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, M. F. Baucum Wholesale Grocery, Bell Telephone Company, Capitol Hotel, Dickinson Hardware Company, Dudley E. Jones Company, Little Rock Tent and Awning Company, the Oak Leaf Hotel, Charles F. Penzel & Company, Robinson Hotel, Sam Rudolph & Company, L. Volmer & Company, Western Union, and Wilson and Webb Stationery Company. The Baum Block was completely leveled by the storm, and four wards of the asylum were destroyed.

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.