Guard attempted to warn boaters by dropping floats at sea. The Matecumbe Hotel was partially standing after the storm; the Rustic Inn was intact Ernest Hemingway came to Islamorada as a volunteer after the hurricane. His horror and anger over what he saw was evident in his article published soon after. Makeshift coffins were stacked in the washed-out railroad bed near Snake Creek. Many identified veterans and unidentified men were cremated there on September 7, 1935. Volunteers built coffins from the available debris and kept written records. Army regulars formed a rifle squad to salute veterans killed in the storm. Volunteers gathered the dead from land and sea for days after the disaster. Makeshift methods were employed to move the victims.

The Storm that Still Howls
With winds in excess of 200-mph, the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 was the most intense storm ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere and was the first known Category 5 storm. The full force of the deadly storm slammed into Islamorada at (winds over 155-mph) to hit Florida.
The full force of the deadly storm slammed into Islamorada at 8:23 P.M. on September 2, 1935.
As the winds roared to 200 mph, the barometer dipped to an all-time low of 26.35 inches, and Islamorada became a living hell.
Ships in the Atlantic reported a large storm but its exact location was unclear.

Relief Came Too Late
A relief train was dispatched from Miami on September 2nd to pick up veterans and others. It traveled backwards for a quick escape but arrived too late. In Islamorada it was washed off the track by a 17-foot tidal surge.
The U.S. Government was criticized for sending the veterans to the Keys during hurricane season and for not evacuating them quickly. A Congressional investigation resulted, but no single agency accepted blame.

The Leveled Landscape
Survivors were greeted by a hellish scene. All but two of Upper Matecumbe's 61 buildings were gone. Most train tracks were missing, and the remaining rails

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were grotesquely twisted. Flagler's $27-million railroad had died too.

The Human Toll
Bodies were everywhere. Some people had drowned; some were crushed by trees; some were impaled by limbs or lumber; some were tangled in the tops of fallen trees they had tried to climb to safety. Others were decapitated by tin roofs flying at 200 mph. Some bodies were unrecognizable, the wind-driven sand had blasted away their faces. Corpses were recovered from as far west as Cape Sable, located across the broad waters of Florida Bay. On September 3rd, 107 survivors remained.
On September 6, 1935, Florida Governor David Sholtz ordered that the remaining unburied bodies be cremated. More than 100 other bodies were taken to Woodlawn Park Cemetery in Miami for a mass burial.
In 1945 a dredge hit a solid object buried in the Gulf of Mexico. It proved to be a car containing four human skeletons and bearing a 1935 license plate.

[Insert]
"Western Union/September 8, 1935 - Honorable Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President. Mr. President STOP Loss of life from September 2, 1935 hurricane in Florida Keys caused by tidal wave ... STOP Tentative dead and missing 684 STOP Investigate to determine possible negligence in not evacuating veterans working on Key West railroad. STOP Conditions horrifying STOP Request additional assistance STOP Respectfully,

Photographed By Brandon D Cross, May 5, 2023

2. The Storm that Still Howls Marker

Assistant Administrator Veterans Affairs.”
(Captions)
1935 Labor Day Hurricane Advisory Positions Versus Actual Positions

Some local survivors crowded into the train for protection. They were not rescued until September 3rd.

After being almost blown away in 1935, the Rustic Inn originally constructed in 1928, is today’s Green Turtle Inn.

On Lower Matecumbe huge waves destroyed the ferry slip and washed the railroad bed away.

The U.S. Coast Guard attempted to warn boaters by dropping floats at sea.

The Matecumbe Hotel was partially standing after the storm; the Rustic Inn was intact

Ernest Hemingway came to Islamorada as a volunteer after the hurricane. His horror and anger over what he saw was evident in his article published soon after.

Makeshift coffins were stacked in the washed-out railroad bed near Snake Creek. Many identified veterans and unidentified men were cremated there on September 7, 1935.

Volunteers built coffins from the available debris and kept written records.

Army regulars formed a rifle squad to salute veterans killed in the storm.

Volunteers gathered the dead from land and sea for days after the disaster. Makeshift methods were employed to move the victims.

Erected by

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Heritage Monument Trail, Matacumbe Historical Trust.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Disasters. A significant historical date for this entry is September 2, 1935.

Location. 24° 55.564′ N, 80° 37.58′ W. Marker is in Islamorada, Florida, in Monroe County. Marker can be reached from Overseas Highway (U.S. US1) 0.1 miles east of Sombrero Beach Road (County Route 931). Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 82616 Overseas Highway, Islamorada FL 33036, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Florida Keys Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Geological History of the Florida Keys (a few steps from this marker); The Railway That Went To Sea (a few steps from this marker); The Early Settlers of Upper Matecumbe Key (a few steps from this marker); Native Americans (a few steps from this marker); The Spanish Treasure Fleets (a few steps from this marker); Site of Islamorada Railway Station (approx. 0.3 miles away); The 1935 Hurricane (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Islamorada.

Also see . . .
1. 1935- Labor Day Hurricane. (Submitted on May 29, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
2. Heritage Monument Trail, Matacumbe Historical Trust. (Submitted on May 29, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 29, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 111 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 29, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.