Vermont Humanities

Thirty-Eight: The Hurricane That Transformed New England

Black and white photo showing fallen trees and flood damage from the 1938 hurricane
Speakers Bureau
Black and white photo showing fallen trees and flood damage from the 1938 hurricane
Image Credit: U.S. Forest Service, Severe Destruction of a Farmhouse in Willimantic, Connecticut, Caused by the Great New England Hurricane. National Archives (Image No. 369809)

A hurricane will never surprise us again. But that’s what happened to the people of New England on September 21, 1938. Without any warning, the most destructive weather event ever to hit the Northeast pummeled the coast and blasted its way to Vermont and New Hampshire with torrential rain, flooding, and sustained winds over 100 miles per hour.

Stephen Long tells the story of New England’s Katrina, focusing on the devastation to the region’s forests and the daunting challenge facing New Englanders still in the throes of the Great Depression. His presentation is richly illustrated with archival photos of storm damage and the unprecedented recovery operation, making the storm and its aftermath come alive. A journalist and co-founder of Northern Woodlands magazine, Stephen Long is the author of Thirty-Eight: The Hurricane that Transformed New England.

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About the Presenter

Black and white headshot of Stephen Long wearing a black sweater and white collared shirt.

Stephen Long

For more than 25 years, Long has been exploring and writing about New England’s forests. Learning from experts in various forest-related disciplines, he jumped into forest stewardship with the zeal of the newly converted.

Talks by Stephen Long

Black and white photo showing fallen trees and flood damage from the 1938 hurricane

Thirty-Eight: The Hurricane That Transformed New England

A hurricane will never surprise us again. But that’s what happened to the people of New England on September 21, 1938. Without any warning, the most destructive weather event ever to hit the Northeast pummeled the coast and blasted its way to Vermont and New Hampshire with torrential rain, flooding, and sustained winds over 100 miles per hour.

Vermont Humanities*** May 28, 2025