Blizzard
This page was created April 10, 2009
The black blizzard, more commonly known as, the dust bowl was a weather phenomenom that occurred from 1930-1940. This occurence affected many states through the years and caused many deaths.For people who lived through it, many referred to it as "the Dirty Thirties".
The main states affected were Oklahoma, Colorado, Texas, New Mexico and South Dakota. However, many maps of the region show that Nebraska and Kansas were also affected.In viewing the photo above, I cannot even imagine how I would feel to view this cloud approaching outside my front door.
Recently I watched a documentary on the History Channel about the Black Blizzard and it occurred to me that many of my ancestors migrated west and I had last found them in the states of Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado as well as South Dakota. This was in the 1930 census records. The documentary stated that many hundreds of people had died during this time- even more that didn't die had migrated further west in search of areas not affected such as California and Washington State.
The surnames in my own personal lineages that did migrate west were: Asher, Baldwin, Carter, Truax, Goss and Sandy. There were doubtless several others.There was great migrant displacement factor during these years. As frustrating as it sounds, an ancestor could have ended up in any state west of Oklahoma.
For further information on this occurrence, I suggest that some of you check here.