In 1924, A Tornado Tore Through Lorain And Left A Lasting Impact On Greater Cleveland
By Nikki Rhoades|Published April 14, 2020
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Nikki Rhoades
Author
Nikki is a lifelong Ohioan with a love for literature. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Akron and has enjoyed publishing her written work since 2007. She has a love of travel and does so frequently, though she believes that home is where the heart is — she continues to work in and around Cleveland as a digital content specialist to this day, working on everything from commercial scripts and social media posts to grassroots marketing initiatives.
Much has changed in the last century, but much has remained the same. For one, Cleveland continues to be regarded as one of the worst cities to spend winter in. Fortunately, when it comes to shocking weather, that’s about the extent of our misfortunes. Cleveland has even been ranked as one of the safest areas to avoid natural disasters… but that doesn’t mean freak incidents don’t occur. In 1924, an incredible tornado in Greater Cleveland shook the community to its core… and left a significant amount of damage along the way. Though it has been a century, the 1924 tornado has gone down in local history as one of the most tragic events in Ohio’s modern timeline.
If you have ever experienced a tornado, you know how terrifying such an experience is. Fortunately, Northeast Ohio doesn't see them too often.
Sometimes, believe it or not, the southern stretches of Ohio are included in Tornado Alley. In 2019, Ohio experienced its second most tornado-heavy year on record, recording as many as 46 twisters.
One of the most shocking tornadoes on record is the Lorain–Sandusky Tornado of 1924.
A monster storm stretched over the area outlined in the image above, twisting and brewing its clouds and, eventually, producing a tornado. It ranked F4 on the F-Scale, meaning it produced incredibly devastating damage and shook communities with winds between 207 and 260 mph.
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It struck on Saturday, June 28... which began as a typical 80-degree summer day.
What locals may not have realized, however, is that a low pressure system was rolling into the state. First, it rolled over Lake Erie in the Sandusky area... then it made contact with land.
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All in all, over 85 people were killed, hundreds of homes were destroyed, and thousands were damaged.
This shocking event was the most tragic loss of life by a tornado in Ohio history. To put this destruction into perspective, you may recall the 1974 Super Outbreak, or the largest outbreak of tornadoes in 24 hours ever recorded. Out of the 148 confirmed tornadoes, 319 were killed in 13 states and one Canadian province... and the most destructive of that bunch only took 32 lives.
The Bath House at Lakeview Park was destroyed, and so, too, were the eight people that took up residence within it. A theater collapsed, trapping 15 unlucky souls. An estimated $12.5 million in damage (just over $1 billion in today's currency) was noted.
When the tornado initially formed in Sandusky, it destroyed 100 homes and 25 businesses. After it moved onto Lake Erie and rolled east, it picked up speed and destroyed another 500 homes in the Lorain area.
In some cases, homes were completely ripped away from their foundations.
The damage was so extensive, in fact, that many doubt that a single tornado may have produced such extensive damage. As most were taking cover, it is understandable that most probably did not directly see the tornadoes. However, eyewitnesses couldn't miss the single massive storm rolling in over Lake Erie.
Those that lost their homes had to take up residency in temporary shelters, and they were anything but The Ritz.
Thousands of homes were damaged, so those that survived had to make due with whatever was available. At the time this tornado took place, it was considered to be the second deadliest in U.S. history. To this day, it remains one of the costliest and most destructive.
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And the clean up, as you can probably imagine, was intense.
Cars were picked up and torn apart in the winds, scattering mechanical parts across the landscape. As locals from surrounding communities emerged to assist, doctors and nurses from Cleveland rushed to the scene to care for the survivors.
Nearly 125 city blocked were destroyed, robbing the city of its historical architecture and beloved family homes. Nevertheless, the community moved on, rebuilt, and continued to thrive... but locals never shook the memory of this shocking event.
Though life moved on, locals never forgot the shock of this incredible weather event. More tornadoes formed in other parts of Ohio following the destruction in Lorain, but nowhere encountered nearly as much damage.
The incredible 1924 tornado in Greater Cleveland was never captured on film itself, but the destruction it caused is every bit as shocking to see today. What is the most shocking weather event you have experienced in Ohio? Share your thoughts in the comments!
This isn’t the only tragic event in local history. In 1944, Cleveland’s East Side was rocked by an unexpected explosion. This was mere decades after a different sort of combustion burned the Cleveland Clinic to the ground.
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