Knickerbocker Storm
The Knickerbocker Storm, which occurred from January 27 to January 29, 1922, is remembered as a devastating blizzard that affected the upper South and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, particularly Washington, D.C. Over 20 inches of snow fell, with Washington recording a staggering 21 inches on January 28 alone, marking a record for the most snowfall in a single day. The storm's severe conditions resulted from a combination of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico interacting with an arctic cold front, leading to a slow-moving snowstorm that blanketed approximately 22,000 square miles. The storm is infamously linked to the tragic collapse of the Knickerbocker Theatre's roof, which occurred under the weight of the heavy, wet snow during a screening of a silent film. This catastrophic event resulted in the deaths of at least 98 individuals and left 158 others injured, making it one of the worst natural disasters in Washington, D.C.'s history. Many of those who perished were notable figures, including a former congressman. Subsequent investigations pointed to faulty design as a contributing factor to the collapse. The aftermath of the disaster profoundly affected the theater's architect and owner, both of whom tragically took their own lives in the years that followed.
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Subject Terms
Knickerbocker Storm
The Event: A devastating and fatal three-day blizzard
Date: January 27–29, 1922
Place: The East Coast of the United States
The Knickerbocker Storm, named for the fatal roof collapse of the Knickerbocker Theatre in Washington, D.C., was a record-setting blizzard, dropping more than 20 inches of snow across much of the upper South and mid-Atlantic region between the afternoon of January 27, 1922, and the early hours of January 29. On January 28 alone, a record 21 inches of snow fell in Washington, the most snow to fall there during a single day in recorded history. Areas hit hardest by the storm included Richmond, Virginia (19 inches total), Baltimore, Maryland (26.8 inches), and Washington, D.C. (28 inches).
The storm was the result of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico reaching an arctic cold front along the eastern seaboard. A high-pressure system in the north and the low-pressure system from the south created perfect conditions for a slow-moving snowstorm that would ultimately cover an estimated 22,000 square miles with over 20 inches of snow. The accumulated snow immobilized much of the area for several days.
The storm took its name from the largest and newest Washington movie house, the Knickerbocker Theatre. Although the storm kept more than half the seats empty, approximately nine hundred theatergoers gathered at the Knickerbocker on the evening of January 28 to see director Frank Borzage’s silent comedy Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford (1921). Heavy, wet snow accumulated rapidly on the flat roof of the theater, and shortly after 9:00 P.M., without warning, the roof of the theater collapsed under the weight of the snow, splitting down the middle. The roof’s collapse knocked down a brick wall and brought the cement balcony down onto the orchestra seating section, killing at least 98 people and injuring 158 others.
Impact
The Knickerbocker Storm is widely considered among the worst natural disasters in the history of Washington, D.C. Many of those killed were prominent citizens, including former congressman Andrew Jackson Barchfeld of Pennsylvania. Investigations found that faulty design was most likely to blame for the roof’s collapse. The collapse continued to take its toll in the years to come. In the years that followed, both the architect, Reginald Wyckliffe Geare, and the theater’s owner, Harry M. Crandall, were unable to cope with the disaster and committed suicide.
Bibliography
Compo, Gil, Jeff Whitaker, and Prashant Sardeshmukh. “Bridging the Gap Between Climate and Weather.” Scientific Discovery Through Advanced Computing Review, no. 7 (Spring, 2008): 50–57.
Fishbein, Gershon. “A Winter’s Tale of Tragedy.” The Washington Post, January 22, 2009, Special.
Kocin, Paul J., and Louis W. Uccellini. Northeast Snowstorms. Boston: American Meteorological Society, 2004.