Editor’s Note: This article on Hurricane Hugo was originally published by Mount Pleasant Magazine in 2012. It’s 8 a.m., Sept. 25, four days after Hurricane Hugo. Following an all-night drive from Atlanta, I’ve boarded the harbor-tour boat at Patriots Point for a return to the devastated Isle of Palms. Standing there in a gloomy downpour of rain, we’re a ragtag crowd gathered … [Read more...]
Remembering Hurricane Hugo
The Lowcountry is no stranger to hurricanes. From the time we began tracking hurricane statistics in 1851, Southeast South Carolina has seen 309 tropical cyclones, including 16 hurricanes which have made landfall in Charleston County – the most of any county in the area according to weather.gov. Even before hurricanes were formally named, our home had several recorded storms, … [Read more...]
Nightmare in McClellanville: Hurricane Hugo 1989
“We made it Evangeline. The worst is over.” These were the words that Thomas Williams spoke to his wife as he looked out the back door of his McClellanville home during the calm of Hugo’s eye. The view before him was pretty bad but it wasn’t devastating. For the most part, his house and the houses of his friends and relatives on DuPre street were in good shape. There was no … [Read more...]
The Safe Home Program: Helping Homeowners Weather the Storm
Being able to live near the South Carolina coast is a dream come true for many homeowners. It’s a chance to enjoy the beach and a chance to connect with the outdoors while soaking in stunning sunsets and beautiful views. But it can come at a cost. And as many of us know, residing near the coast means sitting on the edge of our seats during the long hurricane season, waiting to … [Read more...]
Don’t “Shutter” at the Thought of a Storm: Lowcountry Hurricane Protection & Shutters
It’s been nearly 27 years since a hurricane swept through the Lowcountry, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the probability that another Hugo-like storm will visit the Charleston area sooner or later. Lowcountry Hurricane Protection & Shutters can enhance the look of your home and at the same time prepare you for the next big weather event. Established by local … [Read more...]
A Storm’s Unwelcome Visit to Sullivan’s Island: Sergeant David J. Price’s Tale of Survival
If Sullivan’s Island Police Sgt. David J. Price could erase a period of his life, he would certainly eliminate the last two weeks of September and the first two weeks of October 1989. During those four weeks, Price lost 99 percent of his worldly possessions, protected a devastated jurisdiction, shared the grief and sorrow of his fellow islanders’ losses and worried about … [Read more...]
The Voyage Back to an Island Rocked by Hugo: One Resident Remembers the Hardest Ride of His Life
It’s 8 a.m., Sept. 25, four days after Hurricane Hugo. Following an all-night drive from Atlanta, I’ve boarded the harbor-tour boat at Patriots Point for a return to the devastated Isle of Palms. Standing there in a gloomy downpour of rain, we’re a ragtag crowd gathered from all points of shelter. I’ve run the curfew gantlets, dodged fallen trees and avoided dangling … [Read more...]
A Look Back on Hurricane Hugo’s Devastation
Directly after Hurricane Hugo in 1989, Publisher Bill Macchio revealed his limited-edition magazine entitled “Hurricane Hugo: Storm of the Century” to residents of Mount Pleasant and the surrounding islands. Take a sneak peek at some of the articles here, and then head over to our website, mountpleasantmagazine.com, to continue reading these awe-inspiring, sometimes … [Read more...]