Ladye Jane Thursday, January 22, 2009

Olde Raleigh

Tuesday’s Snow Was Nothing….

In 1899, Raleigh found itself in a winter storm that dumped 17.7 inches on Fayetteville Street in three days. The system was known as the “Snow King of ‘99”, and left snow as far south as Fort Myers, FL. Older Raleigh residents that were interviewed after the storm swore that there were harsher storms in March of 1841, January of 1857, and December 1876, but unfortunately the Weather Bureau office had not formed yet to record it.
This heavy snowfall held the record untill March 1, 1927, when the Local Weather Bureau measured 17.8 inches. It wasn’t until January 24, 2000 when that record was broken by another tenth of an inch- 17.9 inches on the ground IN ONE DAY.

Above Image: Shoveling the snow on the 200 blk. of Fayetteville, 1899


Another shot of the 1899 blizzard.


A snow storm in 1915.


A few inches in the 1930’s.

Images courtesy of Raleigh City Museum

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  • James01/22 08:17 PM

    I want another snow like that.

  • Micah01/22 08:20 PM

    Didn’t we get over 20 inches in January 2000?

  • John01/22 09:05 PM

    I think that the 2000 storm included snow that fell on two days.  Therefore, the record for one day is apparently only 17.9 inches.  If I remember correctly, the snow started falling that night and by midnight was only 5 or so inches deep.  At least that’s how it was at my place downtown.  But, remember, the official counts are at the airport.

  • Jim01/22 11:20 PM

    A few inches in the 1930’s:

    man, that is a great picture.  that’s on fayetteville looking south?

  • ladye jane01/23 12:21 AM

    yeah, that Walgreens was where the CVS is now.

  • RaleighRob01/23 11:27 AM

    Interesting pictures.  The second 1899 one looks at about where Fayetteville Street Tavern is.

    The 1915 one looks like a mess…poles leaning over and all.  Plus the unpaved road and all that mud…yikes!  And I thought driving thru ice was bad. 

    I like the 1930s picture.  The art deco font on the Walgreens sign is very cool.  And even on a snowy day, women were wearing those skirts…poor gals!

  • Bruce01/23 02:22 PM

    Indeed, the 1930s pic would be worth having a print of.

  • TheCatalyst01/23 02:29 PM

    We received 20.5 inches within 24 hours in 2000.

    Regardless I love seeing the pictures!

  • ladye jane01/23 04:33 PM

    According to the research I did, measurements from NCDC (National Climatic Data Center under the U.S. Dept. of Commerce) measured 20.8 inches in the “Raleigh/Durham” area. Measurements taken in “Downtown Raleigh” (which is the area I am referring to and showing in the photos) measured 17.8.

    I didn’t live here then, so I was just going by the U.S. government’s measurements.

  • Ron01/24 12:05 AM

    I always love these historical posts. Good mix of the old with the new. Good work NR!

  • Raleigh Boy01/25 03:16 PM

    That 1915 shot—-ouch! All those telephone poles! Looks like one clobbered the tower of First Baptist Church up on the corner of Wilmington St. This is a remarkable view of the 100 block of E. Morgan St in 1915, btw. One doesn’t see many historic photos of Raleigh’s “side streets.”

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