Hurricanes at Archbold Biological Station, 1948 & 1949.
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These two accounts are from the Station Office Manager’s annual diaries. These diaries exist only for 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, and 1952, and these are the only two accounts of hurricanes in the diaries. The 1947 volume is labeled "Diary" and the others are labeled "Daily Reminder." They are stored in the Station’s historical archives. Frank Rinald joined Archbold Expeditions in 1931 and he was the Station’s Office Manager from 1943 until his death in a car accident in 1964. He lived in Lynx (3) Cottage with his wife Helen and son David. The 1948 account is presumably in Rinald’s handwriting but the 1949 account is in the distinctive handwriting of Leonard J. Brass, the Station’s Botanist, who lived in Dicerandra (2) Cottage.

The 1948 hurricane. This was the first of two hurricanes to strike Florida in 1948 and this storm (18-25 Sept. 1948) was considered a Category 3 storm.

Thursday, September 23, 1948. -- "A storm passed this way yesterday [22 Sept. 1948]. The hurricane entered the mainland at Cape Sable. The center passed 60 mi. west of Miami in its NNE course, and at 7:00 a.m. 15 mi. east of Clewiston. It continued NNE over Lake Okeechobee and E out over the Atlantic through Stuart last evening.

Property winds averaged perhaps 40 mph during the day though winds near center were reported to be more than 100. A watch from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM at the wind velocity indicator in Mr. A’s room – a period during which winds rose and I believe did not attain greater velocity later – showed a rise from an estimated average 42 mph to 58 mph with gusts about 75. Only two gusts reached 80, the higher 81.5 mph.

The rainfall during the two days of storm was approx. 7". Although the ditches had been cleared in preparation for the storm – and owing to heavy rains – flooding was general. White caps stirred up in the floodwaters west of the railroad, smashed against the track embankment and threw up a foamy spray. Water washed over the tracks, and later fill between many ties was pushed loose. Water poured through as from an open hydrant into the overflowing east ditch.

The Arar River [Alexander Blair’s name for the Main Grounds, concrete-bottom ditch] overflowed making it necessary to wade shin-deep along the Rinald-Brass road [Cottage Drive between Dicerandra (2) and Lynx (3) cottages] in the late evening. The Archbold chicken yard [south of Lynx Cottage and east of Cricket Trailer] ran knee high in water that eventually spread to the Rinald lawn [Lynx Cottage] where it lapped the Brazilian pepper bushes. The Brass bridge [over the ditch at Dicerandra Cottage] under 7 – 8" of water developed holes in it and was not practically passable. Buddy Clines’ house [?Palmetto (6) Cottage] _____ [a short word, not legible] on an island knoll. He declared he’d now seen ever’thing. This morning is clear and cool and serene."

The 1949 hurricane. The August 1949 hurricane was a major storm. It was the worst hurricane in the Lake Okeechobee area since 1928. This 1949 storm took a course similar to the Great Hurricane of 6-20 September 1928 which was the storm that killed more than 1800 people along the southwest shore of the lake. John Roebling built the Station’s fortress-like Main Building in 1930-31 when the effects of the 1928 storm were still strong in everyone’s memory.

16 July 1949. -- "Frank Rinald left on vacation (Maine). L.J. Brass took over Station accounts."

26 August 1949. -- "1^st hurricane of season to affect Florida passed over east coast between Pompano and Palm Beach about 6 PM, crossed Lake Okeechobee and attained full local strength at Station about 11:30 PM – 1:30 AM (27^th). Top winds velocity observed 110 mph at Station. Center of storm passed somewhat to north of Station. Winds of 125 mph recorded at Sebring where damage to planted trees was extensive and wind damage to buildings also was rather severe. Property damage at Sebring est. at $100,000. Damage to citrus groves of area est. at $2,000,000.

Considerable damage to buildings in and about Lake Placid.

Telephone, telegraph, rail & bus service completely out.

At Station, tile roof of dining room partly carried away, damage to tile roof of spare cottage."

27 August 1949. -- "Rinalds returned from vacation in Maine on Silver Meteor, which arrived in Sebring 10 hours behind schedule."