The High Water Mark
The Legacy of the Hurricane of 1938
Pictured: One of the many houses that made its way into the Cape Cod Canal during the Hurricane of ‘38
On the afternoon of September 21, 1938, the Great New England Hurricane struck without warning at an astounding 47 mph. Bringing sustained winds over 120 mph and gusts up to 186 mph, the Category 3 storm hit at high tide, creating a violent storm surge that inundated coastal communities across New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
Among the hardest-hit areas was Chapoquoit Island in Falmouth, Massachusetts, where a 14-foot storm surge from Buzzards Bay tore away piers, undermined roadways, and flooded homes. In Falmouth alone, eight lives were lost and damage topped $700,000. But numbers alone can't capture how the day truly unfolded for local families.
While working on a Housecraft Books project for a Falmouth family a few months back, we were struck by how frequently the Hurricane of 1938 came up—a storm that struck nearly a century ago, yet remains a defining chapter in the town's history.
One story stood out above the rest. As floodwaters burst into the Crompton family home on Chapoquoit, sixteen-year-old Nancy "Twinkie" Crompton was forced to leap from a second-story window, swimming through the submerged branches of an oak tree to reach a neighbor's home.
Once inside, Twinkie realized Whiskey, the family dog, was still trapped. Refusing to leave him behind, the teenager plunged back into the surging tide, jumped onto the porch, and swam back through the trees to save her pet.
Her heroic rescue made headlines across the state, including the Boston Herald. Local lore insists that a few confused editors initially reported that the brave teen had swum through a hurricane to save a bottle of liquor rather than her beloved canine companion!
That evening, thirteen stranded neighbors gathered at 193 Associates Road, dubbed "The Tidal Wave Club." Lit by candlelight and surrounded by howling winds, they shared cocktails and dinner, finding solace in survival while tragedy unfolded across New England. (A surprisingly cozy end to a harrowing day.)
Today, a sign affixed to the house marks the high-water line from that afternoon. It’s small, vivid details like this that make history tangible. At Housecraft Books, these are precisely the family stories and regional legacies we aim to preserve for generations to come.
