Grinnell Tornado: Iowa Time Machine June 18, 1882

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On June 18, 1882, Grinnell attempted to pick up the pieces after being struck by one of the deadliest tornadoes in Iowa history. The F5 tornado killed at least 68 people while injuring an estimated 300 more.

The storm carved a 105-mile path through six counties, leveling 73 homes in Grinnell alone and destroying both major buildings on the Grinnell College campus. Later estimates suggest the death toll may have exceeded 100 people, making it possibly the most fatal tornado event in Iowa's recorded history.

The tornado struck during a hot, steamy summer evening, when Grinnell College students were finishing end-of-semester work and preparing for Commencement. At that time, no warning system existed for severe weather, as the first public tornado alert was not issued until 1952, more than a century before Doppler radar systems were established.

Two tornadoes converged upon Grinnell at approximately 8:30 p.m., meeting at the intersection of Eighth Avenue and Broad Street at the heart of the college campus. The shorter tornado struck the town first from the southwest, while the second came from the northwest, entering the town on its northern border. Thirty-nine people died in Grinnell, including two college students, Bingham Burgett and Burritt Chase, who lost their lives in their dormitory. The tornado also killed ten people in the Rippey area, seven in Jasper County, and ten more in Malcolm, with debris carried as far as 100 miles. Grinnell College incurred approximately $80,000 in damages (1882 USD), with insurance covering only about $10,000 of that amount. #Iowa #OTD #History #Weather #Tornado