Storm of the Century: The 1905 Mataafa Blow

This week, the Witch of November has come stealin' again as we bring you the truly EPIC tale of a storm that was remembered for decades by residents of Minnesota’s North Shore as the “Storm of the Century.” An inland cyclone blew across Lake Superior on November 27th, 28th, and 29th of 1905, sinking 29 ships and claiming 36 lives.

This episode has everything, from the most harrowing shipwreck narratives we’ve ever heard, the heroic derring-do of a "human squirrel," Samoan kings, “horny-handed sons of toil,” and the origins of Split Rock Lighthouse. You won’t want to miss it.

To see images related to this episode, find links to other resources, and see our sources cited, check out our show notes here.

[Content warning: tragic death, drowning, freezing to death]

minnesotaunknown.com