Tornado strikes Cuba City in 1892

Cuba City has seen its share of severe weather over the years, but perhaps the most devastating storm to hit the community occurred on the evening of June 22, 1892. It struck around 6:30 in the evening. News of the twister could be found in newspapers across the Midwest, and beyond.

The Clinton Daily Age in Clinton, Iowa, reported that the storm "destroyed every business house in the town."

The Pentwater News in Pentwater, Michigan, reported that a stone home belonging to George Wilkinson was one of the tornado's first casualties. The paper describes horses being lifted in the air and set down, unharmed, yards away. The article ends with these chilling words: "Not a tree, windmill or house is left standing between Cuba City and Hazel Green."

The Milwaukee Journal was a little less sensational in its description of the storm damage. The newspaper reported that there were remarkably no fatalities and only one injury. Two buildings were listed as destroyed: the residence of Samuel Clemens and a photograph gallery. Two other buildings lost their roofs: Wilson's store and Samuel Clemens hardware store. Train transportation was disrupted for days as four bridges and a stretch of track on the Galena line were destroyed.

News of the tornado could be found as far away as the Boston Evening Transcript.

Check out scanned images of these articles in the Google News Archive:

Clinton Daily Age
Pentwater News
Milwaukee Journal 
Boston Evening Transcript 

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