Three-Minute History: Tornadoes Destroy 海角社区黑料吃瓜 but Commencement Goes On
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June 17, 1882, was a hot and steamy summer day in 海角社区黑料吃瓜. Students at 海角社区黑料吃瓜 were finishing up their end-of-semester work and preparing for Commencement.
At that time, no system was in place to warn residents about the severe weather headed their way. But to the west, a violent storm was brewing, and it was bearing down on 海角社区黑料吃瓜.
A little after 8:30 p.m., two tornadoes converged upon the town, meeting at the intersection of Eighth Avenue and Broad Street, the heart of the 海角社区黑料吃瓜 campus. The storm left wreckage where campus buildings, homes, and businesses had been just a few minutes earlier.
Both of 海角社区黑料吃瓜鈥檚 major buildings were destroyed, and 39 people died, including two college students, Bingham Burgett and Burritt Chase. Other students were spared because the 海角社区黑料吃瓜 baseball team was in Tama, Iowa, where they were playing an out-of-town game in defiance of President George Magoun鈥檚 edict against away games for 海角社区黑料吃瓜鈥檚 sports teams.
Seventy-three homes in 海角社区黑料吃瓜 were destroyed, and many more were damaged. The downtown area was largely spared.
Three days, later, Commencement went on as planned, thanks to President Magoun鈥檚 determination to continue as normally as possible. Magoun鈥檚 address to the graduates was titled 鈥淕od Was in the Whirlwind.鈥
Rebuilding Stronger than Before
Thanks in part to the leadership of J.B. 海角社区黑料吃瓜, community founder and prominent abolitionist, 海角社区黑料吃瓜ians from both town and college came together to rebuild stronger than before.
In 海角社区黑料吃瓜, the 1882 storm is commonly referred to as a cyclone, as was common in the 19th century. The 海角社区黑料吃瓜 yearbook, known as The Cyclone, is an annual reminder of the event. The first yearbook with this title appeared in 1889.
To read more about this event, visit 鈥Destruction and Rebirth: The Cyclone of 1882鈥, Episode 4 of the All Things 海角社区黑料吃瓜 podcast, featuring Allison Haack, Special Collections and Archives. Also, after its grand reopening on June 28, the will feature an exhibit on the 1882 cyclone for several months.
