The Great New England Hurricane of 1938

Section headings were based on actual news headlines about the natural disaster. The captions were based on the text either written on or with the photos. Further text written as footnotes.

Individual images may be clicked on for enlarged lightbox view.

If you have any further info that could be added to these images, please contact the museum!

  • Hurricane as it may have looked from space
  • Phone Exchanges and Power Out
  • Main St, Graniteville
    Old Thompson home, Main St, Graniteville
  • Town Hall
    Town Hall & Westford Center
  • Town Hall
    Town Hall
  • Post Office, town center
    Post office at Town Center, opposite library
  • Westford Center
    House at Westford Center
  • Westford Center
    Westford Center (Common)
Photos Not Accessioned
  • Albert Hall residence
    Photo of Albert R. Hall residence, Graniteville
W.1998.73.1q
  • Hurricane Called Worst in History
  • 63 Main St.
    63 Main St1
  • Kimball Farm
    Kimball Farm2
  • Town Hall
    Town Hall, partial repairs
  • Hen House, Minot's Corner
    Building at Minot’s Corner3
  • Downed Trees
    Downed trees
  • 24 Main St.
    24 Main St (Captain John Abbot House)
  • Otis' Henhouse
    Damages to Otis’ henhouse, near Minot’s Corner
  • Downed Trees
    Downed trees at Beaver Brook Rd
  • Downed Trees
    Downed trees at Beaver Brook Rd
From Day Collection, Not Accessioned

More Info
1: The Donald Cameron House was heavily damaged by fire in 2017 and purchased by town in 2018
2: Almost half the Kimball Farm building was destroyed
3: Minot’s Corner is also known as Four Corners and Cornerstone Square

  • Hurricane as it may have looked from space
  • Hurricane Rips Through Town
  • Flemmings Camp
    Damages
  • Flemmings Camp
  • One of George's, ruined
    One of George’s, ruined and now ripped down
  • Paul's Folk's Camp
    Paul’s Folk’s Camp
  • One part of shoreline
    One part of shoreline
  • In the woods
    Just in the woods
  • Shoreline from Paul's
    Shoreline from Paul’s
  • Main Camp Road
    Main Camp Road
  • Dancause's tennis court
    Dancause’s tennis court
  • From George's
    From George’s, looking at our camp
  • Smiling Mrs. Flemming
    Smiling Mrs. Flemming, new bathroom ruined
  • Main camp road
    The main camp road
  • Dancause's Camp
    Dancause’s Camp
  • George himself
    George himself, 84 years old
  • Woman on "flag poles"
    Flag poles!
  • From George's, camp left
    Taken from George’s — our camp in extreme left
North side of Nabnasset Lake, taken by Lilian Laidlaw of Westford
W.1986.9.6
  • Our Friends the Trees Blown Down
  • Big maple tree down
    Big maple tree down by porte-cochere1
  • Common, Lincoln St.
    Common, Lincoln St.
  • Littleton Congregational church
    Littleton Congregational church, steeple tilted
  • Lambert’s house
    Lambert’s house
  • Opposite Abbot Westford Office
    View opposite Abbot Westford Office
  • Uprooted tree
    Uprooted tree2
  • Thompson's House-Graniteville
    Thompson’s House-Graniteville3
  • Looking toward street from roof
    Looking toward street from roof of porte-cochere, Belmont, MA
  • Town Hall’s tower blown off
    Town Hall’s tower blown off
  • Big maple tree down
    Big maple tree down by porte-cochere4
  • Common in front of Fletcher Library
    Common in front of Fletcher Library
  • Elizabeth Carver McKay’s father
    Elizabeth Carver McKay’s father standing near debris5
  • Looking down Main St
    Looking down Main St by Unitarian Church6
  • Pine St, Forge Village
    Pine St, Forge Village
Elizabeth Carver McKay Photos
W.1997.39.1b

More Info
1: Elizabeth Carver McKay’s house, Belmont, MA
2: Cameron House, heavily damaged by fire in 2017 and purchased by town in 2018
3: 53 North Main St today
4: Elizabeth Carver McKay’s house, Belmont, MA
5: On lawn of their house, Belmont, MA
6. Parish Center for the Arts today

  • Fires Rage Across Worcester
  • From Courier Citizen
  • From Courier Citizen
  • From Courier Citizen
From Courier Citizen and Evening Leader, The Complete Historical Record of New England’s Stricken Area September 21, 1938, Lowell MA, 1938.
W.2004.106
  • Hurricane path