“When Disaster Strikes” examines region’s response to tragedy
Disasters always have a profound effect on the community. While the traumatizing events are etched into memory, they also cause residents to band together and help each other recover from tragedy.
The latest pictorial book from The Day looks to commemorate some of the major disasters which have affected southeastern Connecticut while also highlighting the ways these incidents were met with heroism and resolve. “When Disaster Strikes” is currently available for purchase.
The book is divided into five chapters, each focusing on a different type of disaster. These include shipwrecks, fires, transportation incidents, floods, and storms.
The chapter on shipwrecks includes several accounts of the calamities that occasionally occurred when grand steamboats plied the Thames River and Long Island Sound. These include the sinking of the Larchmont in wintry seas, one of the worst shipwrecks in New England history, and the wreck of the Atlantic on Fishers Island. The chapter also looks at more recent incidents, including the tragic loss of the USS Thresher and the disappearance of the Stonington lobster boat Heidi Marie.
Mill conflagrations, blazes in apartment complexes, and the destruction of landmark hotels and restaurants are among the fires recounted in the second chapter. Ample space is given to the infamous Bank Street inferno sparked by the Hurricane of 1938 as well as the persistent fires which plagued Mystic over the course of several decades.
The chapter on transportation looks at multiple plane crashes that have occurred in the region, including the loss of military aircraft and an Air France crash in Preston which miraculously proved nonfatal. Other incidents profiled in this chapter include a number of railroad disasters and some of the serious wrecks that have occurred on local roads.
The flood caused by the collapse of the Spaulding Pond Dam in Norwich is one of the deluges described in the fourth chapter. The final chapter looks at the Blizzard of 1888, Hurricane of 1938, and other tempests that left the region to dig their way out of snowbanks and debris.
“When Disaster Strikes” gives detailed accounts on specific incidents, drawing on contemporary reporting from The Day and other newspapers. Photos were collected from The Day’s archives as well as numerous libraries, historical societies, and individuals.
The research for the book was conducted by Dirk Langeveld and John Ruddy, who also wrote the text portions of each chapter. Both men are employees of The Day and avid history enthusiasts.
Langeveld, a marketing editor, worked on several pictorial books previously released by The Day and Pediment Publishing, including “Looking Back: Volume II,” “Service Above Self: A Pictorial History of the U.S. Coast Guard,” and “First and Finest: The 100-Year History of Naval Submarine Base New London.” He also runs The Downfall Dictionary, a blog on political scandals throughout U.S. history.
Ruddy, the copy desk chief celebrating 30 years with The Day in 2017, is the author of two “Images of America” books released through Arcadia Publishing: “New London” and “Reinventing New London.” Many of the images provided for “When Disaster Strikes” were taken from his personal collection of items related to local history. Ruddy is also an adjunct staff member at the University of Connecticut.
“When Disaster Strikes” can be pre-ordered for the sale price of $29.95 (preorder sale ends 11/01/2017, retail price is $39.95) and will ship at the beginning of December. Orders can be placed online at theday. com/ctdisasters, by calling 860-701-4304, or by visiting The Day at 47 Eugene O’Neill Drive in New London. Book details: Hardcover with dust jacket, 136 pages, hundreds of black & white and full color photos, archival quality.