New London School Explosion, Deadliest school disaster which killed almost 300 children and teachers
After odorless natural gas spilled into the basement and caught fire at New London High School in Rusk County, hundreds of people perished. Four kilometers away, the explosion’s boom could be heard. Parents hurried to the school, many of them oil field laborers from East Texas.
Despite quick rescue efforts, 298 people died, mostly children between the ages of 5 and 11 (dozens more eventually passed away from injuries). After an inquiry, it was determined that an electric woodshop sander, which ignited odorless gas that had accumulated beneath and inside the school walls, was to blame for the explosion.
According to History.com, “The school was newly constructed in the 1930s for less than $1 million and, from its inception, purchased natural gas from Union Gas to supply its energy needs.” “The average monthly natural gas bill for the school was about $300.”
According to historian James Cornell, the school board terminated its agreement with Union Gas in early 1937 in order to save money and connected to a pipeline of residual gas (also known as casinghead gas) from Parade Gasoline Company.
He wrote in The Great International Disaster Book, “This technique was popular in the area, even though it was not formally approved by local oil firms. “The natural gas extracted along with the oil was considered a waste product and was flared off.”
Walter Cronkite reaches Scene
Walter Cronkite, a teenage reporter for United Press in Dallas, was one among the first journalists to arrive at the accident site south of Kilgore, between Tyler and Longview. In East Texas, it was pitch-black and raining.
A local historian remarked that the man “got his first inkling of how bad the incident was when he saw a large number of cars lined up outside the funeral home in Tyler.” Long shadows are created at the catastrophe site by floodlights.
In his book, A Reporter’s Life, Cronkite stated, “We hurried on to New London.” Just before dusk, we arrived there. Huge oilfield floodlights illuminated a massive pile of rubble that people were tearing up with their bare hands. Many of them were oil field employees.
Later, Cronkite would say, “I did nothing in my studies or in my life to prepare me for a story of the magnitude of that New London tragedy, nor has any story since that awful day equaled it.”
The “sad irony” of how the East Texas oil boom supported the construction of the richest rural school in the country in 1934—and the flawed heating system that allowed raw gas to accumulate beneath it—was detailed by David M. Brown, who investigated the disaster for a 2012 book.
According to Brown, a poor judgment made by school administrators contributed to the explosion.
The trustees had given workers permission to use a pipeline transporting “waste” natural gas produced by a gasoline refinery in order to reduce the cost of heating the school building. In his book Gone at 3:17, the Untold Story of the Worst School Disaster in American History, Brown came to the conclusion that “the resulting explosion that laid waste to a town’s future.”
According to Robert Hilliard, a volunteer for the New London Museum, a makeshift morgue was put up close to the school as well as adjacent Overton and Henderson after the catastrophe.
According to Hilliard, one of those responsible for maintaining the museum’s website, “many burials were made in the neighborhood Pleasant Hill cemetery that now serve as a reflection of the significant loss that families faced. Many of the cemetery sites include porcelain portraits of the deceased, the man claimed. “Played with marbles were pushed into the cement border around the graves.”
Safer Natural Gas Production.
Texas was the first state to enact regulations requiring that natural gas be blended with a “malodorant” to provide early warning of a gas leak as a result of the catastrophe. Other states soon after did the same. Mercaptan, the odorant introduced to signal the potentially dangerous leak of gas, is now required to give off the rotten-egg stench that has come to be associated with natural gas.
The community museum in New London, which is located across the street from the school, opened its doors in 1992 as a result of years of work by Mollie Ward, who served as both its founder and first curator. Mollie was 10 years old when the horrific explosion she survived occurred. A blackboard discovered in the rubble was one of the museum’s exhibits, she claimed in an interview from 2001.
Oil and natural gas are East Texas’ greatest mineral blessing, according to a blackboard that was once on the wall, according to Ward, who spent years assisting in the founding of a former students club that brought together those who survived the New London explosion.
A 32-foot-tall granite cenotaph dedicated in 1939 is located close to the museum. A monument-building contract was given to the Premier Granite Quarries of Llano, Texas, in December 1938. The project’s designing and supervising architect was Donald Nelson of Dallas.
The duty of creating the model for the sculptural block at the top was given to Herring Coe of Beaumont following a competition in which seven Texas sculptors submitted preliminary models.
Two monolithic granite columns support the 20-ton sculptured block of Texas granite, which features 12 life-size figures representing children arriving at school, giving gifts, and turning in homework to two instructors.
At the New London Museum, we memorialize the victims of the East Texas disaster.
The 1814 London beer flood
In 1814, there was a beer flood in London when a tank containing more than 300,000 gallons ruptured in which 8 people drowned.
15 interesting facts about Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II, who ruled Britain for 70 years, has away at the age of 96. She was the country's longest-reigning monarch. Here are some little-known facts about her.
Nordlingen, The Town Inside A Meteorite Crater With Millions Of Meteorite Diamonds
The German town of Nördlingen is embedded with 72,000 tons of microscopic diamonds. About 15 million years ago, a meteorite hit this region, and the impact created a massive depression and formed rocks containing diamonds, glass, and crystals. The town was built in the impact crater sometime around 898 CE.
How 18th Century Women’s Rights Movements Shaped Modern Equality
The 18th century marked a turning point in the quest for women’s rights, as passionate voices challenged centuries of gender inequality and laid the groundwork for modern feminism. From pioneers like Mary Wollstonecraft to revolutionary declarations and early advocacy, this era sparked debates on education, political participation, and social justice that continue to resonate today. Journey through the origins of women’s rights movements and discover how their bold ideas shaped the fight for equality.
Roller Coasters were First Invented to Distract People from sin
Roller coasters were invented to distract Americans from sin. In the 1880s, hosiery businessman LaMarcus Thompson didn’t like that Americans were going to places like saloons and brothels and created the first roller coaster on Coney Island to persuade them to go there instead.
The Amazing Truth About The German U-Boat That Was Sunk By A Toilet
During WWII, a German captain and an engineer flushed the submarine's high-tech toilet incorrectly, causing the vessel to rapidly fill with water. British planes patrolling the sea attacked them as the submarine was brought to the surface. While many members of the crew were killed in the attack, the captain escaped!
The 1976 April Fools' Pranks, Planetary Alignment
On April fool's Day, 1976, the BBC convinced many listeners that a special alignment of the planets would temporarily decrease gravity on Earth. Phone lines were flooded with callers who claimed they felt the effects.
The mysterious secret of Dr James Barry
Before women were allowed to enroll in medical school, Margaret Ann Bulkley studied medicine and assumed the identity of Dr. James Barry for 56 years while dressing as a man. After 46 years of service as an army doctor officer, her secret was not made public until after her death in 1865.
Atomic Tourism: In the 1950s, nuclear tests in Las Vegas served as a draw for tourists
Between 1950 and 1960, Las Vegas offered “Atomic Tourism” in which guests could watch atomic bombs being tested in the desert as a form of entertainment.
The true story of Josephine Myrtle Corbin, the lady born with four legs and two private parts
Josephine Myrtle Corbin, an American sideshow performer born in 1868, had a rare condition known as dipygus, which caused her to have four legs, each smaller inner leg paired with one of her outer legs. Corbin joined the sideshow circuit, captivating audiences as the "Four-Legged Girl from Texas."
The Mouth of Truth: Ancient Rome’s Legendary "Lie Detector" That Bit Off Hands
Discover the chilling legend of the Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verità) in Ancient Rome—a massive carved stone face believed to bite off the hand of anyone who lied while inserting their hand into its gaping mouth. Uncover the truth behind its eerie reputation and how this ancient artifact became a symbol of honesty and fear.
Titanoboa cerrejonensis, fossils of the world’s largest species of snake
In 2009 in a coal mine of Columbia, scientists discovered fossils of the world’s largest species of snake. The species is called “Titanoboa cerrejonensis,“and it is from around 60 million years ago. It would have had measured about 48 feet long and weighed about 2,500 pounds
Terry Fox, a 21-year-old one-legged cancer patient who ran 143 days before dying
Terry Fox was a 21-year-old one-legged cancer patient who ran 3,339 miles across Canada in 143 days before dying.
The Littlest Skyscraper: How J.D. McMahon’s 480-Inch Con Fooled Investors in 1919
In 1919, J.D. McMahon convinced investors to fund a 480-foot skyscraper, but he labeled the plans as 480 inches, building a 40-foot structure instead. After taking $200,000, he won in court since the plans matched what he built.
The Tragic Story Of Mary Ann Bevan, The ‘Ugliest Woman In The World’
After the death of her husband, Mary Ann Bevan had no income to support herself and her children. She then decided to enter a contest where she won the title of “ugliest woman” and was later hired by a circus. She endured this ridicule from the world to provide for her family.
Graves holding hands over wall, A Catholic woman and her Protestant husband grave
A protestant man and a Catholic woman who weren't allowed from being buried together in a graveyard in 19th-century Holland turned their graves into a monument showing them holding hands across the wall separating them.
Why the Brooklyn Bridge Was Once Crossed by 17 Camels and 21 Elephants
On May 30, 1883, a rumor that the Brooklyn Bridge was going to collapse caused a stampede, which killed at least at twleve people. To prove the bridge was safe, P.T. Barnum led a parade of 21 elephants over it.
Nuclear bomb accidentally dropped on North Carolina in 196
4 January 1961: The 4241st Strategic Wing's Boeing B-52G-95-BW Stratofortress, serial number 58-0187, was on a 24-hour airborne alert mission off the United States' Atlantic Coast.
The Arabia Steamboat: Unearthing a 19th Century Time Capsule from the Missouri River
The Arabia was a steamboat that sank in the Missouri River in 1856. Over time, the river shifted 800 meters to the east, eventually turning the site of the sinking into a field. The steamboat remained under 45 feet of slit and topsoil until 1988, when it was excavated. The mud, as it turned out, was such a great preserver that most of the artifacts on board were found to be intact. They even found jars of preserved apples that were still edible!
The true story Of The Radium Girls that change US labor laws
Hundreds of young women worked in clock factories during World War I, painting watch dials with luminous radium paint. The company lied about the risk of radiation, claiming there was no danger, which resulted in the death of the young women.
Ancient Egyptians Had Pregnancy Tests Over 3500 Years Ago
The ancient Egyptians used a pregnancy test that involved potentially pregnant women peeing on barley and wheat seeds. Plant growth indicated pregnancy: barley for a boy and wheat for a girl. Later tests revealed that pregnant women's urine causes plant growth 70% of the time, whereas non-pregnant women's urine does not.
The Day an Israeli F-15 Landed with One Wing: Zivi Nedivi’s Unbelievable Mid-Air Survival
Discover the astonishing true story of Israeli pilot Zivi Nedivi, who safely landed an F-15 after a mid-air collision tore off its entire right wing. Learn how skill, quick thinking, and the F-15’s unique design turned a disaster into a legendary feat in aviation history
Xin Zhui And The Story Of The Stunningly Intact Lady Dai Mummy
A 2,000-year-old mummy of a Chinese woman, Xin Zhui, also known as “Lady Dai,” was preserved in 21 gallons of an “unknown liquid.” With her original hair, organs, eyebrows, and eyelashes intact, the mummy still has blood in her veins. Her skin and ligaments are soft and as flexible as that of a living person.
Nathan's Famous Doctor Stunt
When Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs first opened in 1916, the owner hired people to dress as doctors and eat hot dogs outside his shop, to convince people his hot dogs were healthy.
Marion Stokes recorded 30 years of television
Marion Stokes, a Philadelphia woman began taping whatever was on television in 1979 and didn’t stop until her death in 2012. The 71,000 VHS and Betamax tapes she made are the most complete collection preserving this era of TV. They are being digitized by the Internet Archive.
