Atlantic City, NJ Hurricane of 1944 & March Storm of 1962 (Photos

We have obtained some amazing photos of the Great Hurricane of 1944 and the March Storm of 1962.

Despite being taken more than 80 years ago, these 1944 photos have never been seen before now.

In chronical order, on September 14-15, 1944, the Atlantic City, New Jersey area and many other states were hit hard by the Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944.

Some records state that Brigantine, New Jersey was hit on September 13-14, 1944. It packed winds of 160 miles per hour.

The Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944 first swept through Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

Next, it sideswiped New Jersey and Long Island, New York ... then, on to Point Judith, Rhode Island ... next, to South Weymouth, Massachusetts.

Cape Cod Massachusetts suffered massive damage during the Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944.

Approximately 400 people died at sea.

A long-time friend, Joyce Smith sent us 16 amazing photos taken on September 14-15, 1944 by her Great Uncle, Thomas Brown.

These photos are included below in a most memorable photo gallery ... which features 16 photographs that have never been seen or published before now.

Not many photos or videos from this era exist, as so many people lost all of their worldly possessions and had to regroup in order to survive.

Taking photographs was not a priority in the grand scheme of things.

We posthumously thank Thomas Brown for making the time and effort to take these photos and have them developed.

We thank Joyce Smith for keeping and preserving these photographs, which are now almost 80 years old.

I have never before seen this many photos in one collection from The Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944.

You will be able to get a real feel for what many thousands of people in the Atlantic City area were facing in mid-September, 1944.

It was a time of devastating loss, both from a human resource and massive property damage standpoint.

Residential and commercial properties were devastated (some completely destroyed) and the grand boardwalk and ocean piers suffered massive property damage.

The Atlantic City Boardwalk was also destroyed, but, would be rebuilt.

The Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944 was the worst to hit the Atlantic City area since 1903.

The Atlantic City Press called the 1903 hurricane, “The Vagabond Hurricane," because it was the first North Atlantic hurricane to ever make landfall in the state of New Jersey in recorded history. Records have been kept since 1851.

The worst hurricane to hit the Atlantic City area was Super Storm, Hurricane Sandy.

Hurricane Sandy hit at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, October 29, 2012.

Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey head-on, seven miles north of Atlantic City, with 80 miles per hour winds and a devastating 14-foot tidal wave surge.

This was only 1/2 the wind power versus the 1944

Great Atlantic Hurricane. However, the massive storm surge is what caused the most damage during Super Storm Sandy.

The March, 1964 nor'easter was a very memorable storm that caused massive property damage in the Atlantic City, New Jersey area.

It never reached hurricane strength ... however, it caused comparable damage as a hurricane.

Below are incredible photos of the Great Hurricane of 1944 taken by Thomas Brown.

These photographs are extraordinary.

In March, 1962, the Atlantic City area was hit by a powerful storm out of the northeast.

While it did not pack hurricane force winds, the flooding was massive and it caused devastating damage.

The Don Hurley photo below shows the significant damage that was caused to the World’s Famous Steel Pier.

Don Hurley photo.

About the March, 1962 storm and damage to the Steel Pier, Don Hurley wrote:

62 years ago. March 1962 aerial shot from when a barge blasted through The Steel Pier during the March Storm. Famed Impresario George Hamid promised that the pier would be repaired and opened in time for the traditional Easter opening...and it was, wrote Don Hurley.

The March, 1962 storm destroyed the Atlantic City and Margate Boardwalks.

The Margate Boardwalk was never rebuilt.

SOURCES: Thomas Brown, Joyce Smith, Don Hurley, Atlantic City Press and Nature.org