When Nature Comes a Calling on the Prairie

Most disasters on the frontier were the result of Mother Nature at her worst. The settlers were basically helpless to fight against it and most times ended up desitute and wiped out. Here are some headlines as they would have appeared in the 1800's

News Flash .... "Summer 1859- Winter of 1860 in Kansas and Nebraska, not a single raindrop has fallen for almost 18 months. Two long drought ridden summers in which the soil has broken into huge cracks, the prairie grass has turned a deep brown, and no crops have been grown or harvested in 2 growing seasons. The dry scorching winds continue to blow from the Southeast and 1000's of sodbusters are destitute, believed to be living on acorns and bark"

News Flash ... "1870 Summer hailstorms flatten crops and batter pioneers with egg-sized hail stones.

Next time ...more from the winter trials