Little Rock Tornado - October 2, 1894

The Little Rock Tornado of October 2, 1894 struck around 7:30 PM, killing four people and damaging the Arkansas State Lunatic Asylum, State Penitentiary, and several blocks of businesses in the downtown district about three miles east of the government buildings.

The cyclone destroyed many buildings and ripped roofs off others along East Markham, Main, Center, and Cumberland, Second, and Third streets. Damaged in the storm were Arkansas Carpet and Furniture Company, Arkansas Stables, Bell Telephone Company, Capitol Hotel, Dickinson Hardware Company, Dudley E. Jones Company, Little Rock Tent and Awning Company, Sam Rudolph & Company, Western Union, and Wilson and Webb Stationery Company. Four wards of the asylum were damaged in the storm.

Killed in the storm were asylum physician J. T. Ingate, Jackson Boyd and his son, and penitentiary convict J. F. Griffith.

References

• "Cyclone in Arkansas; It Destroys Much Property and Many Lives are Lost," Aspen Weekly Times (Col.), October 6, 1894.
• "Three Dead, Seven Missing; Besides Thirty-Five Injured at Little Rock, Ark.," New York Times, October 3, 1894.
• "Wrecked by a Tornado; The Business Part of Little Rock Devastated," Cranbury Press (N.J.), October 12, 1894.