Here is another tidbit of information about Camp Taylor that you may not know. We have just heard the local weather media this week, going on about the current cold snap. Yesterday, they announced the end of the fourth longest run of consecutive days below 32 deg. at 11 days. The longest period of consecutive days on record for below freezing temperatures in Louisville occurred during the winter of 1917–1918, with 17 days below freezing. This cold snap that has just ended does not hold a candle to the winter of 1917–18.

One fact that they did not mention was, that during the 1917–18 winter, the coldest temperatures on record for four consecutive days in the month of December happened during this time. The records still hold up, and they are the only four consecutive days of record cold temperatures ever to be recorded in Louisville.

The dates that this occurred in 1917 were Dec 8th @ -1 Deg F., Dec 9th @ -6 Deg F., Dec 10th @ -4 Deg F., and Dec 11th @ -3 Deg F. On January 12th, 1918, the temperature dropped to -15 Deg F., and is the record low for that date.

The 1917–1918 winter also holds the record for the most snow fall in one winter season for Louisville, at 50.2 inches. Also, on December 8th, 1917, the deepest snowfall for the month of December was recorded at 13.6 inches. These types of record cold temperatures were not exclusive to the Ohio Valley region, as the entire nation was experiencing a very unusual weather pattern. The colder than normal weather trend had been developing for several months prior, with a colder than usual September and October in 1917.

It was recorded in the Quartermasters Report on the camp construction, that the brand new steam heating system was not capable of producing enough heat in the Hospital Group. The temperatures in the Operating Rooms could only achieve a constant temperature of 40 Degrees. The wards only were able to maintain a temperature in the mid 40’s throughout the entire Hospital group. Many of the steam lines froze and had to be constantly thawed out to allow the steam to reach the buildings. The building construction would also have contributed to part of the problem, as there was no insulation of any type in the walls. The buildings were all wood frame and elevated above the ground on piers which allowed cold air under the floors and into the buildings.

The Officers had the luxury of having steam heat also, but not sure how warm they were able to maintain it in their quarters. All of the remaining buildings were heated by coal burning stoves. I would venture to say that the barracks interiors were lucky to make it to the freezing point during this 17 day record cold snap.

It’s a wonder that more of them didn’t die from pneumonia. Of course, the Camp was just recoveing from the first wave of the Bird Flu Panedmic that peaked at the Camp in October of 1917. It was just a bad winter all the way around.

Ken M