1913 Omaha Easter Sunday tornado

The Omaha Easter Sunday Tornado struck Omaha, Nebraska at approximately 6:00 p.m. on 23 March 1913. A massive tornado-producing storm ripped its way through Nebraska, and through the thriving city of Omaha. The storm's path was reported as being 40 miles long and from 1/4- to 1/2-mile wide, and included 8 distinct tornadoes.^[1]

Preceding touchdown in Omaha

Easter Sunday began under cloudy skies in Omaha. Rain threatened but never fell on the city, and by noon the skies had brightened to the point where the sun began to peek through. In the afternoon the skies darkened again as a massive storm system moved into the area from western Nebraska. This storm system brought snow to the Colorado Rockies and high winds to Denver on Sunday morning.

At 5:20 p.m. the first tornado from the storm touched down just outside of Craig, Nebraska. It traveled into Iowa without causing major damage. A second tornado touched down at about 5:30 p.m. near Ithaca, claiming the first casualties of the day as it swept through Yutan. Two other rural tornadoes followed.

At 5:45 p.m. a tornado touched down near Kramer. This tornado raced northeast and reached the outskirts of Omaha around 6:00 p.m.

Tornado enters the city

The Omaha tornado followed the path of Little Papillion Creek as it entered the city. It moved through the west side of town alongside the Missouri Pacific Railroad, destroying the small workers cottages in the area. The tornado was so strong that steel train cars were later found pierced by pieces of shattered lumber from the demolished homes.

By the time the tornado reached Dewey Avenue it was five blocks wide. When it reached Farnam Hill the twister followed a shallow valley through this upscale neighborhood. The large mansions of Farnam were no match for the winds, and many houses were torn to pieces, along with several in the Gold Coast Historic District including the Joslyn Castle, which sustained considerable damage. Buildings were found chopped in half, pipes and supports dangling into space, such as the Duchesne Academy that was nearly obliterated.

At North 24th and Lake Streets in the Near North Side neighborhood a large African American crowd was enjoying an Easter Sunday performance when the tornado flattened the building and killed more than two dozen people. Other brick structures in this small commercial district took similar hits, and more people died here than in any other part of Omaha.

A streetcar running down North 24th Street in North Omaha encountered the tornado near this area. Thanks to the quick actions of operator Ord Hensley, every passenger on the streetcar survived. Later, photographers would spot the wrecked machine and would call it the "Streetcar of Death," imagining that no one on board could have survived given the immense damage.

The F4 tornado skirted the downtown area and moved over the Missouri River into Council Bluffs. By this time it was losing steam, and although Council Bluffs sustained damage, it escaped the destruction the tornado had brought to Omaha.

The only warning anyone had was a sudden and sharp fall of barometric pressure and temperature. Few had time to seek shelter.

Impact

153 people died, 103 in Omaha, and 400 more were injured. In the aftermath of the tornado, a cold front moved into Omaha and caused further misery, as newly homeless residents struggled to escape the snowy weather.^[2]

2,000 homes in Omaha alone were reportedly destroyed, $8 million total damage from the storm, $5.5 million of which was in Omaha (financial damage estimates vary, the NOAA reports more damage than this). The same storm system that struck Nebraska also created a huge dust storm in Topeka, Kansas. On Sunday night, it spawned another deadly tornado in Terre Haute, Indiana, killing 50. On Monday and Tuesday the storm brought heavy rains to the Midwest and upstate New York, causing widespread flooding.

Recovery

Remarkably, operators from the Webster Telephone Exchange Building at 22nd and Lake did not leave their stations either during or after the tornado. The building was used as an infirmary for the wounded and dying, with physicians and nurses coming from area hospitals. US Army troops from Fort Omaha set up headquarters in the building, as soldiers patrolled the area for looters and to offer assistance.

Initially, James Dahlman, the longtime mayor of Omaha, refused assistance from any outside sources, including the federal government. However, he requited after seeing the extent of the damage throughout the city. The federal government poured in assistance soon after. The massive damage caused by the tornado inspired new engineering techniques aimed at creating a tornado-proof edifice. The first such building was the First National Bank of Omaha building, built in 1916 at 1603 Farnam Street. The 14-story building was built in a "U"-shape.

See also

• Disaster Books - Omaha Easter Sunday Tornado
• Great Dayton Flood
• List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
• List of tornadoes causing 100 or more deaths
• List of tornadoes striking downtown areas
• Timeline of North Omaha, Nebraska history

References

External links

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• (n.d.) Omaha's Terrible Evening. Tragic Story of America's Greatest Disaster.