Inventing Disaster: The Culture of Calamity from the Jamestown Colony to the Johnstown Flood

302 Pages·2019·60.273 MB·English

by  Cynthia A. Kierner

Publication of this book was supported in part by a generous
gift from Catherine Lawrence and Eric Papenfuse.
© 2019 The University of North Carolina Press
All rights reserved
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Set in Arno, Scala Sans, Klabasto, Blaisdell, Cutright, and Fell DW Pica
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Manufactured in the United States of America
The University of North Carolina Press has been a member
of the Green Press Initiative since 2003.
Cover illustrations: Claude-Joseph Vernet, The Shipwreck, 1772, courtesy of the
National Gallery of Art; (jacket flaps) Jet Star Roller Coaster, Seaside Heights, N.J.,
after Hurricane Sandy; photo by Patsy Lynch/FEMA; map of Jonathan Dickson’s
journey, courtesy of the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University
LibrAry oF CongrEss CAtALoging- in- PubLiCAtion DAtA
Names: Kierner, Cynthia A., 1958– author.
Title: Inventing disaster : the culture of calamity from the Jamestown
colony to the Johnstown flood / Cynthia A. Kierner.
Description: First edition. | Chapel Hill : The University of North Carolina
Press, [2019] | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCn 2019016542 | isbn 9781469652511
(cloth : alk. paper) | isbn 9781469652528 (ebook)
Subjects: LCsH: Disasters—North Atlantic Region—History—18th
century. | Disasters—North Atlantic Region—History—19th century. |
Disasters—North Atlantic Region—History—17th century. | Disasters—
Social aspects—History. | Disasters—Political aspects—History.
Classification: LCC D24 .K54 2019 | DDC 303.48/50903—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019016542
FOR
ANDERS
(Now you owe me one.)
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CONTENTS
Preface xi
introDuCtion 1
1 Devastation without Disaster 14
2 Narrating Disaster 38
3 Catastrophe in an Age of Enlightenment 69
4 Benevolent Empire 99
5 Disaster Nation 133
6 Exploding Steamboats and the Culture of Calamity 166
EPiLoguE 201
Acknowledgments 215
Notes 219
Bibliography 247
Index 275
ILLUSTRATIONS
FigurEs
Jet Star Roller Coaster, Seaside Heights, N.J. x
Platte Gronde der Verbrande Stadt London 6
Captain John Smith 21
Opechancanough’s uprising 35
Mr. James Janeway’s Legacy 43
Increase Mather 46
Jonathan Dickinson’s journey 50
A View from the Camp at the East End of the Naked Sand
Hills, on the South East Shore of the Isle of Sable 57
The Shipwreck, 1772 60
Hydraspis, or water shield 66
Cork- jacket 67
A True and Perfect Relation of that most Sad and Terrible
Earthquake, at Port-R oyal in Jamaica 73
An Authentic View of Lisbon, just as the Dreadful
Earthquake began and as it ended 76
Lisbon earthquake woodcut 79
Lines Made after The Great Earthquake, In 1755, which shook
North and South America, with great destruction in Cales,
in Lisbon, and most of the adjacent kingdoms 83
A New Plan of ye Great Town of Boston in New England in America 104
Charity brief 106
Motives for a Subscription towards the relief of the
Sufferers at Montreal in Canada 116
George III 121
Great Fresh obelisk 123
Portsmouth fire map 144
Theatre on Fire. Awful Calamity! 156
The Burning of the Theatre in Richmond, Virginia 157
Gilbert Hunt 158
Two Hundred Lives Saved . . . by Francis’ Patent Corrugated Life-C ar 174
The Extra Sun 182
Ruins of the Merchants’ Exchange after the Destructive
Conflagration of December 16–17, 1835 183
New York fire transferware plate 184
The Burning of the Steamer Royal Tar 187
Lloyd’s Steamboat Directory 189
Terrible Conflagration and Destruction of the Steam-B oat “New-Jersey” 192
Collins and Cunard. Raising the Wind; or, Both Sides of the Story 195
The Johnstown Calamity: Main Street after the Flood 205
Johnstown flood amusement postcard 209
grAPH
“Disasters” in the news, 1807–1869 170