From the May 13th, 1886 Boston Globe....

[Chris Oakley]

AFTERNOON EXTRA

GREAT FLOOD IN NEW YORK!BROOKLYN DEVASTATED!THOUSANDS DROWNED!

CHAOS FROM JERSEY COAST TO WHITE PLAINS AS SURVIVORS TRY TO RECOVER FROM HORRENDOUS TIDAL WAVE

Most Horrific Calamity To Befall This Country Since Great Chicago Fire, Tells Our Correspondent

My question to you, fellow AHers, is this: A)What could have brought something like this on and B)How does this disaster change the course of American history heading into the 20th century?

 

[DuQuense]

Hurricane Annie, a cat 5 storm.

 

[Kerblo]

New York was too important to not recover from this. The port is deep and roads all lead there. I would be surprised if two years later there would be evidence that the flood ever happened.

 

[Tom Veil]

Here is New York Magazine's excellent Disaster Map, OTL 2005.